South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1836-02-20

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and, for want Of money to meet ii, the
land was forfeited. Il is true that M
der subsequent law, he received back
the sum he had actually paid 10 but
this was no compensation for the loss
of body Of fine land. which is now
perhaps worth tsoenty dollars per acre,
and would have placed him in easy cir
cumstances, could he have retained il.
At the time that our distinguished
friend was thus devoting his private
fortune to public service, sacrificing
that which, though small in value then,
would have risen with the rapid ap-
probation of property in the west into
ample estate, he had liberty TO draw
on the government to an unlimited a.
mount, and was daily passing large
sums Of public money through his.
hands. During the. war he drew on;
the government for more than sir hun
dred thousand dollars for public pur.
poses, not cent of which was ever!
diverted TO bis own use and at the.
close Of his military service, there was
no charge against him on the books Of
the accounting officers at Washington,
except for few hundred dollars, " hich
he had expended as secret service mo-
ney, and which was promptly aIlo owed
by the President.
Since the var, General Harrison has.
been the principal, and almost The on
ly, representative Of the military class
of our citizens, in the region in which
he lived and the old soldiers Gro " ded.
about him. The veterans who had
served under Wayne, St. Clair and
others u the early comm anders, came
to him to present their claims for land
aud for pensions. Those who had
served in the late war under him came
to him, Of course, as their next friend
Born 10 Virginia and bred in the west,
he was hospitable by nature, and by
habi.--and the old soldier always
found welcome at bis firesids. NOT
only we're his expenses increased, but
a vast deal of his time employed, inl
1 the duties Of charity or friendship to
wards this deserving class Of citizens.
Some years ago, il was ascer.ained
that large body Of land adjoining
Cincinnati,and bordering On the Ohio,
which had beea sold long previously
for mere pittanee, under an execu-
lion against the original proprietor,
could not be held by the titles derived
from the purchasers, because the pro-
4 eeedings were irregular. The legal
title was 10 General Harrison and an |
other. gentleman, who were the heirs
at law. The hua1seds of acres inclu. |
ded 10 this tract would have consti,u.
ted princely domains for both these
persons, and have afforded a wealthy
Inheritance for their descend ants, had
| they chosen, to have Insisted on their
legal rights; and they could perha
have done justice to the purchasers, by
giving them small portion OF the
whole for their equitable, claims. But
General Harrison is not the man who
ever compromises Between bic honor
and his interest ! and Immediately on
being informed Of. the situation Of ths
property, he procured, the assent Of his
CO heirS and Joined him ia. executing
deeds 10 fee simple to Che PURCHASERS,
wi.hou. claiming any confederation for
what. what he considered an act Of du-
~, except a few huadred dollars being
the difference between, the actual Value
when sold, and the amount paid al the
sherif's sale. Included in the tract,
however, were twelve acres, Of the
Most valuable part, which wete actual
! " the property Of MIR. Harrison, b.,
donation from his father-io-law, .nd
in his possession at the time Of the sale
under the execution, and which were
improperly included ia the sale. n
consequences Of bis title no. appearing
on record. This he NIGH, have re.
tanned both legally and eqaitably /; bu.
suca was his nice regard for his repu-
tation, and his ,scrupulous desire to do
all the justice that others were dspos-
ed to claim Of him, that he agreed to
receive Tor this portion, as well as the
otheri . snail payGient, which, with
the amount for which it was struck of
at the sale, would make up what was
supposed to have been its value when
sold. The last described portion thus
relinquished, is now worth oae hun
! dred thousand dollars.
| 1t is well known thar ii has not been
uncommon for gentlemen holding high
Offices, to avail themselves of their
influence to provide for their relatives.
4 large Number Of the members Of
Congress- and uther hiuh FUNGI innnria.