The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1853-03-15
Vote Of the Bill to provide for draining certain
, Swamp Lands. &C. .N.lfh 30
EXECUTIVE OFEIcE, 80
Lansing, February l3. 1863 a
? Hduse Of RepresentdIiUcs:

/ LihsiiiS, Lcuiuuiy ios 1000.
To he Hause Of Representatives.: .l .i 8!
A bill has been presented for my signature
to provide for draining certain swamp lands.
1t provides that all the lands situated in frac-
tional townships fourteen north of range five,
six and seven east, and townships thirteen north
of ranges five, six and seven east, which were
donated 10 this State by an act of Congress,
approved September %, 1850; may be drained
and for that purpose be granted to some CON-
pany TO be .farmed thereof BY persons no,c an
kaoicn, under the general plank road law
The plank road Is to be run from Lower saga
nav to Tuscoa The company is authorized
to enter upon any Of the lands above described
for the purpose OF draining them aud oonstruc-
4 Ting q hank road. A commits soner is 10 be
appointed TO examine The land, aud certify to
the drainage of the same. aud is 10 be paid for
MS serrices by the company There is much
ambiguity in the Sd section, and It's meaning l.
not clearly defined. Itprovidcs that the com
missioner ',s'all examine tho said land, and
such portions thereof as shall have been sufli-
cienty drained Cor cultivation by said compa-
ny h. shall certfy..tb bc So drained. and such
certific to or ccrtificites shall be filed in the
Office of the Scci etary of State, and duplicate
thereof delivered TO the President of said com
pany, and all other lands described in tho GER
tificatc of sail commissioner. shall be he'd in
trust by tho Governor for the benefit of said
flank road company. The President of dircc-
| tors of SAID company may make sale of the
iands so held Jy he Governor, and he is re-
quircd tn ISSUE his patent thereof, TO such per-
son or persons as the President of said compa-
ny direct" M if,f
This grant is made to h company having no
existance; no secretary or any contract is re-
qIrcd. 1t is permitted to take possession Of
the lan's Which they may s'rpof oil its tim
bcr. MAY not C instruction of the third 81 c.
ton admit OF II collusion between the commits
s'onor AID tho company, so as to cnsblc the
latter 50 dispose OF many of tho most salnab!c
OF tho lon1s, and appropriate the proceeds to
their own use, without spending a farthing for
the accomplishment of the object designed by
Congress:
| The Secretary of the interior has been fte-
| quen,ly pressed without success TO consummate
the grant. The act of Congress makes il his
duty as soon rs practacable after its passage,
| to make out an accurate list and plats of the
swamp and ovCriowed lands, and transmit the
samc 10 The Govcnor. and at the request of the
| Governor, causc patent 10 be issued to the
State therefor; and on tiat patent the fee sim
| pie to The lands shall vest in The State. subject
TO he Legis!aiure thereof Tue Secretary of
the In erior has positively refused t, transmit
a ls;'or issue patent for any of ticsc lands
until the returns arc made from all of the fod-
cra land offices at the Saut have made no re-
! turns, and the State can receive no accurate or
rliablr in!ormati n in relation to them, until,
this is done. No lists of plats have been trans
mittcd. M patent has been issued. These
lands, according to the provisions of the act
ofConere,s, are rot yet subject TO tho espo-
sal of the Legislature. Its action is therefore
premature.
AT present nothing is officially known Of the
quality ofthcsc lands. their situation, value or
condition. DO YOU know tho extent of tho
grant conthincd IN the bill under consideration:
Whether they II Cd tn or can be drained, and
how many lands there are in the townships
dos' 'gnatci' The quantity is variously estima-
ted at from twenty five to two hundred thou
sand acres. 1 have given this subject hereto
fore some consideration, and made inquiry Of
the land officers here and at Washington, and
yetcan form no reasonable conjecture upon
,hcso points. Is itwiee then 10 legislate in
the dark. without examination or proper infor-
nation aad Without any system being marked
out or aduptcdl
The grant of Corgrcss is magnificent II
is presumed TO cover from three tn four mil
lions of acres of land. worth at least ono mil
lien of dollars. l cannot bnt look upon this
bill rs an entering wedge to tho rcsuscitatl6n
of al cxplodcn system, which has deprived
this State without any commensurate return.
of tho fiyo hundred thousand acres of land
heretofore granted by Congress. Docs not
wisdom dictate different course now?
I'm my message at the commencement OF tho
session, stated, as far os was informed. the
condition of this grant. and recommended that
"tho commissioner of tho State land Office in
qnire into and ascertain as near as may be, tho
'conditon of the lands, and report to tho next
Legislature sume plan relative to tho grant, and
the accomplishment Of its object" Further
reelection has moro fully convinced mo of this
course. -. t-......- - "a f,q
I regret to be compelled. for the reasons as
sighed, to return to bill without nv signature:
rr II. McCLELLAND.
hwrr,r kcc,nrxr t. ho,o,,os o,,r r.;,fI