Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-03-22

ernor to consumate this arrangement,
resolution was introduced into The Legisla.
ture, and passed one branch, but was de.
feated in the other, ON the ground .ha, no
contract could be made BY the State, which
would 10 any event, change the arrange.
ment existing between the Slate and the
General Government for the disposition Of
these lands; that if the State bad any
claims on the government, for lands, they
could be enforced by the Ohio delegation
in Congress.
Notwithstanding tho failure cf the reso>
luton, for the reason above stated. MIR.
Peugh continued, in June, and as late as
December, TO urge Governor Ford 10 enter
the contract, and was fearful that others
nigh, gather the "frui, which he had beaten
down." but the Governor for reasons un>
known to your committee, declined, and
aone was made.
The Legislature, desirous Of procuring
the passage ofa law, by Congress, 10 reduce
the price of United States lands within the
State, and con6ning their snle 10 ac,ual
settlers, and believing that the State was
entitled TO lands under former grants of
Congress, not recognized and admitted by
the department al W ashing,on, on the 18Th
of February, 1850, passed among others,
the resolution under which this extraordi
nary contract was made with MIR. Allen;
and it should be remembered, that this con.
tract, giving him one>third Of oil the lands
he might obtain, was made by Governor
Ford, within three months after he HAD de.
clined to enter intothe same contract " lh
5. A. Peugh. at per cent.
But The transaction is greatly relieved
from the obscurity attending it, when it is
discovered that the powers Of attorney, and
articles of agreement, were all drawn up
in the hand writing Of Mr.. Allen, and in
The possession Of tioy. Ford, prior 10 the
passage Of the resolution
The pretended claim, therefore, Of Mr..
.,iien, and the circumstances attending the
whole transaction, involving, as it dues, not
only the rights of the people in the vicinity
of these lands-the integrity and honor OF
the Sta,e-seeks, under simple resolution
OF the Legislature, TO sci aside the whole
policy Of The State, in the manag gement and
sale Of her public lands; and through The
confidence or credulity of some Of the pub.
lie funclionaries Of the State, to perpetrnte
one of the most stupendous frauds upon the
Treasury, ever attempted within the limits
of the State, and if suffered to be consum-
mated, would be equaled only by the Gal.
phins and Gardners, at Washington City,
within the last few years.
The subsequent action ofthe Legislature,
in passing an act, only eight days alter The
resolution, providing for the sale Of the
lands in question, if any should be obtained
ior the Stale, shows most clearly, that the
members who voted for the resolution had
not the remotest idea Of confsrring on the
Governor the power assumed by him in
making this contract with Nj. Allen; nor
IS such warranted even by the letter Of the
resolution itself. s..
|. merely provides, that the Governor
may employ such means rs he may deem
best for The interests Of the State; provid>
ed, that no charge shall be made on The
TreasprY &c. Now it certainly will not
be con,ended, ,ha, under such authority, an
agent could be employed, giving him one
third OF all the lands he might obtain, wnen
it is recollected that ths proceeds Of the
sales of ali lands OF the State must go di-
rechy iu.o the State Treasury, and become
| part Of the revenue Of the State; and it
is submitted, whether this would moi be a
charge un The Treasury, as direct and pos
tive as can be conceived of.
/ But this fraud does no: stop here. Mr.,
4 Alien is not willing 10 share with the State
in an equittble division of these lands. -
Other appliances are called in; and some>
time in June last, a Mr. James Watson
Riley makes his appearance to the public,
in connection with This matter, by notifying
the Governor that be had apportioned TO
/ Mr.. Allen the third part Of the land secured
TO the State BY his agency, amounting, in
all, al that time, to over sixty two thousand
acres. He tshopes that his work will be
| approved, and thinks his endeavors 10 acl
impar,ially between the Stale and Mr..
| Allen, has been successful" &c. How, or
when, MIR. James Watson Riley became
connected with this transaction, is 70,
known; nor is it known by what authority
he was empowered to adjns, the rights and
| interests of the State in matter of so much
importance ms that OF disposiEg of over
twenty thousand acres Of her soil. The
special message Of The Governor, transmits
ting the correspondence between Mr.. Al
len and the officers oc State, sheds no light
on this subject; and ii will hardly be claim
cd. the harmless resolution Of the 18th ol
February, will cover the Interference nnd
assumptions Of Mr. Riley in The premises
Your committee would therefore recon
mend for adoption the following joint reso'
lutions:
! Resolved 5y the General Assembly o,
the State Of Ohio That the con,rac, enter
ed into by the Hon. Seabury Ford, late
Governor of Ohio, with John w. Allen
on The 25:h day Of February, 1880, con,
s,i,u,ing said Allen the ogen, Of the Statt
OF Ohio, for certain purposes, is recognized
by this General Assembly, as Of no binding
: force whatever, and is hereby declared
illegal and void.
Rssolued, That this General Assembl,
+ does no, recognize the right ofthe Govern
or Of the State to contract away the public
/ lands af nh;o ond d;varf fbo,, frorx, fht