Democratic banner., 1849-12-24

hIearty and quarterly adveTtisemesp as'rea-
spnable rates n uni5D IL s~5Ia#paS'ap 81 dsai
LOB WORK fall kinds, done with neatness
and despatch, cheap for cash. sgazseI oii
.,oI9 ~ FfoH, III, PaimyrG Wig. lqmSlsra
aACARD. oas;aa.yT rsS.
In the s@Missouri lWhig"' Of the 18th; ultimo,
an, article, appears over the signature, Of James
F!!Mshan, Esq, Register. Of Lands for the Uni
ia Stafss GsserBrheh al ibis place, purportihg
I66e sidefsnce Of that gentleman against certsin
cfihfges III official nisdemeanor preferred through
thsspGbiic' Journals by some Of his feliow-ciii-
zeusNs 4 eheerfuHy !concede to Mr.. Mahan the
right tpAefend his acts and his character, both as
aEitizapandfa public officer; but the prOpriety
of ipHaIing me before the public under the pre-
taxi ofiigstifying himself, is not quite as apparent.
1Jegretz that Mr. Mahan should have found it
necessary to resort TO this species. Of attack, and
hAdfdpPosed he would permit me to pass quiet
lfiaiOHhgS without further assailing me, especially
aftefsthe explanations and assurances given me,
stlhs time 1 caTled upon him respecting his at
tasks upon me in his official correspondence with
theTEaRd Office Department. i'm this expecta-
tiona however ] am disappointed, and without
~thS.public; ] respectfully tender the following in
ohsMeA az SJcSfAUnaoi PoiHOnS Vi as PuS-
location, : s.rralyI isat.,r, q. "a a;f sia4I
It would seem that among other statements
made in the public Journals against MI. Mahan
asa public officer, he has been accused. of charg-
my fees not authorized by law. Abiding to
some Of these accusations, Mr.. Mahan says: .H
s't.When I first took possession 81 the Office, I
charged for the affidavit required by law, in the
location of land warrants, which had been the prac-
1.nnan - IL AAs soatv laayna1 Efeorn I'll norS,s
and from some Of those who had located, and con-
tinued to do so until a7doubt Of its legality was
suggested. / then discontinued that charge, and
wrote TO tho department on the subject. Up TO
this time there were one or two instances in
which soldiers or warrantees were charged for
this affidavit"
No such npraetice' as that stated by Mr.. Ma
han, prevailed in the Office whilst l had charge
gift; nor did Mr.. Nahan at any time 'leorn" any
such thing from me. The late law Of Congress
authorizes The charge of fifty cents to The Regis
ter, and The IKE sum to the Receiver, for loca.
ting a land warrant, except in cases where the
wafrantee, or his heirs, make the location-in
this latter instance, the law authorizes no charge.
Nothing is allowed for administering the Gffdsuit
70 the person makingthe location, no such charge
was ever made whilst / was Register, nor did |
ever tell Mr.. Mahan or any other person tSat
such a charge was allowable. But Mr.. Mahan
states that he 'salso" learned this "froa some of
those rho Ind located" and who Of course had
paid this fee. now demand the name Of one
single individual who gave this information to
Mr.. Mahan, and If he does not furnish it, "the
public" to whom he appeals, will render a YER
dict accordingly. / have no desire to WOUND
the feelings Of Mr.. Mahan, nor do l write for
that purpose; but he has charged me in a public
newspaper with having swindled my fellow-cit-
liens under the sanctity of an official cath, by
charging illegal fees, and in repelling his unjust
and false accusations, I desire to employ such
terms as will make myself properly understood.
Hts not customary in controversial cases TO re
qnife parties to prove themselves ~innocen, Of ac-
cushions preferred against them.elves--the law
awuysl pre-supposing a man innocent until he is
proven guilty. lam fortunate, however, in. hav-
ing abundant testimony at hand to confirm what
1hAwe stated respecting my charges for locating
warrants, and a. one Of the many testimonials in
ny possession, l present the following from
Alex. W. Rush, Esq, who is known to be one
Of the most Conscientious, moral and upright
gentlemen inthis community 10y -
- -PALMYRA, Mo-, Dec. Sd, lS49.
Cobb. DAvfEs-Sir: Your note Of this date
requesting me to state my knowledge of the fee
charged BY you for locating Land warrants
while you were Registered The Land Office at
this plssepand also any knowledge l may have
bad II The manner in which you kept the papers,
&c.sin1spur Office, 10 now before me. 'a1e.
AN ansNeEt to your first inquiry, / will state,
thAknI Office being Immediately adjoining yours,
Iwas frequently present when you were loca-
ting Land warrants, in no instance did l ever see
ypg charge any person more than one dollar for
each warrant neither did ever see you charge
any thing. either for taking the affidavit Of The
& pefseR foF whom you were locating a warrant,
or for giving a certificate Of location. know
thatohs dollar each was Your. uniform, charge for
locating, land warrants. With regard to your
z.seond inquiry, l can only say, that being an act
ing Justice Of the Peace while you were Regis
ssf.T~ va. frequently called on in my official ca
pscity totFsnsact business in your Office. On
such occasions It Otter became necessary to re.
fer ofles in your Office, and when such a ne
ces,ity did arise. 5Od6oald aiWsys'lay your hand
on the required paper without difficulty.
Regrettins the necessity which induces YOU
tseslf on me for the above statement I''
sjr1S, y tsltif respectfully, yours, - 'a,,i . 10 =
sdt 10 sr96sss1 ar ~ .ao!,As W. RUSH. =.