Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-07-26

iraycd the interests Of the citizens of the
Des Moihes valley in the very com
mencement Of this matter, and has been
ever since attempting to humhug them
with the assertion that he was their de-
voted friend.
On the l3th January, A. d., 1916,
Gen Dodge's Bill for the Grant was re-
ferred 10 the committee on Public Lands.
29,h CONGRESS, Ist SEss. II. r. 100.
JANUARY l3, 1916.
Read, and referred to tho Committee on
Public Lands.
Mr.. DopoE, on leave, introduced the
following bill:
A BILL
Granting certain lands to The Territory
Of Iowa. to aid in the improvement OF
the navigation OF the Des Moines river,
in said Territory.
BE IL enacted By the Senate and House
of Representatives. Of the United States
of .4merica IN Congress assemjieS.--
That there be, and hereby is, granted 10
the Territory of Iowa, for the purpose
of aiding said Territory to improve the
navigation Of the Dcs Moines river from
its mouth TO the Raccoon Fork, $50 call
ed,) in said Territory. on inoiety Of the
public lands, (remaining tlnsold, and
not otherwise disposed OF, encumbered,
or no. appropriately in strip five miles
in width on each side of SAID river; 10
be selected by an agent or agents to be
appointed by the governor of said Ter
ritory, subject TO the approval OF the
Secretary of the Treasury of the United
States.
The two remaining sections are not
material to this question.
This Bill was subsequently, reported
by the committee, and it passed into a
a law with the granting section in Gen.
Dodge's own language, with the addition
by the Committee OF the words "within
the Territory of Iowa. to exclnde the
lan6s in Missouri. While the Bill was
in the hands of the committee. Gen.
Dodge, in reply to an inquiry on his part,
received letter from James Shields,
Commissioner OF the Land Office, OF
which this is copy:
GENERAL LAND OrrIcE, May 5, 40.
SIR: In answer 10 your inquiry, | have
the honor to state, that the amount OF
unsold land within five miles on each
side OF the Des Moincs river, from lis
mouth TO the Raeceon fork, proposed 10
be granted TO The Territory Of Iowa, by
House bin No. loo, is estimated at 26i,-
600 acres.
There have been sold in the Territory
Of Iowa, TO the lst OF January, 1916,
l,730,O5O acres. aud the amount OF
purchase money received by The United
Slates, to the same date, is $2,l6i ,l02.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAMES SHIELDS, Commissioner.
Hon. A. g. DoDoE,
House OF Representatives.
This letter was handed 10 The commit
tee and they annexed and made II part
of their report. In this report they also
say that the amount is less ihan that gran
ted TO several of the western States and
Territories for similar purposes.
"Thc grant of land provided by The
bill which accompanies this report is
similar in its character and object Ia
MANY heretofore made by congress to
several of the western States and Fer
ritories, and at the same time is less in
amount, but i, is believed will be sufli-
Glen, 10 accomplish the desired improve
menl.' M
This would not have been true had il
extended TO the source of the river
Now with this view of the extent OF the
Grant expressed by the Commlssionel
Of the General Land Office, and the
Locofoco committee Of which McCler-
nand was chairman. Gen. Dodge advo.
Gated the bill, and claimed the everlasting
gratitude of the people of the Des
Moines valley for securing Its passage
Why did he not object TO this limitation
of the Commissioner and the Commit
tee, to the Raccoon Forks! Why die
he moi assert that he did not intend tha
his bin should be so construed! Why
did he not procure, its amendment Sc
that il would clearly express that Tho
Grant was to extend to the source o
the river? Why did he acquiesce ir
this estimate and advocate this reduction
Of nine hundred thousand acres, from
the Grant to tho State of Iowa!
Because he intended TO betray tie in
icrest Of ahe people of the Des Moine'
valley in advance-to rob them OF this
immense grant of lands and then charg'
| il upon some one else. Because he was
4 mere selfish political schemer' and no
a straightforward staiesman. He, if AM
one. nerits the just indignation Of tn
people for sanctioning this bill, thus re
stricted BIZ the Commissioner and ,h'
Committee, 10 about 26l 900 acres, ant
then attempting to palm it off upon th'
people that he asked and obtained
grant OF over million of acres. n.
We have neither time nor patience .
present to wade through these documents
and make extracts, and they are to'
voluminous 10 publish al length. = !
svhc.~ l.sxas c~as,- Jamac III pi