Mr. HENDRICKS. Mr. President, I thought the answer to the logical force and legal force of those precedents had been so fully given by the Senfrom Michigan [Mr. HowARD) that I was justified in saying that Congress had never before undertaken to do what is now proposed, to change the constitution, which it is claimed the people have agreed to. The provision to which the Senfrom Nevada as referred I believe is found in most of the laws admitting the States, or if not in the laws admitting the States, in the enabling acts; and I should think there would be no occasion to provide in the admission of any State as is provided in the section read by the Senfrom Nevada. The Constitution of the U.S. gives to Congress in express terms the disposal of the public lands, the right to jthe public lands; to regulate the public lands in every respect. But at one time, as was said by the Senfrom Michigan, it was claiung.d that after a State had been admitted and had be. come a sovereign in the Union, it then might have a control over the lands within her limits. That doctrine, however, has long since been abandoned. For 30 years I believe it has not been claimed by any Senator or Representative. Congress has the exclusive and entire control of the public lands, their disposal as the owner of the public lands, and may make all laws necessary to protect its own interests as owner of the lands therein. It may not only provide for the sale of the lands, but it may provide for the protection of the lands while it owns them; and in order to secure a sale of the lands upon advantageous terms, it may protect its purchasers. It is upon that ground that Congress has claimed the right to secure the persons to whom it may sell the lands exemption from unequal taxation. It was the interest of Congress to dispose of the lands in California. In order to secure the disposal of those lands upon advantageous terms, Congress provided that the persons who purchased the lands, whether they lived in Cal. ifornia or elsewhere, should not be exposed to unequal and unjust taxation. It is under the power to control the public lands and to dispose of them that Congress undertakes to protect the purchaser when he may not be a resident of the State, and it is not claimed for Congress under any power to control the constitution of a State simply because her people ask for admission into the Union.