Indiana State sentinel., 1846-02-19
THE LAND FRAUDS.
Frum the L,ganspOrt PharOs, Of FEB. 9.
ReDly To Austin w. Morris.

A. w. Morris, published the Indiana State Journai
of the 9th of February. | might as well say in the
commencement Of my communication, that M MOT,
ris has always professed to the highest personal
regard, aud all his malice against me IS founded on
the fact that [ prevented him from consummatIng
most daring fraud.
But a few weeks since. Mr. Morris spoke of me to
a mutual friend, in such terms. both as man ana
Judge, would be highly complimentary to any man,
if they had emanated from honest man.
Mr. Morris, in his communication, attempts to JUS
ty his under the law of lSl3-but that law ne
yer covered the lands he attempted 10 enter
The lands Mr. Morris attempted to enter were OF the
original selections and were governed by the law OF
1880 whilst the law Of 1913 covered the future Sc
lections (known as ''bue dog" lands) The diher-
in these laws Is easily perceived. The law OF
1880 provided for the sale Of the lands then selected
by paying fourth at the time of purchase and The
balance in lS47, and the interest annually; and IN
case the interest not PAID the land was ID be Tor
feited By subsequent acts OF the Legislature, the
holders of these lands authorized to redeem them
on payment of certain per cent. on the interest,
which per cent. has been reduced from 100 down to
10, BY different acts Of the Legislature.
Under the construction placed these acts by the
commits ipners-( (wlirh that the penalty only al
tac to the first years i1;erest-1nd that the Inter-
est did MT bear nteres:)-niny persons preferred to
pay tie entire amount on tract and TO permit the
interest accumulate tie others until able To pay
both principal and interest. THIS will be found TO be
cons derable saving tn tie land holders, and this IS
the reason why much IF this land was in default.
lar1e proportion Of these lands hlve been paid out,
and most of them will he before lSl7. No person
supposed this class Of lands subert-to en-
try for non-payment of interest, until Mr. Morrs's
vi 1t to Peru. Opinion founded on the law, and
The action nf the Legislature on the IF one of
III Sc land holders. Some eight Ut ten years since,
the canal s>iOners, find ng that interest had
been pad for several years "u lot OF land owned by
SLmue Ward, situated IN this county, advertised and
publ.cly snld it, at a con iderable advance. Ward
became the purc err and the ceedlng Legislature
passed an act for his relief reundng him the oNepus
made on tie second sale what was due on the
first sale. and confirming his title under tie first sale
This act confirmed the holders in tie opinion that
the land could be sold without further legislation
But does the act of 1S43 provide for heir entry
tides not.
The first section on page 267, which is section 2C5
proyIdes-That the future selections of canal lands
&C. and sections 2l4-l5 provide-"All such canal
lands" &c., and then follows sections 2lS-19-20,
permitting private entries when Notwithstanding
to the former sections-and covering future selections
and none others. The law of 1880 covered almost all
the .White Dog lands, or lands east of Tppecanoe
and the law Of lS43 all the 'Bue Dog lands, or
lands of the TpPecanoe, and few tracts of
''White Dog" lands. On the ''Blue Dog lands, 10
forfeiture could occur before November last, these
lands sold In November, 1913. But few, if
any, were delinquent, and if these lands had been
tered the officers could not be censured the law is
imperative and the holder Of lands of its pro-
visions.
Su:h were the laws governing these lands at the
commencement of the last session Of the legislature
The law Of 1890 covering all the original selections
and the law Of 1913 the lands selected since that
time.
At the last session law was passed covering all
these lands-reducng the penalty Of redemption TO 10
per cent, extending the time uf payment the bal
of the principal for five years,-and providing
that where the lands forfeited for non-payment
of interest they should be advertised aud sold lands
are sold for taxes.
By the provisions of the "Butlcr b' the time of
payment of the principal also extended five
years Both of these laws were approved the 18th
Of January.
On the next day Morris's bill is approved attempt
ing repeal the provision, to the lands in both of
the last mentioned laws, and intended to extend
the provisions of the 2lS-l9-20h sections Of age
267 R. c., to the ''White Dog" lands. But no court
would have given it surh a construction, it icing an
amcndm mt to the act Of 1913, which only covered
future selections.
But { e design Of the rascals was to get the f le
firms, houses. mlls. &c, OH the Wabash-which are
worth from so TO SlO0 per and some of wh ch
ffeen wears since, sold NJ about $50 per acre-at
81 p per re, in ''Whte Dog"
Morris purcla ed one irac.-1wned by Tip.on's
heirs, viii h was purchased by Gen. Tipt at Sj3
per acre-at 81 -. and there due tie Staie from
T;pon's Lers, tIree-fOurhs Of tie orig nal purchase
money.
This is killing two birds with one stone cheating
Tipons rs and cieaiin. tine Safe. Su h was n e
instruction placed on this famous law by this A. w.
Morris. A law To the lands of tie widow, or
the orphan. and unsu Spectn ng farmer, and 10 give
them 10 sci { riscalS at nom nal prize, and that
urder Tre;ence Df reeT. think anv person can per-
cei,e tie rascIliy of these scuundrels
shall nJw attend to Mr. Morris pers1nllly | do
claim to be tie only the Wabash or in
North Indif nt.mated 10y MIR. Morris and his
frIe Il Luas, or to have the influence they are will
ing yield had lot part in the Fort
WIvne meeting. where of the first men of the
State, incuiing Gov Bigger. end1rsed tie Peru meet
ing and placed the mark of Cain m your forehead
Tuere is thing fr which flmou<. and that
is. speaking and writing what think ard know, and
that shall now do
have no doubt Mr.. Parker Of Fort Wayne, is an
hnness man. and that you deceived hm the provisions
Of your lw-hs beng your personal and poiral
friend and Lave no dnuli Col. Reyburn III say that
every word you stite about him J.; utterly false.
Nor denies that his vi il fo Peru was to enter
lands, with the exception Of Dr.. Canbys lands
which Ie wished to enter cheat the United States
-lut says that it was to ray interest ask. WHY was
he engaged and ~ ight In fill certif ates for Mr.
Sni h signature; ich all Peru knows 10 lie true |!
John Fitzgerald stated that Norris the owner but
iht It would not do r bin take the cert fl ate s as
it would he imp ,pular. WY dld Norris seal the
tfcates from Sn.tl, and wat excu5e did lie give
for his eonduct
But all circumsiantial testimony NAV be laid aside
in relation the interest of Morris N the
tion. On Friday night last, John Yo,ss, of Peru ar
rived IN L0gansport, with the fJllowing advertise
ment, TO get printed at the Telegraph Office. Nor
rs is at Peru but John ID. Defrees his brothern-
law, is there as his agent:
ssSfOp the ScOundreI!
"Jonathan r. Smith, late a clerk in the land office,
runaway the night of the 5tI inst taking with him
large amount Of canal scP (cslled Wbiie Dog belong