Le pionnier de l'Assomption. (Napoleonville [La.]) 1850-185?, 1851-11-02
dit-eIie la yerite? J'ea al fintsmc per.
suasion CT lie Public cn jngera en- dcrnics


Donaldsonrillc, La., Aug~st 25, 1s47. s.
-1reu RICHARD NJ. You've Esq. Conr
-a#eTta .ba7 GENERAL LAND OFrIcE
.t|'f" t2.,t'sfi'- Washington City.
a. Sir. ned jess"
have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letters off the 4th current
enclosing copy Of one Of the I'd, addres
sed TO you by S. u. King Esqr.. on the
part of Andrew jackson Powell. former.
Iyta Deputy Surveyor of this office.
Notwithstanding the spceious reserya
ton in the last paragraph of this letter.
that Mr.. ?. imputed no improper mott
yes to the Surveyor General; still it does
contain direct charges against me,
Of abuse of the powers which
possess, as Surveyor General, to the de-
iriment of the parties here complaining.
The representations Of Mr.. Powell,
are uncqnivocaIIy false and without !;
shadow of foundation, rs he kne,o at the
time he made them and as the enclosed
Statement of the accounts sent up since
my taking charge of this Office will fully
With regard to Mr.. Powell, l have
not, up 10 the present time lowing 10 d
lingering feeling ol'regard which once
entertained for him) referred to the eau
scs which induced my withdrawal of his
commission as a Deputy Surveyor; but
this last proceeding, however, shows him
so utterly regardless of the principles Of
honur and so destitute of n,oralahonfsty
that a proper regard for my own charac-
ter, makes it imperative that should
here briefly and distinctly state them,
that they may be PLACED ON RECORD,
"a My reasons for nominating him Chief
Clerk in my office, ,as vel! as those which
induced his discharge were fully set forth
IN q letter to yo,r1 predecessor, The Hon.
James shielas,y duted .Ao1.s Is, l945. l
did not then however withdraw bis com
mission asa Deputy Sarveyor, believing
that he had been enticed from the path
of his duty by designing individuals and
that his removal from the immediate SER
vice Of the office wonid prove u useful
lesson to him Z: in this / was deceived
and cannot now believe, that had athe
associated with him III the
Entry, on State Warrants Of Sections 81.
90 g. l04 in T" II, r. Z, E.. known the
precise nature Of the transaction they
were engaged in, they would have con-
;ented for one moment, to aid in the
OH the part Of Powell Of
80 infamous q schonpe, Of spindling. For
am confident, that you will 'bcIie.e with
ne, on reading this Ictterto the end that
10 mitdcr term, will suit the transaction.
The facts are these: After Mr.. Po-
Wells discharge from the office, ! learned
rom Mr.. S. l,abranche, one, of the old
,st and most respectable planters in the
State, and who is tl,csproprietordof of a
,ortion Of tho lands on the River,,in
ront the tracts entered BY Powell and
,.hers. a Translation Of whose letter to
ne 4 {the originalfbeing in French) dated
9TH December lSl5,is herewith encIo.
ed.2s that In file month Of February
.S39, he had employed Powell, in his
apacity of United States Deputy Snr-
eyor, to run out thesdipes of his tpIantu-
ion, and to make an exploratory survey
t the back lands to lake Maurepas
then unsurveyed) for the purpose Of IA
his entry Of those Iands) which
we're very valuable to him for purposes
f drainage and ,others) as soon as the
1rveys should be regularly made F.; and
hat he had paid Mr.. Powell for, thisrsc
ice $500. ss.qalsg .2sas9
/ Immediately calicdupon Powell for
n explanation viewing the transaction
$ it then appeared, as so, gross auioldsion
fthe confidence which the inhabitants
re necessitated TO repose in the appoint.
rents of this office, and SO dtsgracefulto
1c professional character of Surveyor, {
1at I could no longer retain him in the
mploy Of The governement, in any Ca
acity, if it was true. sra {
Powell replied, in the presence of Sc S
eral of my clerks, that Mr.. ..abranchc's
ssertions were false, that he never had
,ade such surveys, and consequently ID
ould not be charged with the betrayal +,
private confidence, in furnishing the
formation to Messrs. Mire & Nichols, ,
j which they entered the lands above
,ferred to, and. in which speculation,
e (PowelD was a joint partner. t
HereuponpI wrote again to MIR. La
rancho, stating the circumstances =
i reply he sent me the map furnished