Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1849-08-15

md included in its provisions. hnu NIL
H%armanson says the cash paid for 1t
,yiIl be reserved by the United States ior
In,;siana.-Now let us reason upon THIS
: moment, According to Mr.. HIS state
uent, the thousand cresh he entered really
and Of right belonged to louisiana and she
will receive the money. If 1t was land OF
the state-laud which the State was
bound by contract to Iesee ana oral"I
then she Justly had the right to dispose OF
It a, her " time, and her own esllma'
TOD vaIne. She could say, and would say,
have to beyee and dram these lands,
which will increase their value tenfold; /
therefore will not part with the title until
the draining is at least commenced, nor
at a minimum price of less than five or
ten dollars an acre. If it were land of
the State by virtue of law, what right Fad
MIR. Harmanson, whom she had chosen
to guard her interests, to say to her: You
drain the land and 1 will enjoy the spe-
culation. Does he do this by virtue OF his
office? Is it a part of the duty OF the
representative of the Third District to
nut his State to an expense, as he says
before Congress, of five millions ofdollars
to drain land for his benefit? All, bur
he says, "my ten bits will find its way
into the State Treasury" Admitting
that it should, the State "shakes the bush
and he catches the bird" MIR. II. in
his speech before Congress, thinks that
one million acres of this land may he re-
claimed, which, at ten bits an acre, would
make one million two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars. By the same speech he
estimates the expense of the State at five
millions, leaving her minus three millions
seven hundred and fifty thousandd dollars
for his benefit and for the benefit OF his
associates. But this is the bright side of
the picture. MI. Harmanson is in error
in his construction of the law. The bill
does not provide for granting money to
the State, or the proceeds of the land sales
from its passage, but for the grant ofland'
well, what is the date ofthe grant! Why
when the Surveyor General shall certify
to the Secretary of the Treasury that the
terms have been complied with, Their all
lands designated by them which haze not
passed into the hands OF individuals, pass
to the State by fee simple tisle-see I'd
Section of the bilt-untI the conditions
are complied with, therefore, the State
mas nothing t do with the proceeds of
sales, and the land in the mean time Is
not only subject to private entry, (where
it has been offered for sale,) but is like
wise subject to floats; &c. Mr.. Hartman
son, himself, thinks that at least one hun-
dred thousand acres will thus be taken up
before the next Congress meets-well,
what is to hinder the spectators from
taking all that is worth, Or will be worth
a solitary baubee, before the title vests in
the State, and leave the State minus five
millions, or whatever the expense to the
State may be.
MIR. Harmanson, the guardian of your
interests, HAS 1T. He has by
his entry deprived you-aye, u~njust'y de-
prived you of a thousand acres of land,
that would have belonged to the State,
with all its anticipated increase, had he
let in alone-in other words, he has given
the United States twelve hundred and ff-
ty dollars, and made in round numbers, by
his own estimate, ten thousand dollars him
self, that legltimately and of right be-
longed to the State. He has done more
he has set an example that is being fohow-
AoaOed by others, and whether he partici-
pates with them or not, in all their gains, the
State is, nevertheless robbed of hers by
his example and his precept. Yes, he
who expressed a holy horror at the bare
idea of being connected with spectators,
is himself one-aye n of the foremost
to rush to the office and take advantage
of his own bill. He has taken advantage
of bis high position, and of the knowledge
accruing thereby, to rob you of your sup
posed rights, and to make the robbery bo-
norable, and worth the imitation of others.
Whether leaving las MI. Rarmanson
did by the billy the lands subject to its pro-
vision, open to private entry and to specu-
lating claims, was done by design or by ac~
cident, does not alter the turpitude, only
in degree. If left open by design, there
was a combination for %swindling; if by