Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-06-28
The History Of the Des NIOimes
River Grant.

The History Of the Des Moines
River Grant.
As there are many citizens of oul
State who have had little opportunity o
making themselves familiar with thi.
matter, we propose to state the prorhinen
facts connected with it, from the incep
ton of the idea. We are more especial
ly induced to make plain statement o
the matter now, on account OF the des
perate efforts made by Locofocos to man
ufacture political capital out of the decis
ion of Mr.. Ewing.
As early then, as the session of 1895
of the Iowa Legislature. Joint Resolu
lions were passed asking an appropria
ton by Congress for the improvement
of the Des Moines River. From tha
time forward our Delegate was goadeo
on, and Congress beseiged by petitions
and memorials on the subject, till the en-.
actment of the law of August '46 il
which the grant is made in these terms:
.Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives Of the United States
of America in Congress assembled
That there be, and hereby is, granted to
the Territory of Iowa, for the purpose oil
aiding said Territory to improve the nav.
igation of the Des MONIES river from its
mouth 10 the Raccoon Fork, $50 called)
in said Territory, one equal moiety in
alternate sections, of the public lands,
(remaining unsold, and not otherwise
disposed Of, encountered or appropriated
in strip five miles in width on each side
of said river; to be selected within said
Territory by an agent or agents to be ap.
pointed by the Governor thereof, subject
TO the approval of the Secretary Of the
Treasury of the United States"
1t was then supposed by many, that
this grant extended only to the Raccoon
Forks, comprising, as was thought, be.
tween three and four hundred thousand
acres of land.
On the Des Moines river, however
we at once discovered that the statute al.
mitted different construction, and hoped
by prudent course. to obtain the lands
above the Forks. But our construction
was not admitted on all hands; for in De.
cember of that year, several months af.
ter the passage Of the law, Governor
Clark. (who now abuses Tom Ewing SO
"Butcheringly' in his message to the
Legislature, says: "the precise extent Of
the Grant cannot be ascertained at pres
ent, but feel warranted in stating from
the most reliable sources, Dodge, and
the Land Officers we presume, that i,
will cover, upwards of three hundred
thousand acres of the most fertile land in
Iowa." Thus the Executive head oil
Iowa, st that time, gave has sanction to
the opinion lately promulged by Mr.. Ew-
ing, and furnished strong official impli-
cation against our claim. But Governor
Clark was not alone, for the Legislature
hesitated to accept it, lest it might dimin-
ish the FIVE hundred thousand acres, to
which the State was entitled under an
act Of Congress of ls4l. And the ac,
of acceptance afterwards passed contain
ed a cautious '.prouided, 1t does NOT form
a part or come out Of the fre hundred
thousand acres" Now there was some
reason for, and some sense in this proyi-
SO on the estimate of three hundred thou.
sand acres to the Forks. But on the es-
innate of nine hundred fh0usand-to
the limits of the State, there is rather a
mathematical absurdity involved in the
proviso. Nine hundred thousand, would
not look well, coming out or forming
part of five hundred thousand, TO the
minds eye, of even Locofoco Legis-
lator of Iowa. This act of acceptance,
however, received the approval of the
Governor, on the 9th of January. Then
the Des MONIES Valley delegation, feel.
ing that they were sout of the woods =
took ground in favor of the other con-
struction. And on the 18th, the Com
mittee on Internal improvements made
the first public announcement Of the con,
struclion, which we first claimed for the
Grant on the Des Moines river. Allu-
sion was made in their report TO the esti-
mate in Governor Clark message, which
they say is low estimate for the amount
below the Forks, and they claimed thai
| d pIOpCI COuouuCuOu Vi VIC oIdut WOuic
add between five and six hundred thou.
sand acres to this amount, above the
Forks
From this time forward, till February
%. l847, nothing was elected from the
General Land Office, Notwithstanding
the anxiety of the people, and the press
ing opportunities of the Board of Public
Works. Then letter was received by
Mr.. Thompson from Judge Young, Com
missioner of the Land Office, saying
that the State was entitled to the lands
throughout the extent of the river iCit|sir1
the limits of Iowa.
It appears, however, from the report
Of the Board Of Public Works, submit
ted in December following, that no at.
iention was paid to this opinion, for, say
they, .'the same Commissioner of the
General Land Office, who, on the 23rd
of February, l84S, said that we were
entitled to those lands throughout the
whole extent of that River" the Board
misquote him. but that's none Of our bus
mess at present did, on the 10th Of June