Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-08-24
FARMERS AND LABORERS

rom the lCulsNlli journal Of July 20th.
A FINANCIAL OPERATION or GEN. CAss
s-EXTIA0R BINARY DEvELopMENr-Lo oll
AT Tnts.-lu 1896 Lewis Cass. Henry
Hrb5lrd, Francis o. j. Smith, Francis
Markoe, Jr. and Ramsay Nc Henry. all of
them at Washington City, formed them
selves INTO an association under the title of
the " Western Land association" for the
purpose Of specializing in Western Llnds.
One OF the Association certificates of stock
has been sent to US. 1t is as follows.
"wEsTERN LAND ASSOCIATION.
" BE 1t known that LcwiS Cas-. Henry
Hubbard, Francis y. j. Smith Francis
Markoe, Jr. and Ramsay Nc Henry, -n the
2Sth day of April, 1896, entered no an
association, with the combined caHtd Of
S22o, 0OO, for the purchase and sale 3f pub
lie lands, i'll certain Western States and
Territories of the Union according TO GER
tain articles If agreement bearing SAID date
and signed by SAID parties; and that -
- is proprietor Of --- thousand
dollars of said capital, whereof the argre-
gate sum specified in the underwrltten Ger
tticate has been paid, the said - thous-
and dollars being u portion Of the capital
assigned to said ---- in said articles of
agreement, and subject 10 deduction of
one-third part Of the profits accrung there
ON, and to the payment Of ID proportional
fraction of the necessary expenses of the
continued Agent Of said Association, and
to no other deduction
Be it known, ALSO that said stock is trans
lerabe in whole or in parts not less than
one thousand dollars, by an assignment of
flo, t,,
ney, and record thereof being made by the
Secretary in the transfer book of the Assoc
citation.
Washington City, -, 1886
--- Secretary, -Presldent"
This Association for purposes of land
speculation was formed when Lewis Cass
was Secrctary IF Var under Gen Jack
son. Cass himself, the chief of the specu-
lators, paid in S20, O00 and others paid in
100000, making total of SI20D00-
The contemplated capital of $500, 00G was
not obtained. The plan of the Association
was to enter lands in the West and hoid them
up for vast increase of value. Class be-
ing Secretary of War, and in ,lrtud of his
official station, having important advanta-
ges over private individuals, the Association
gave him the control over the whoh busi-
ness. lie appointed the agent to mike the
entries of land selecting his own agent
and agreeing to be responsible for his acts
The agent went To tie West, and maze pur-
chases, all under Cass's direction, and the
latter, directly, and through his agenl, con-
tinued to have the management OF the
lands.
After several years delay, the members
OF the Association began to have strong sus-
plclons that there was little or no probable
NY OF their ever getting anything for their
money. All their applications To Cass for
information were of no avail. Nothing sat
isiactory could be learned from him. After
consultation with each ether, they APP
pointed Hon. Henry Hubbard, one of their
own number, and then or since U. s. Sena-
tor from New Hampshire, to look after their
interests and ascertain if Cass and his agent
had dealt by them fairly aud honestly. MIR.
Hubbard opened a correspondence with
Cass, but falling in every eflert TO get any
satisfaction from him, he wrote final let
ter Informing the Hon, Secretary of War
that he was rascal, and the Hon. Secreta-
ny was quiet and silent under the charge.
Mr. Hubbard charged him with swindlng
ms associates, aud the Hon. Secretary, in
stead OF exhibiting resentment or attempt |
ing to prove his innocence, admitted by his
silence the justice Of the accusation, and
even to this day the association has not been
able to get anything out of him.
We are authorized to make this statement
by a member of the dissertation, gentle
man who paid $1,000 into the hands of
Cass or his agent, and has never received
anything whatever in consideration of his |
money And our informant requests US, IL
the VlLLANY is denied, TO call on Hon.
Henry Hubbard for a statement of the truth
Ito demand of him publication of the
letters that passed between him and Cass
particularly the letter to the Hon. Secretary