The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1852-10-11
DAILY JOURNAL.
Another Hum bug Exploded.

All over the State where Gov. Wright has
addressed the people, and here in Evansville,
he has be-puffed himself greatly because OF
his saving, as he says, $40 900, by his prompt
action in relation to the swamp lands.
Now, the following correspondence will show
how much reason there is for all this sell
praise:
ISprAxAPoLIs, Sept. 10, 1852.
]. II. BRADLEY, Esq,
Understanding that, in your speech at
Greenfield few days ago, you referred to the
par. taken by Gov. WRIGHT in relation to the
swamp lands granted the State by Congress.
/ would be obliged TO you for statement of
what you know about the matter.
Yours, &C.,
JNO. d. DEFREES.
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 10, 1852.
JOHN ID. DEGREES, ESQ,
SIR: The whole truth about this swamp
land matter is very simple, and while we yield
to Gov Wright all praise f. what he dld DO
about it, it is entirely unnecessary, as It would
be certainly untrue to award him the credit
of that acquisition to cur State. Gov. Wright
had nothing to do with obtaining the swamp
lands for our State CmgresS made US the do
nation. and some of oIr members of Congress
are the men TO praise for il, not Gov w right.
Having lived, as you know, with yourself,
in the great swamp land district IN the North
for many years, my attention was called to
this law 1t Immediately interested our old
northern project of a" Canal dozen the KaRka-
kee"
Sometime after the law was passed, having
seen no action under it, took the copy from
the State Library into the Governors room
and called his attention 10 it. lie read II
over, said he had casually seen something OF
the kind in the papers, as before Congress,
but had paid no particular attention to it.
He asked me to sit down at his table and note
what action | thought necessary for him 10
take. | did so, and in doing it found that by
one manner Of construction, rather than
another, (both of which des cribed to him.
our State could greatly increase the amount
of acres under the grant. | remarked to him
that intended going to Washington City on
private business, and if he would pay my ex-
peGses would attend to the matter for the
State there, and obtain as favorable con-
structioH OF the law as possible, and an early
order from the Government as to, and for the
selection of the lands.
Nothing was done about this further for
sometime. When the Convention met, Gov.
Wright. invited number of Northern men,
beers and myself to meet him and consult
to his action. The result of the deliberation
was, that these members requested him TO
thorize me to go on to W ashington. lie did
so, and went, andin conjunction there with
II. w. Thompson, Esq, obtained the official
order for the selection under which the swamp
lands were located. The Department then
also decided what indeed is the plain mean
ing of this act of Congre s:--That money
received for all such lands sold by the United
States after the act of Congress passed, belong
ing of course to our State, and would be paid
to us. 1t will be remembered that Govern
mcnt sales were not stopped when the swamp
act passed, and as a necessary consequences.
the United Ststes Land Officers sold many
lands which really ware swamp lands and be-
longed by the act to our State. This money
they said they would pay over 20 US. az our
right, rather than set aside these sales.
1t is from this source That the S40,000
comes, that the acquisition of which is made
So much fuss about. Now for what did, at
Washington and afterwards with the joint
committee of our Legislature, the General
Assembly paid me SlO0-which would but Il
little more than cover my expenses to Wash
ington-but supposed hadb by it pay enough,
and as Il citizen was bound to do my duty, and
l did it. Respectfully,
JOHN ii. BRADLEY.
The above statement shows that the Gov
ernor really mad but little to do in the matter