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On motion by Mr. FOOT, the Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill making a grant of public lands to the several States and Territories of the Union for the benefit of indigent insane persons, the pending question being on the amendment submitted by Mr. PETTIT, on the 9th instant, when the bill was under consideration, to insert the following:

"Provided, That all the grants of land provided for by this act shall be confined to such States as have public lands in them equal to the amount hereby granted to such State."

Mr. PETTIT. I rise, sir, not to detain the Senate in the consideration of this bill, but for the purpose of withdrawing the amendment which offered to it. In doing so, I wish simply to state that I do not withdraw it because I yield the idea that to the new States their own territory and land ought to belong. That, I hold, should have been the early policy of the Government; and, so far as my vote now can go towards securing to them what they ought to have had originally, I shall be found pursuing such a course. But since we have been informed by the Senator from Iowa -Mr. DODGE- that there is more insanity and lunacy, not to say idiocy, in the old northern free States than in the western and southern States, it may be a matter of philanthropy and justice to pass the bill as a remedy for that afflicted class. In this state of things I will withdraw my amendment.

The PRESIDENT. If there be no objection, the Senator will have leave to withdraw the amendment.

Mr. FOOT. I wish to offer an amendment, which is recommended by the Committee on Public Lands. Before doing so, allow me to say that I am entirely satisfied with the act of the Senator from Indiana in withdrawing his amendment, without indorsing his reason, or taking time, at present, to combat it. The Committee on Public Lands have authorized and directed me to move to amend, the first section of the substitute reported by them, by striking out the words -- "And that the representation of any Slate shall not be computed at less than six members."

and to insert in lieu thereof:

"And that said apportionment shall be made after first allotting to each State one hundred thousand acres."

The Committee on Public Lands bestowed very much reflection and study upon the question of the proper basis of the distribution of these lands among the several States, having reference not only to the present population of the States, but also to the prospective and more rapidly increasing population of the new States. To distribute these lands among the several States according to their population or representation, would not, in the opinion of the committee, be quite just to the new and less populous States at the present time. To adopt the basis of territorial area, on the other hand, would be doing injustice to the old and more populous States. They adopted then the compound ratio of population or representation and territorial area, with a certain limitation. The committee, after much reflection and consideration upon the subject, came to the conclusion that this constituted the most equitable basis upon which they could propose the distribution of these lands.

Mr. WELLER. I desire to move to strike out a portion of the first section of the substitute reported by the committee, and I do not know to what extent my objection has been obviated by the amendment which has been just submitted. I understand the Senator from Vermont to say that the basis of distribution is a compound one -- that of representation in Congress, and the quantity of square miles of land within the limits of the States. Now, by taking either of these, great injustice will be done to the State from whence I come.

You provide that the area of a State shall not be taken to exceed 50,000 square miles. The State of California has nearly 150,000 square miles. You then fix upon the basis of representation in the other branch of Congress. The State of California has but two members there, though she is justly entitled, in my judgment, at this day, to least four members. This compound ratio, therefore, which has been fixed upon by the Committee on Public Lands, will necessarily do great injustice to that State by fixing upon the quantity a lands to which she is entitled.

Now, whilst I am in favor of the general principles of this bill, I am unwilling that this gross injustice shall be done to the States which have a larger quantity of land than that fixed as a maximum in this bill. I desire, therefore, to move to strike Out that portion of the bill which limits the area of the States to fifty thousand square miles, leaving each State to receive a quantity of land in proportion to the amount which may be found within its limits. My State is interested, as well as other States, in providing for this numerous class of people; for there are many insane people there, who have gone from the older States, with the anticipation, perhaps, of making fortunes very suddenly; but finding themselves disappointed in that, have become deranged, and are now charges upon the people of that State for support. Unless my difficulty be obviated by the amendment now proceed, shall move to strike out that proviso