The Arkansas advocate., 1835-04-24

tain any of the comforts of life, pirogue and tedious struggle against the stream was his only way of travelling. In the lapse of years, he cleared perhaps fifteen or twenty acres of land-and always looking forward to the time when he would find his land in market, he laid up carefully the mo- ney with which to purcase his half or quar- ter section. This money and his improve ment were his fortune-small indeed, but sufficient under he kind protection which Congress extended to him. There comes change. Ten sections of land are grant ed to the Territory, and finally placed at the disposal of the Governor. That man, scruplng not to serve his pGrty in any way, determines to raise the value of those claims flor he well knew that the the ffcikle people were to be best pleased if their vanity was tickled with the sound of thirty thousand dollars given them by the Delegate and the Governor, as payment for only ten sections of land. In order therefore to make these claims valuable, they first obtained the li- berty of laying them on lands not returned and which consequently the occupants had not, and could mot yet purchase. They then authorized the purchasers of the claims Z 10 locate on improvements the claims sold for five dollars an acre. Some were immediately laid on improvements-and the disputes arising thence at Washington City are yet undecided. In other cases the specuator, or his agent went to the settler and offered to buy his improvement. If he refused to sell, he threatened to locate his land with Ten Section claim. The occu- pant-the omner of the land, was unable 10 pay five dollars an acre for his land, for he had only prepared himself to pay dollar and quarter 1t was the weak against the strong poor against the rich. If he determined to defend his rights, how was he to do 1t! To do so al Washington he was nnabIe--or # able t would ruin liiiii, or cost him more than his land was worth. In this case, what was there for him to do, save to submit! He sold his improvement worth at least six thousand dollars, for two or three hundred--and his all was gone. The grasp of the peculator--relentless as the grasp of the tiger, had been upon him and he escaped wounded and bleeding. He sold his land Uoiuntdfily--we are told-- but 1t was like the traveller who gives his purse Uctantdt9ty 10 the robber. When the tale of his mlsfortunes was told, he was irl- suited by the assertion that his improvement was only ''talnip patch.n The man who has cleared his fifty acres of prairie, could tell him this, nor recollect that fifteen acres on the Mississippi was the more difficult task. What punishment do those men de- serve. who, chosen by the people as their guardians, prove recreant to their trust and then avoid the consequence by false- hoodt Are not those citizens who are yet nnscathed, afraid that the same hands may some time be laid otl them? Or do they suppose that more mercy will be shown to one portion of the people than to another? When, at the last session. a memorial was introduced in the House of Representative ot this Territory, praying Congress to re- lleve the sufferers, and to secure pre- emp ton rights against Ten Section claims tlsat memorial leas pat doen by the tSevier and Pope" members of the Legislature and the reason assigned was, that .'it would be an implied censure on the course of Go vernon Pope" It had come 10 this, that the lntaibility of a titled partisan was of more importance than the dearest rights of the people. And yet these same men were the dear lovers of the people--ane those who defended the memorial, ssa factious op- position" So jealous were the legitmates then, of the character and reputation of Go vernon Pope, that they would not even per init an ''implied' censure upon his conduct .Now, they are not so tender of his fame.
 And what was to reconcile the people to this sacrifice of their rightsl The magnifi- cent State House, to be built up on those broken rights. And that State House is - HUr-get finished. When it will be, heaven only knows. The Delegate and the Gov ernof have been glori6ed ngly--and have grown great and waxed strong, under the shadow of the State House. When the people shall begin to pay taxes in order to complete 1t, their fall will be as sudden as their rise. The foundation of their popu- larty is of sand--and when the rotten fab- TIC of their power falls to the ground, we hope to see the darkness pass from the eyes of the people. .S3