Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-12-30

that this land in all probability, acquires its value real
imaginary from supposed emergency for the occupation
Of by the United States; and gather any thing from
my friends remarks, tits that certain individuals have stepped
in with this view, this hope, this expectation, and purchased
these lands And the gentleman . BELLY says is il not
reasonable is it not right and just and proper, that the pu
chasers should receive equivalent for fair and just
pectatons Of this description founded the public exgency
Well sir, if supposes that have great need and
want OF piece OF property and steps in and purchases that
property in order TO what he get out Of by the
speculation will stop and consider whle when the ques-
ton whether will buy not up, and it must take
pretty urgent 10 induce to give four, five, six, eight
times much the property WORTH under such cir
cumstances.
And, sir the rule that would apply in individual ansac-
on would also apply in the transactions Of the Govern
The parties who the of this land stepped
in here and purchased it because Government may be sup
posed to have occasion for the Of this property be-
Government may want it a site for a lighthouse,
fort road, for other USE and they hoped out of
that consideration to make money. Why, sir, it will
require OF pretty strong necessity Of the most
urgent necessity, make vote for bill which proposes
pay more than this property is worth.
Well sir, what is this land worth We seem to have
reliable evidence touching this point before US The honor
able Senator from New York (Mr DIx) or the honorable
Senator from Indiana, Mr. BRIGHT,) do not know which
al all events the remark made by the other
side of the Housesays that after reseng fourteen acres
this andhe whole of which amounted TO hundred and
sixty undivided moiety of the residue sold for
thousand dollars thereabous Ifhis be il
to oil that my friend from Tennessee Mr BELLY has urged
This land put into the Market and there is the price of
undivided moiey sold for the meager Of only
one thousand dollars or less
do not know what the motive that guided that sale.
take the fact stated and hope there dis
honesty about it. that be 80, upon what pncpeunless
adopt the views of the Senator from Tennessee, Mr
justify ourselves paying thirty thousand dol
lars for the site Of lighthouse That sale really unm
portant matter what motive induced matter what
price paid for the land Perhaps the honorable Senator
is correct that If this be joint property, the United States
kclc~
Other half they could probably make such partition of
the land has been suggested when they sell it.
But do not hold that fact at all important and all the in
formation have concerning the value Of the property goes
to show that the estimate of this individual far too highs
far beyond its real value.
Again, sir; it is said that there is limit in the bil-tha
the Secretary of the Treasury authorized pay
than fifteen thousand dollars for the land We all know sir
very well how these limitations operate We have witnessed
their operations time and again. The result invariably is
that the party Of whom the purchase be made refuses
to sell his property for less than the the out
ward limit of the BILL that amount has to be paid The vend
tell the party instructed whether the Attorney
General the Secretary of the Treasury any other officer
of the Government that Congress would have passed
such law unless they had been willing that the maximum
should be paid, and the contracting officer gives the
ultimate amount and he gives it simply because Congress
has authorized him SO to do and because the vender will
accept any thing less Therefore, if you pass this bill you
must consider yourselves proposing to give fifteen thousand
dollars for the interest Of this individual in this property.
Well now, sir, if il be satisfactorily shown that this
property worth fifteen thousand dollars and that the United
States in want Of this moety of the hundred and sixty
Of land owned by this individual for the purpose Of
erecting lighthouse for any other purpose, will
vote for the bill will experience difficulty in giving it
my sanction and support But what desire is
satisfactory evidence the first place. that there
gency for it; and in the second place. that it worth the
money.
Mr.. JOHNSON, of Louisiana. Mr. President feel very
confident that the Senator from New York (Mr DIx) is mis-
taken in saying that portion Of this land has been sold by
the Government Of the United States for very confident
that the Government could select fourteen Of the
whole estate and sell il.
Mr. DIX Sir did not that fourteen acres had been
sold by the Government only stated my understanding Of
the natter based Whist heard the last session Of Con-
gress This bill has been taken up out of its place. not
that it under consideration till friend called my
attention to the fact stated that had memoranda
concerning il that could not lay my hand may
have been mistaken in regard the that und
vded half had been sold for less than thousand dollars 1t
either moey Of this land q lot adjoining,
ing which there some dispute.
Mr.. JOHNSON. Mr.. President this bill was not taken
out Of It's order Some days ago made the special
order for to-day.
Mr.. DIX. / was mistaken then. | was not aware that
the bill had been made the special order.
Mr.. JOHNSON. According to the laws Of Louisiana,
where property held jointly by parties if either party
wishes PARTITION wishes to have the property SOLD he
must institute suit for that purpose Then if the land can
be divided the satisfaction Of both parties the court
shall order the sale Of the whole land and divide the proceeds
justly between the parties This Of those tracts Of land
tina, could be divided. presume the lighthouse in
the centre Of land and it could not be divided to
give the Government the lighthouse which occupied probably
the best part OF It, And, even if it could have been
divided the Government should have brought suit in
foy TO the lawsof Louisiana, praying for division Of the
land that should be sold jointly That Is the law Of
Louisiana, and that the pursued when Carriers
tesst in the land sold The Government instituted
suit obtained Judgment against Mr. Garter, and seized his
hall OF the land Appraisers appointed, the Govern
ment appointing and Mr.. Carter the other. The ap
pssers could agree One estimated the value Of the land
twenty thousand FIVE hundred dollars and the other
estimated il fhsen thousand dollars When appras
ers cannot agree, the appoints umpire. The umpire
appointed aad he decided the value Of Carriers portion Of
the land be fifteen thousand dollars The land put up
sron and the Government purchased Carte interest
init for fifteen thousand dollars.
entIernen say that fifteen thousand dollars would be too
hsh price pay for the residue Of this landhat 1t may
MOI be worth two thousand dollars. Why, sir would be
dcu to get any piece Of land in that vicinity for less than
hundred dollars per acre, and there very few owning
land on the Mississippi for hundred miles above, who would
sell it at that price, But sir this land, Independent Of the
point of land in that vicinity. Il is situated at the mouth Of
little village there IL Is the highest and eg
valuable tract Of land for the site of lighthouse, but for
town. know, sir, that the land must be valuable without
the lighthouse entering into the consideration at all But
the United States have taken possession of It. They hold
il, and IL cannot be divided.
Again gentlemen have said that the United States have
for this land. Well sir stated at first that very
- II - Il =. II. IL A. G r. a..