The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1854-05-03
TIMBER DIFFICULTIES.

: The seizure of timber by government officers
in this vicinity, alleged to have been cut upon
government lands, has caused considerable
excitement among all classes o: people. 1t may
be well in this come c,ion to drop few hints
upon the subject.
There is no doubt, upon the principle OF abb
stract right, that the government has the power
of excluding men from the pnblic lands. who
60 upon then, not for purposes of permanent
settlement, but to strip the timber from the
lands. We presume none will question the ex-
istance of this power the right to exercise it;
but as the law governing the case was made
fur another latitude and to meet a different
state Of circumstances as the government has
never until under the late administration Of MIR
Fillmore deemed it important TO enforce the
couraeed by prescription laws, the establish
ment Of military roads, Notifications and mall
routes, the settlement Of the country and as
the valley of the Mississippi is so sparsely tim
bered as to re quire all the lumber which can be
procured from the extreme North for immediate
use, it resolves itself into grave question OF
expedency whether this power should be
L. exercised in such a manner, as to make ii Q
for what they get, or upon the people who de.
pend upon this lumber for fulfilling their engage
ments and supplying the pressing demands o.
the country As we have remark, d before
the whole Mississippi Valley, from St. Louis t'
ST Paul, rely upon the extreme North FOR thei
lumber for building purposes. Let it be knowr
that the lumber is to be seized, when it reach
es a certain point on the river and what is th,
result ? Most unquestionably TO cut off to
considerable extent the supply. What is no
prevented from coming down the river, i
probably seized when it reaches this point ant
either heavey tariff levied upon it, addin,
largely 10 the burdens of the consum.r, or
IS led up and subjected to tedious, expensiv
and vexaiious litigation TO determine The right
of property and settle the sum of damages. 1t
easy TO see the effct that this state Of thing
has upon the trade and prosperity of all th
towns aud the adjacent country along the Mis-
sissppi. Building must stop, me chanics an
laborers thrown out Of employment, trade Ian
guish, solemn engagements violated and imm
grafton cease. These are the legitimate an
irresistible results which must flow from ih
exercise OF this power
Some have cnunseled resistance to the uffic
.rs and have intmaed that blood would b
shed if said officers should no, desist. This
all wrong. The fficers so long as they do nc
transcend their instructions, are but discharg
| ing duty VIII eh they are sworn to do an
which If they failed to do, uld expose lher
| TO censure and removal. Ii they transcen
their instructions, there is plan provided f
calling them to an account, without a resort
vio, nce and blood shed. 1t is presumed tn;
they would MT be acting under instructions, III
less there was some law governing said inslruc
Etions. If then, there be law governing til
case, or the power j. vested in the President
exercising sup rvison over these lands, i
the remedy be applied at head quarters and n
a tempt to take vengeance up,n a subaltei
officer, who is acting in the sphere of duty.
1t i, said that the timber Agent and the Ma
shal are going beyond their insti uct;ons,
seizing indscriminate.y all the RATS of timb
that come down the river, whether cut upt
public or private lands. This they deny; al
as we are not familiar with their transactions,
course we are not able t. determine this one
ton. If we are rightly informed, their ins,ru
tons provide, that they shall make no seizure
unless they have good evidence to show, tn
the timber was taken from government Ian
lf this be the case, the said officers sho uld
very careful that they do not lay hands up,
what does not concern them.
In conclusion we would remark, that IL
whole business is hardship upon the West a,
the proper way to re neey the evil, is to pc
ton to head quarters. Send on the petition
and the thing will s'on be stopped.
i B Senators Dodge, Jones and Dougl
- r.