The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1848-08-05
Gen Ca,> Il Land Spectator

Gen Ca>s Il Land Spectator.
Lewis Cass has now been nearly halt
century out of paternal guardianship, and
IN that time has probably done less than
fifty days work at any bona file produce
tive labor He has been nearly all the
time in office, having changed his poll
tics at an early age to get in. He has
become very wealthy in two ways
first, by official salaries, holding for a
long time two well-pald Offices at once;
yet, not content with this, he trumpcd
up a clam, IN 1896, when his friends
were in power. and the Treasury flush
and open, for extra Serr'ccs to an enormous
amount-Serviccs alleged to have been
performed while he was in the receipt
OF these two salaries-w which claim was
lobbied through Congress and the amount
paid over to him.
AZ this time Gen. Cass was a very
rich man, having made one fortune by
office and another by Land Speculation
facilitated by office. 'The Cass farm
just below Detroit AMI now mainly in
clnded within the limits OF the City, was
sold by him for more hundreds of thou
sands than it cost him hundreds of dollars
And 1t now appears that he was at that
time dipping into farther and gigantic
Land Speculations. The Louisville Jour
nal ofthe goth brings us the following:
". Y. IriJune.
\ FINANCIAL OrEnATIoN OF GEN. CAss
Ar ruis.-In 1896 Lewis Cass, Henry
Hubbard, Francis, O. J. Smith, Francis
NIarkoe, Jr. and Ramsay McHenry, all
them at Washington City, formed them
selves into all Association under the title
OF the ''W esiern Land Association" for
the purpose Of specializing in Western
Lands. One of the Association certiti
Gates Of stock has been sent to us. 1t is
as follows:
WESTERN LAND ASSOCIATION.
''Bc it known that Lewis Cass, Henry Hub
bad, Francis o. J. Smith, Francis Markoe, Jr.
and Ramsay MciIcnry, on the Goth day of April
o3G entered into an association, with the com
hnrd capital of $40 900, for the purchase and
sale Of iuhliG Lands, III certain Western States
and Territories Of the Union, according to GER
fain articles Of agreement bearing said date, and
signed by said parties; and that ------ is pro-
prietor Of thousand dollars of said CAPT
tai, whereof the aggregate sum specified in the
underwritten certificate has been paid; the sai id
- thousand dollars being portion of the
capital assigned to said - in said articles
of agreement, and subject to deduction of one
third part olthe profits accruing thereon, and to
the payment OF u 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 transfers.
Bile in whole, or in parts not less than one thou
sgnd dollars, by an assignment of this certificate
by said -- or his Attorney, and record
thereof being made by the Secretary i'll the trans
fer book OF the Association.
Washington City, -, 1886.
- Secretary. -Preside
This Association for purposes of land
speculation was formed when Levin Cass
was Secretary Of Uar under Gen Jackson.
Cass himself, the chief of the spectators,
paid in $4,000, and others paid in
100000, making total Of $4,000.
The contemplated capital OF 100000
was not obtained. The plan Of the As.
sociation was to enter lands in the West
and hold them up for a vast increase OF
value. Cass being Secretary Of War, and
in virtue OF his official station, having
important advantages over private indi-
viduals, the Association gave him the
control of the whole business. He APP
pointed the agent to make the entries Of
land-selecting his own agent and agree
ing TO be responsible for his own acts.
The agent went to the West and made
purchases, all under Cass's direction, and
the latter, directly and through his agent,
continued to have the management Of the
| lands.
After several years delay, the mem
bers OF the Association began to have
strong suspicious that there was little or
no probability OF their ever getting any
thing for their money. All their appli-
cations 10 Cass for information We're of
no avail, Nothing satisfactory could be
learned from him. Aitera consultation
with each other, they appointed Hon.
Henry Hubbard, one of their own num-
Der, and then or since U. S. Senator from
New Hampshire, to look after their in
terests and ascertain If Cass and his agent
had dealt by them fairly and honorabIy.
Mr.. Hubbard opened a correspondence
with Cass, but, failing in every effort to
get any satisfaction from him; he wrote
final letter informing the Hon Score
tary Of War that he was rascal, and the
Hon Secretary was quiet and silent un-
der the charge. Mr. Hubbard charged
him with swindling his associates, and
the Hon Secretary, instead Of exhl biting
resentment or attempting to prove his
innocence, admitted by his silence the
justice of the accusation, and even to this