The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-08-23

,is;on of The Secretary OF the Interior The suffice
..sm, 10 be creating some excitement; but also seems
10 be in hands most competent to do II justice, and TO
lake Gale that no permanent injury results from the
Auc Of The pressn, administration OF the federal govern
ment
From the Keokuek Dispatch.
The Dssmoinss Rivsr proremsnts for the People
of The Desmoines Valley 10 Remember.
For the past few weeks, new and intense inter.
est has been aroused throughout the length OF me
Desmoines valley ia the hope thai Inc contract would
6n,llv be made for completing the Improvement oil
The liver Whatever the press oil Iowa may PRINT,
and whatever the thinkers and pubic men OF Iowa
may cosale and plan, the iael Is nkga one
Thai The inhabitants Of the Desmoines republic emil
nenly desire and depend upon the navigation OF he Des
MONIES river That ve flows from the northwest 70 me
southeast portion oil the State, through 4oo es o. ine
o,t fertile land in the world and through vast treasures
nj mineral wealth inexhausnbe beds OF COAL ne, ana
sypsum Towns dotted along lis banks which GIVE
i6eir founding and look Tor Their future 70 .ne a'aaoy
az the river as great avenue Though many ia',oaus
NAV strike The shores of that river the great burden OF
he AGRICULTURAL and mineral wealth OF the valley VIII be
borne down its waters to all lme because "a
canacty Ii would folly indeed, TO impose seal
mon such great lhoroughfars and build arhcal sub
sutes double or treble the COST and make the State
wait for them. -, -
But it is not purpose at present 70 dllate either
upon the importance good policy OF the Improvement
ar the folly of abandoning it, These things are settled
in The minds OF The population OF the valley. who have
hssn so long outraged and are now justly ncensed the
DELAY and tampeng with their hopes and Their rights,
and The false faith of the general government. Our OBJ
ect il TO call the attention of the Desmones valley to
matters OF hsoryo remind them who are their friends
and who are their foes, that they may place il and
keep il upon record.
II is true then as asserted in long and ladvised
ce which appeared editorial in the Wing OF last
week. that this noble enterprise, OF such immense I'M
porapce TO southern Iowa." has been "cherlshed by
democratic State administration; palronlzed and honored
by democratic officers; sustained and countenanced by
democratic voters baptized in It's infancy IN democratic
pocy and faithfully reared and instructed IN democratic
morals" All this is emnently true The democratic
party assume the burden acknowledge the responsibility
and will continue 10 cherish" and betnend IT. II is
equally true that the whg administration abroad and The
whig party at home have lent their influence TO retard
and defeat the improvement. They would seem TO have
opposed it mainly because it is democratic measure
Still they have opposed i; and Their unaccountahe and
yruen opposition has not only tended TO delay the pro-
gess Of the work but accumu late prejudice adverse
10 further and similar grants by the general government
They have persisted in this course IRON the beginning
and they still persist in their envlous hostility to the
measure and its managers. All this must bring odluIn
upon the party for it must be felt that their has
been Gripping to the advancement and bighng to the
reputation of the State
In reply 10 the article of the whg let us glance at the
history Of affairs connected with this Desnoines improve
ment We fnd then, that the grant OF lands for the i'm
provement obtained from democratic Congress, by
democratic influence by democratic delegation, and by
democratic votes The board Of public works were ap.
pointed in September, ls47 and from that time 10 this the
reports of their abors have been before the people Never
have those reports been criticized made the basis OF
whg abuse They are TOO satisfactory They show
that from the first survey, made nney three nies) in
the depth of the winter OF al and AS the work has pro-
gressed faithfully and vigorously, and under sale and
careful policy, founded upon the entire grant as then
universally conceded 10 have been pledged by the gov
eminent Every dollar of the public money has been
accounted for and yet they have been unsparngly
cused of negectng their duty on the one hand and OF
crowding il beyond their means on the other.
On the faith OF the general government the board made
second letting Of contracts in August, ls4s The pay
ment on these contracts they had to meet with
of Indebtedness, account OF the deficiency IRON the
sales Of lands, amounting the 18th of May 1880, TO
$4,000 Every one will remember The tremendous at.
tempt bring the board into odum account OF these
cerhca,e.-a which it is impossible condemn
upon any pecuniay score, when consider that al the
time Of the second letting the board were IN possession Of
the letter of Commissioner Young, OF The General Land
Office in which he announced expressly that IN his opn
on the grant extended to the OF the rver and
that the subsequent reversal of this decision deprived the
board OF fund OF 100000 acres OF land that being The
amount above the forks, and 500, S6S below the forks
We cay again tina, it is impossible for 10 look fairly
at the mailer, and not justify the pursued and the
advances made by the board OF public works
But again, in the characteristic article by the Wing OF
last week, onslaught is made upon our democratic
senator's and State officers, and the following strange
query IL made
"And why, We ask il they were sincerely dsappoint
edit this doubtful portion Of the grant actually embar-
as.ed their opeations-have these officers delayed from
year making the appicaonsto the depart
ment at Washington Tor proper construction oil the grant,
so Congress for an explanatory ses In references 70 II
united IN application directed al once 20 Con-
g AVID the proper department. at the federal edpfoi Tor
prompt action and relief in reference to THIS doubtful
grantl We believe they have not"
The author of the "above article" fear has much
wilful Ignorance 10 answer for.
For his information we make the following synopsis
OF the proceedings OF the estate o6icers:'
1. Ia September ls47, Immediately after the appoint
ment OF the board they addressed letter TO the Commis-
sioner OF the General Land Office, asking for the con-
hmed list OF lands from the mouth OF the river to It's
source No answer being received, they addressed the
"same Commissioner" again in November following.
q. After personal application by VIM Thompson
February, 1s4s asserting that the grant extended 10 the
source and excusng hin de lay in furnishing the list on
account OF the impeI fectons in the surveys.
g. Contrary TO the above decision OF the Commissioner,
$4,000 of the lands above the forks were adver-
i.ed for sale the 10th Of June, and the board ad
dressed the Commissioner again. demanding the cause
Of the sale and the revocation OF it, Several other letters
were addressed by the board TO the Commissioner, ask
ing for the confirmed list OF lands then not yet fur-
nished.
In answer the appeal OF the board and OF Sena-
Dodge and Jones from the Commissioner, the whole
matter was decided by Robert Walker, Secretary OF
the Treasury March, lS49 in favor OF the entire grant
10 the Of The river, and this decision was commu
ncated to the Commissioner Of the Land Once to govern
his future action.
s. In November, 1s49, the board OF public works ap-
piled again 10 the Commissioner Of the General Land Of
Ace for the confirmed list OF lands, and on the 10Th De-
eember q reply received from that Official saying
that he preparing the list and would soon transmit IT,
6. letter sent by the board 10 the Department OF
the Interior calling attention TO the fact OF sales OF land
under the proclamation OF June, ls4S In answer TO
this, Senator'S Dodge and Jones informed that the
Commissioner o. the Land Office dsregarded the decs-
ron on the Sectetary of the Treasury and decided that