Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-01-27

What is the plan of the gentleman from
Illinois, as 1t is expressed IN his resolu-
ton +! Ii is to submit 10 board oil Com
missloners, without limit or restriction,
. all laims 10 lands by individuals against
the Uni,ed States, where such claims
depend on titles derived from any law OF
the United States, or acts of any foreign
governments, and which have been grant
ed to the United States by virtue oil any
treaty or compact with such foreign go
vernmens" is, all claims derived
from the British, Spanish, or French 60
vernmens. Such plan will manifestly
rip up all decisions on land claims from
the very formation of this government.
BY the decisions of the Boards Of Com
missioners for the investigation OF land
claims, many claims have been rejected,
and the titles OF many claimants have
been barred by the statutes of Limitation.
All these claims will, under ibis resolu-
ton, come up again for decision--lhey
are all within its terms. do not believe,
IT al. thai tho he,, ,blo s..'rs,9-i
to include them--but such is the fact.
Ny object is not to bring before this new
tribunal, which is proposed to be esta-
blished, claims which have already been
before previous Boards of the same ge-
neral description, and there decided
this would be endless ] wish TO present
to this general tribunal only such claims
as have never been presented at all, or
which having been preferred before the
several Boards of Commis sioners here
tolore appointed, have on account OF
their magnitude, or for other reasons,
been left undecided. Large quantities OF
the Public Lands, are subject 10 claims
Of this descripton--and, though held
back from sale on that account, are,
nevertheless, becoming partially settled.
In liulc time these settlers will be so
numerous as to become too strong To be
controlled by the decisions of any Board
of Com mlssloners and, IN truth, as 1t
is, Congress would probably be gamers
by giving away some of these tracts,
without waiting for decision upon the
claims.
MIR. Cook, in answer, said, that he
was sorry the gentleman from Misss-
|sippi had entered so much into detail in
the present Stage of this measure. Such
was not now bis intention. He wished
to give the committee to whom the in-
quiry was to be submitted, general and
unrestricted powers over the plan, TO
xtend or TO limit it as they might pre-
fer. The amendment would SO to de-
prve them Of ibis power. 1t cuts off at
blow twelve or fifteen hundred claims
from the state of Missouri, which have
indeed been barred by the statute of
limitations, but which have equity OH
the face Of them. X cold hearted go.
yernmcni, which repels the holder of
Just and bona 6de cain, to ,rac, Of land
because he was not fortunate enough 10
get sight OF newspaper acquainting him
with some recent decision of Congress
respecting land claimants, or because he
happened TO be upavoidahiy absent when
such regulation was enforced, is not the
government which Mr.. G. said he wish
ed to have any share III administering
the amendmen, goes to cut off claims
equitable in theirnaturc, which have been
pressing several years for settlement,
and which, it that amendment prevails,
The house will still have hanging on its
hands. In this house, they cannot have
a full and deliberate investigation-the
thing is impracticable. Then let the
committee have full powers TO prepare
a plan, which shall provide for disposing
of them as il shall think most expe dent.
Do nc, foreslal their decision.
Mr., mr. Cou, of VIRGINIA, was in favor
of the amendment. He hoped the gene
raj tribunal would be confined to the ad-
Indication Of such large claims as have
been presented, but, from their magni-
Jude, not acted upon. As To such as at
his late time of day have never been
presented at all, he should entertain
great doubts of their soundness. Boards
Of Commissioners have been in existence
in most OF the States and Territories,
from 1905 to 1922. Surely, in all those
years, the claimants had had sufficient
time at least TO present their claims. The
members all knew that many claims had
been presented before those Boards, and
rejected as fraudulent. To erect ,ri-
hunaI now, to go back and disturb all
these decisions, would be to create an
evil ten-lold greater than that sought to
be removed.
Mr.. Fuller, of Massachusetts, was
opposed 10 the amendment, as going too
much into detail, and improperly re-
s,ricting the committee. He saw no
evil which could arise from adopting the