Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-07-18
From the Tri-Weekly (Dubuque) Herald
The Surveyor Generalship.


The Surveyor Generalship.
We perceive, by the political papers
of the State, that the course pursued by
the new Surveyor General, George B.
Sargent, Esq, in the management Of his
Office. and in the di,pensation of survey
ing contracts, is attracting much atten-
ton, and in some quarters meeting with
severe rebuke. We are sorry to see
this, as from what we can learn, we can
not avoid the conviction that Mr.. Sar-
gent is actuated, in all that he has so far
done, bv sincere desire for the public
good.
Setting aside the natural asperities
manifested in some quarters, on the oc-
casion Of the removal Of some half a
dozen clerks from the office, we come
to the two ostensible bones of conten-
ton which are now engaging the atien-
tion of the papers above referred to.
The Fairfield Ledger, Whig paper
in the southern part Of the State, first
raised the question of granting contracts
to any but practical surveyors, and
quarrels with tie Surveyor General for
giving contracts TO George Madeira, and
Caleb III. Booth.
We have heard much, within the last
two years, touching the subject of pub
lie land surveys; and listened to many
disquisitions upon the qualifications
necessary to run straight line over the
prairies. "Pracficai Surueyor," has
acquired dignity and importance, in the
in the minds OF some men, equal if not
superior to tina, of knight or esquire in
tho days Of chivalry. Our own obser-
vation in this matter has led us to believe
that there is a great deal Of humbugge-
ry in this matter, ant that the title is
about as significant, and sst as easily
conferred as those to which we have
compared i. There are those who
seem to have regarded the ability to see
straight as the height of human accom-
piishments. giving no credit whatever to
those possessing the more difficult if not
more useful requirement of seeing round
a corner. 1t is the former class that
have usually been sent into the field,
while the latter have furnished the out
fit. ...
Public land surveying is the most
simple and easy of all surveying, and if
there be a boy of fourteen years old in
any of The SO called public schools of
Dubuque, VITO cannot acquire the art in
four days, his father has no great reason
TO be proud of his offcpring. We are
40 practical surveyor in the political, or
acceptation. Still in our boy
hood days, We were much in the habit
of measuring the area of the various en-
closures adjoining our playground. and
have some indistinct recollection of Ira
peziuns and Trapezoides, and such
like misshapen and unpronounceable
plats, but had we have had the right
lines and right angles of the western
ard quarter sections, we
should have considered our task mar.
vellously easy one, aud the compass,
rule and dividers would have been shorn
of half their magic as wei! as of half
their ierrors. Talk of the exalted per-
fections of practical surveyors! They
are generally those men who are the
most unyielding in their opportunities,
have been the oftenest fed from the pub
lie crib, or by some fortuitous circum-
stances have had il in their power in a
round The corner way to give quid pro
quo; though these times we hope, have
passed and gone. We will risk our rep
utation as mathematician, that two
thirds of the men, half of the boys, and
one-sixteenth Of the women in Dubuque
may become good practical surveyors
on three days tuition. provided they be
confined in their operations to the sur
veys of the public lands.
We are sorry we led the Ledger into
the error that Col. Madeira had received
contract, but as we ourselves were in
nocent victims before him. he and the
res, of mankind will doubtless forgive
US. The Colonel is ye; at Buena Vista,
as happy and as fat, as he is whole-sou
ed and honorable, and there he will re-
main uncontrolled tcith, and uncontract-
eG for. His son Francis, whom we
know well, and who is as sprigh,ly and
intelligent young gentleman as we
have in our vicinity, is out on survey.
and will doubtless make his returns in
good time and in good shape, and when
the immigrating swarms shall spread
themselves upon the lands which he
marks out, our word for it, the corners
tciH be there.
But the Ledger thinks that Gen.
Booth ought not to have received con-
tract, and blames Mr.. Sargent for giving
one. We ourselves thought it was a
"coming down." for the late incumbent
to seek o. his successor share Of the
patronage Of tho Office he had just been
called upon to leave, but when we learn
ed from very good authority, that the
giving Of this contract was spontane-
ous act of kindness on the part Of Gen.
eral Sargent. springing from and prompt
ed by the goodness of his heart,--prof-
fered as a pledge OF good feeling from
one gentleman to another, without solic-
i:aiion and without suspicion that his
motives would be canvassed and mis-
coastrued--we say when we were ap-
prised Of this fact, we became perfectly