The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-04-25


the grant asked for by the State of Indiana,
and by the many thousand of citizens of the
State and of other parts of the Union?
In the first place, as a matter of revenue
of dollars and cents merely-it is believed
by the undersigned, that it will withdraw
nothing from, but add to ,the evenues of the
country. Q
In order that the minority may be under
stood upon this point, they would here state
what they propose as the measure which, it
is believed, should have had the sanction of
the majority of the committee. In the Sen
ate, as appears by the printed documents on
our tables a bill has been reported, propos-
ing to give the alternate sections ON the line
ofthe canal, from the Wabash to Evansville,
for five miles in width on each side thereof,
and one moiety ofthe residue of the lands in
the V~incennes district which remain unsold
and not otherwise disposed of,incumbered or
appropriated. Seeing that the action of the
Senate's committee has led 10 this PROPOSE
ton, and desiring to adopt a measure which
may be practicable, and recollecting that it
accords most with prior grants made TO the
State by Congress for portions of this great
work which are completed, or in successful
progress, the minority, in presenting this re-
port speak in view ofthe grant in that form
as embracing the alternate sections on the
canal, and one moiety of the residue in the
Vincennes district.
1t is a fact, that these lands have beer in
market between 35 and 40 years; and it is
also true, that less than $4,000 was receiv-
ed for sales in the V~incennes district during
the past year.
Now, does itneed argument 10 prove that,
if this canal should be completed, the Gov
eminent would receive more money, annu-
ally, from one-third ofthe present quantity,
than she now receives from the whole?-
The canal would enable her to sell the resi-
due that might remain, at the minimum
Isl 25D whilst, if it shall not be complet-
ed, there will be no sales of these refuse
lands until The price shall be greatly reduced
On this point, the undersigned would beg
leave to submit, in connexion with what has
just been stated, a paragraph from a docu-
ment already on our tables. [See Mr.
Woodbridge's report, Senate document No
202.] It is a faithful exhibition ofthe truth
on this subject.
by a resolution ofthe Senateof the 2Sth
of April, 1928, the officers of the several
land Offices were required 10 make report Of
the quantity of land, in their respective dis
tricts, which remained unsold on the Both
of June, 1928, after having been offered al
the minimum price; what proportion of the
the land SO unsold on that day consisted oil
first rate land, and what was unfit for cult
%vatlon;' together with their estimates, re.
spectively, of the average value per acre Of
such nnsold land. On the 18th of January,
lS4l, the Secretary of the treasury was re-
CURED TO lay before the Senate the informa.
ton so obtained, together with a statement
of the quantity remaining unsold on the said
Both of June, 1923, but which had been since
sold, &c. BY the report of the Secretary
made in conformity with the order of the
Senate, (see Senate documents No. 90, 81
session Goth Congress,) it appears that, O
the 3,405,445 acres so remaining unsold OIL
E tee 30th of June, 1928, in the Vincennes
district, l,7O3,223 acres were reported to
; be of the first and second rate qualities
Zone moiety ofeach quality,) and 1,703,22
acres were reported to be of the third rate
or unfit for cultivation ItnevertheIess ap
pears, by the same report, that of the same
3,4O6,445 acres, 1~,790,326,8S had beer
sold, and $2,237,4l3 had been received
therefor from purchasers: thus exhibiting
the extraordinary proposition, that $40;
acres of that land, which had been officially
o reported as of the third rate quality, or un6
Q for cultivation, had been sold at full price
e Does it not follow, then, irresistibIy, from
n this state of facts, that the land officers Of ths
Vincennes district violated their official duty
IS land. by consequence, their official oaths,
n either %wilfully, or through such defect Q
judgement as rendered them unfit for thei
le places; or else, that some posterior, som
supervening cause, had impaired 10 TICS