Mr. JULIAN. I have not intended to impugn the motives of an member of the committee, and if the gentleman on some other occasion asks liberty to make an explanation I have no doubt the House will grant it. I understand the House to have ranted me an extension of 5 minutes, an I propose to use it in closing this controversy. If the House votes down this amendment, it votes, in effect, that the ruling of the AttyGen shall be the law, affecting not only the comparatively few preemptors on the Soscol ranc. but the rights of re'emptors everywhere throughout the land. lIlihat we desire by this amendment is to save the land policy of the Government from this indirect, unmaiily, and covert attack which has been attempted. We simply ask that the customary and well settled laws governing the rights of preenition shall prevail on the Soscol ranch as we] as every where else, and that these poor men shall not be the victims of fresh and renewed acts of violence, caused by Our failure to protect them. And now, a word on the subject of the “ California delegation.” It would seem from the remarks made upon this floor that there is scarcely any other delegation in the world than the California delegation. N ow, Mr. Speaker, this amendment, which the Gentfrom California says affects n“obody but California, and no question but the construction of California law and California ants, ” affects the right of preemption in california and out ofit, and everywhere. And it is a novel idea that because the California dele gation ask a particular thing we are bound to grant it. Why California has shingled the State all over with school warrants, issued without law, and has undertaken a system of survey and sale and the disposition ofher swamp and internal improvement lands and her seminary lands, all in agrant contravention of the laws of the U.S., and in violation of her plighted faith. The Gentfrom California knows this and dep ores it. Her legislative career in this respect seems to have been a career of sys tematicrecreaiicy to her mostsacred obligations to the national authority, and has thus rendered necessary the bill now before the House. This bill affects the rights of the whole country, since the illegal acts referred to interfered with the rights of purchasers, pre‘emptors, and homestead claimants on the public domain in california, thus unlawfully disposed of by the State. In view of these facts, I submit that the California delegation should not exact much more than ordinary deference for their wishes. Let me make another observation. I understand the proper mode of Legislation upon this floor to be this: that we present our measures and debate them on their merits, and then vote. I have not had the time to get the Indiana delegation to go around and implore every member upon this floor in God’s name to vote for my amendment. I have not had time to get any Senators from the other end of the Capitol to come here and plead vehemently with members to vote for any proposition in the interest'of Indiana. I have not had time to persuade the ComPubLands to unite with me in laying siege to members to carry any measure on grounds independent of its merits, or as a great personal favor, to be duly returned. I have no taste for such work. I know nothing of thatkind oflegislation; and I therefore have a great deal less of effectiveness and influence in carrying measures on this floor than other gentlemen who have the pecu liar gifts and inc‘Iinations to which I have alluded. But I submit that after all the para mount question is, whether our proposed measures are right or wron, and not whether the California delegation as for them.