Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-06-25
From the Tuscumbia Advertiser.
TO THE PuBLIC.

complain; and under q conviction that just claims have never been denied, by the great body of free community whose feelings of right and wrong the power of self interest," losses its effect, have di- rected petition to that tribunal which is formed of the united opinions of our fellow citizens and to thesl we beg leave to submit our grievances.
 We have solicltedthe protection of your SUB | the Trustees, and have made appeal to your | Agents in their Legislative capacity. majority of the latter body, moved by the injuries which we have sustained by their praiseworthy elforts in re-
 evng every class of purchasers in the whole country, favored complaints; yet the Bill did not become effective in our favor, owing to the division in the different branches ofthe House We might yet for a while have withheld this appeal and public expo- sure of unfortunate situation if it had not been called for by the representations of some, who are not satisfied with suffering under the torture of Legal oppression, which unreslsed would leave us, without homes and without the means of acquiring them again.
 As we are plain, uneducated planters, our petition cannot come before you, under the imposing garb, which the elegance of style and purity of language, throw around the protests and weekly publications of the Lerati who are, and have been engaged in exciting public prejudice against prescribed few, who have been overlooked in the numerous exercls- es of that salutary power which has been so kindly extended to our neghbors and has preserved them from impending ruin.
 We expect to rest the merits of our claims to pro- lection and relief upon correct statement of facts; and in this we feel confident that have nothing to lose by acomparison with our opponents
 In the first place we shall consider the power oi the Legislature and the Trustees to grant the Relief sought.
 Secondly, we shall attempt to show its expediency,
 from the effects of forfeiture of the land, and its abandonment by the purchasers.
 | Thirdly that justice claims it, from the deusive combination of circumstances at the time of sale, and the policy of the Relief system adopted by the State 1 A brief history of the lands for which we are n- debed will contribute something to correct under standing of the hardships to which we are exposed: In 1S1S all the lands of Franklin county were offer ed for sale by the General Government with the ex cepton of T. 1, R. II west which was reserved from sale under belief that its location near the head of steamboat navigation, fair prospect for heath and
 the fertility and extent of the surrounding country
 would soon convert this forest into city. With
 this impression q section and halt of this township was planned into Lots, which constitute the town of Tuscumba. Time has clearly shown that all those calculations made under that system oi aI1th- metic which was so freely used in 1918, whose gold en rule was multiplication. In 1919, the Alabama | Territory was admitted into the Union, with dona- ton from the General Government Of two townships of land which was vested in the Legislature to te appropriated solely to the of seminary of earn- ing. This donation was accepted by the State with
 no other limitation than its appropriation. No me- thod of dsposing of it accompanied the gift, no mi nnum was fixed, no officers appointed by the Gene ra Government to control the land the funds aris l ing therelrom no accountability liability was in
 posed by the of the donation Is 1t not clear then that the acceptance of the gift vested the right
 ofownership in the people of Alabama, through their
 Agent the Legislaturel The Legislature therefore
 acquired the right to fix the minimum at Sl 9 per
 acre. or to dispose of it at valuation, at private
 public sale, for cash or credit, or to adopt any
 other mode ofapproprating it, to the use of Semi
 nary of Learning, that they in their wisdom might | deem most expedient
 Thus having right to the land, the next step ill t
 history was its selection. The township before al
 luded to, which had been reserved from sale from considerations above mentioned and around which the lands had sold, during the mania that ragged in lS1S for the most exhorbant prices that is, from
 5 to 1875 per acre, with the prospect of flourish
 ing town, naturally attracted the attention of those employed to select These anticipated advantages,
 and not the fertility of the soil, induced selection of large portion of this township. As evidence of this fact, offer the subsequent examination of
 these lands. In 1S26 when classed, not acre of 1st quality could be found still worse than that not
 one of the 2d quality could be ound and the commit
 tee were forced by the law to place it in the scale
 high Sd quality. Subsequent valuations and sales
 show, that some off would have been cassed as 4th quality, yet the committee were compelled to value
 it high as S1 9 per This is the same land ) that once had the minimum of $l7 fixed on 1t; and adjoining those that we purchased. 1.-the selecting
 committee lad been governed by fertility of soil is IL ? land which would not be placed higher than third clnss! There but light shades difference, in the lands of the township and those subsequently valued and sold and afford advantages to the purchasers
 equal to those before sold The other lands of the 3 donation principally selected in the southern andmidde parts of the State, where are informed that the quality and advantages in cultivation de- cidedy superior to those of the northern yet many 2 of the same reasons exist with those purchasers. s Having completed the selection the Legislature m le20 passed an act authorizing the Governor to appoint three commissioners in each county where in any of the lands may be situated. whose duty il shall be to lease sad lands, at public auction in con venent tracts, and in such way shall be deemed most advantageous to the State."
 , At this time find the donation accepted, the se lection made, Agents appointed to lease it out and exercise other acts of ownership and not one word Is heard of this intangible and invisible body" the
 Trustees whose capacities and powers, and acant of powers are made to involve this subject in so mech , mystery; by those who have endeavored to signal ze themselves, in their publications, by sacred de- voron to the cause of the people, the widow and the orphan for they have nothing to do with the merits of this question. The inheritance of poverty Is misfortune, but no crime; yet its heirs are as much barred from this institution, as from Yale or Cam bridge Colleges They will not therefore be longer deluded by the false representations, that sacrifice of few unfortunate debtors, will give them access to the rich stores of science In 1891 instead of the three commissioners appointed by the Governor, in : each county. the Legislature changed the number and distribution of its Agents, by electng two from
 each judicial circuit, with compensation of three dol lars per day, whilst engaged in rendering services in
 that capacity who, together with the Governor, form l the Board of Trustees. Having increased the num-
 Der of their Agents and having placed at their head , him who, by the voice of the State, had been called
 to the first executive office, they extended their pow
 CTS to act. The same statute says, that they 'vesi
 in those Trustees all the lands which they have re.
 ceived from Congress for a Seminary of Learning "
 This act did or did not diyest inc Tprisatnre oi