Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-10-19
WARRINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

England had united in joint note, demand
ing to know of this Government what are IL,
relations with Russia, is regarded in Wash
ingfon by all conversant with internationa
affairs, as one Of the most preposterous storie
OF the times, 50 given to getting up wonderful
tales by way of making newspaper CORES
pondence interesting for the nonce No suct
Interpolation has been received by the Ameri
can Government. No such thing could hsv.
happened without our hearing of it; as such
an event would have been the subject of much
conversation among those who are known a,
the diplomatic (foreign) circle of Washington
wherein there are few secrets indeed not with.
In the reach of wide awake journalist. In.
oeed, the American system in connection with
the affairs Of ether Governments, is as we'll
understood by those in public lie abroad, as
at home. France and England are we'll aware
that nothing but an invasion ofour wei -defined
rights by one or the other party to the eastern
war, would induce US to lift a finger in the
way OF interfering on either side, and that our
Government means to do its best simply to ad.
vance the commercial interests of the United
States on every opportunity which the existing
contest may open to that end. This is plain
duty which would be earnestly prosecuted by
any neutral government under the sun, in the
hands Of prudent and patriotic persons Both
France and England entertained hopes, few
months since, that their views of the contest
would be accepted with unanimity by the
people of the United States, and that the
would thus obtain the aid of the moral force of
the ardent sympathies Of 50 important nation
as ours. This hope has been disappointed,
much to their chagrin it being already evident
that the great mass Of our fellow citizens are
perfectly Indifferent as to the result of the con.
test, if they are not sympathisers with Russia.
When the war began, or rather when its sp.
proach was discerned afar of, as it were.
strenuous efforts were made by western Eu.
ropeau writer's to induce the belief that Eng.
land and France were about to Crusade In the
holy cause of liberalism. It did not take long,
however, for the American public to realize
that they were to 6ght only for their own ma
tional interests. as opposed to those of Rus
STA. The fact that they are rivals of ours in
commercial affairs, while Russia is not, cooled
the ardor of the enthusiasm in their behalf
which had began to be generated on this side
of the Atlantic subsequently, various publ
cations making Russia better known to our
people at large, have created the impression
that her government is no worse for her peo-
pie than those Of England and France are for
theirs; which, in turn, has created sympathy
fer Russia, as involved in the Eastern war,
which is being manifested in the newspapers
in all parts of the country These NANTES
tstions have greatly displeased those in Eu.
rope, who sought to enlist American popular
sentiment against Russia. and they are now
writing as though they consider our Goysrn.
nsent responsible for the current expressions
of American popular opinion. Our govern
ment has, OF course, carefully abstained from
either directly or indirectly interfering in the
Eastern affair.
An Important Land Office Decision. Tho
following, which is copy of recent letter
from the Commissioner of the General Land
Office to person writing to his bureau, covers
decision of great interest to most of those
engaged in heavy operations in connection
with the public lands, as well as to many citi..
Gems of the new States:
GENERAL LAND OFFICE, Dot. IL, 1854.
10th ultimo, stating, that " in the confirmation
OF certain private land claims to claimants
under the Baron de Bastrop, very great in
justice has been done some of our citizens
The report embracing the claims under De
Bastrop was made under date of July 30,
1852, by the register and receiver at Monroe,
La; ordered to be printed ON the 9th Decem-
Der, 1852; and is printed in Senate Elk. Doc.
No. a, Second Session Thirty Second Con-
gress.
You state that" In first class, No &c." you
= wish to defeat the claim to the two lots Nos.
and 4, upon the ground that it had not been
held and cultivated as represented, but, upon
the contrary had been held and cultivated in
good faith, and for number Of years, by ad-
verse claimants, and as pre- emptors :" that
= one OF the witnesses, whose affidavit was
used by the claimants to whom the land was
confirmed, Is dead and the other Charles
Roy, says that he never gave the affidavit in
the form in which it was presented; and.
moreover. that the affidavit is false;n that
g some portions of this land has been highly
improved by the persons bsna fde holders,
and very serious injustice would be done were
they to be deprived of il by an OK parte bro.
ceediDg, and upon the strength of afidavits
to be false" and you desire me to
advise You /" of the course to be pursued to re-
tain possession off, your "rights, and defeat
this claim .
The notice of the claim, with the evidence
in its support, was duly published, and was
not acted upon in the way of confirmation,
until more than year and half afterwards.
when congress passed the act approved June
20, 1854. entitled 6 An 1T confirming certain
land claims in Louisiana in the Bastrop
grant"
The Executive cannot now look behind this
act, with view of entertaining
any application to set aside and hold the act
Of confirmation nugatory We possess no such
power. Turn, however, to the confirmatory
law itself, and you will find it guards adverse
rights; for it declares" That the confirma.
ton by this act shall only operates as re.
linquishment on the part of tho United States
and shall not affect the right of adverse claim