The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-08-04
CIRCULAR LETTER OF RICE GARLAND,
To fhs People Of The third Congressional District 81
the Sfaie of Louisiaaa.

ClhCOLhh LIZ ASis ~ ANA~AS S~N~-~~fN~fs>I
To Ms People Of The third Congressional District Of
he Sate Of Louisiana.
FsLLow- CIrlzsNs II Was my intention to have sd-
dressed you Immediately after tho adjoumment Of the
session Of Congress which commenced Ia September
last, aud adjourned on tho 18th Of October but do
nestle calamilies, aud circumstances not within my
control, prevented il. Much matter existed then, and
previously excite the apprehensions OF The most cool
aud rejecting men The embarrassed condition OF the
cony in all lis financial relations, the spir, that seem
ed to actnate large portion Of feowcItIzens, the
ground assumed by those who have charge Of the adj
I,ins,ralion OF our Government, tina extraordinary
course the President aud many Of his friends and sup
poriers wished pursue in relation to the finances and
currency Of the country, together with other circum
stances vet fresh in our recoecioDs, made oil Of us
pause and ask Ourselves and each other. what he
doue What relief can be given 20 the people BY
what means is the ruin that impending the
county 10 be avered With the weight Of these inn
pressions on our minds, Congress- assembled on The
first Monday Of September last, under special call from
the President Unfortunately for The people, those who
we're charged with HE administration Of their affairs
seemed more panic stricken than any one else. At
the commencement Of the session message
cesed from the President, asserting doctrines in rea
ton 70 the powers Of the Goyernment the control Of
the enrrency the safe keeping and disbursement Of the
revenue that have met with the dlsapprobation of
purity Of the people every State in the Union in which
an election hiss been held except two. Within one
week after that message read III the Capitol Of the
nation the people Of router State stamped their DIS
appreciation upon H. and At once severed the political
ties that had bound them to the support Of the preceding
and present Chief Magistrate The leaders Of the
party, WIN had certainly contributed their full share to
produce the state Of things that then existed and which
we yet feel, seemed determined TO take Of them
selves aud immediate dependents and let the people
take care Of their interests We we're told, in
quite plain terms that the people must not look to
The Government for too much' they were prone TO
do IL times Of pecuniary embarrassment and distress
The principal bills presented and acted at the
session, it is commonly called, were Que TO post
pone the deposiie with the States of the fourth install
men Of the surplus revenue directed by the Of June,
1885. until the LIST Of January next anoiher to autho-
rze the issuing Of ten milIoIs of dollars in Treasury
notes, payable the ist Of January. 1899 third 10
give further time for the payment Of bonds given to
the duties on foreign merchandise imported into
the United States and fourth, give indulgence to
certain banks for the repayment OF public moneys depo
sted in them The leading measure OF the admnis,ra-
tion generally known the sub-,reasury BILL was,
after having passed the Senate laid the table in the
House Of Representatives by decisive vote, IN effect
rejecting it, The principles and policy Of the most
important OF these shall have occasion TO
examine in connection with measures similar in their
character. acted upon At the late session WILL there
FORE he unnecessary 10 enter into any details ut pre-
sent.
Some OF tho causes and circumstances that led to or
aUenued several measures aCteu SESSION.
still exist others past bat from them we can
learn much that may be useful III future action.
For some time after the commencement of the late
session OF Congress necessarily absent, not taxi
ing my scat until the goth Of January The poblic IN
terest did not suffer in consequence Of my absence,
though il is possible few individual claims may have
been delayed, though hope not much.
Before proceeding TO discuss several subjects Of ge
neral interest," viii very briefly present your consi-
Iteration number Of measures interesting only TO you,
or those situated as many OF you are
Tho report Of the Register and Receiver ct Ouschita
OH land claims communicated 10 the Scussc III thc
month Of February with the opinions of tho Solicitor
and Commissioner Of the General Land Office upon
them The Register and Receiver had, thought, been
sufficiently severe in their scrutiny. and had in few
instances done injustice to individuals but the Solicit
tor aud Commissioner applied their pruning knives,
and made matters worse Reports from the Register
aud Receiver ut New Orleans aud for the st. Helena
district were also presented in the Senate having UNI
dergone the same official pruning Bills were passed
10 the Senate confirming portion Of the claims report
ed on hut reached the House of Representatives too
late 10 be acted on there The Register and Recelser
at Opeousss have yet made any report on the land
CLAIMS presented them under the law Of February
1885 There are, am informed, several causes which
have produced this delay but Il hoped the report VIII
he ready previous the next session Of Congress.
Since my last address you have made repeated at
temp,s TO have some final action upon the extensive
claims the district, III the names OF Basrop, Mason
Rouge Davenport, Barr and others, but without sue
cess. The Of claim as extensive as these are
seems to starte many OF the members from the Older
States OF the Union who believe, affect TO believe,
every acre of land in State is worth five times its
value, and that every claim set up under Spanish or
French grant settlement right, anterior to December
GOTH 1903 is uii INST and unbranded. Ia the Senate
there is hope OF claims being fairly considered ;
but in the House Of Representatives we have nothing
TO hope from their generosity and very little to expect
from their OF justice, My advice to every owner
Of claim is, take actual possession oil tho land,
where such not the now, have II surveyed ac-
cordg The title, and give notice to the Government
oftre fact, by filing in the offices OF the Register for the
district the Surveyor General for the State, and the
Commissioner of the General Land Office in this city,
plats Of the survey Put yourselves the defensive,
and let the United States commence suits TO dispos-
sess yon. If those charged with the execution OF the
laws think proper to do know OF many Just titles
the recognition OF which have been delayed for years
upon mere prctexts whilst the owners have done all
the laws require to establish them Several instances
have come within my knowledge, Of land being sold
as belonging to the Government whilst the title OF CT
iizen has been suspended. and compensation re-
fused delayed TO amount to denial Of justice
new land district has been created, and the office
located at Natchtoches with directions the Register
and Receiver attend at Shreveport III the parish OF
Caddo, at least in each two months, to receive
proof Of pre- empon claims under the late law. This
district includes all the country north OF the 3ls degree
Of latitude to the Arkansas line, and west OF the Inc
between ranges Nos aud 4west Of the basis meridian,
10 the Sabine rivcr and boundary when the
same shall be fixed This comprises the whole Of the
parishes of Claiborne and Caddo and all Ns,chtoches,
except small section adjoining the parishes ofOuacha
| and Catahoula.
Ihsvc done all in my power to facilitate the dlssem-
inaon OF information every part Of the district, by
procuring the establishment Of post routes and post 9TH
ces Some routes authorized than two years ago
have not yet been put in operation, in consequence
is stated by the officers in the Department. Of the extra.
VACANT rates demanded for carrying the mail on them
On some long routes the mail is carried