Mr. BIDWELL. The question tobe decided by the House today is one of so much, Imight say of so momentous importance to the State of California, that it will be impossible for me more than barely to make an outline of what I ought to say in the time allowed me in justice to the magnitude of the questions involved in the issue. The State of California was entitled under certain acts of Congress to grants of land; no more, however, than other new States. But the condition under which those grants were made required that the lands should be surveyed and brought into market before the selections could be made by the States. But up to the present time the lands never have been surveyed by the U.S and brought into market in advance of the settlement, so that it has been absolutely impossible for the State of California to maket ose selections unless she made them upon unsurveyed lands. Anxious to create, a school fund with which to educate the youths of that State she went on, relying on the justice of the Government, and made selections of lands. We ask in this bill nothing more and nothing less than that the Government of the U.S shall recognize those selections of land so far only as they do not conflict with any preemption rigiilt, or any homestead or other just and valid i'i t. gThat is all there is in the bill, and it would be perfectly satisfactory, and we would be rea y now, without uttering another word, to take a vote 11 on the bill were it not for the proosition o the chairman of the Committee on ’ublic Lands to attach to it an amendment which reopens the old Spanish claim which has been settled and adjusted, and that, too, in accordance with the principles of right and justice, as I believe, as our clegation believe, and as every honorable man in the State of California knowing the circumstances and merits of the case believes. Now, Mr. Speaker, one word in reference to what the Gentfrom Indiana [Mr. Ju LIAN] said the other day in regard to settlers upon that particular tract of and which he desires to provide for in the proposed amendment. The question will arise as to whether those persons are settlers according to the meaning of the pree'inption laws of the U.S. The register and receiver of the State of California investigated the questions and reported that they were not such settlers. That disnot satisfy the Land office, and another register and another receiver were ordered to proceed and investigate the questions. After 8 months of patient and deliberate investigation, filling 17 volumes of 800 pages each of testimony taken upon the question, the decision was that the persons who settled upon that grant werenot in any sense of the word within the meaning of the laws.