The true Democrat., 1854-12-13
Swamp Lands.


 the subject of Swamp Lands," purporting to be the leading editorial that we are utterly una ble to attribute to any other pen than that of Dr. Borland's. Its phraseology, its tone (even the miserable pun upon jacks son, the man he burnt in efiigy,) and its very punctuation, are those of the Doctors. If they are not, the copyist has succeeded to a miracle in initiating him. It is impossible for us to be deceived; concealed behind his boxes of pills and vials of vermifuge, he is carrying on a secret war un- der the name of O. c. Danley, who is utterly incapable of the production which he so vainly fathers.
 The burden of the Doctors song scenes to be the aUegalSty of the Governors recommends tion in regard to the swamp lands, though he does not conine himself to this one subject alone. He gives his pen unrestrained scope to wander off into various fields of discussion. until at last lost in the versatility of his reflections, at the end of nearly the third column, he is constrained to stop and seek little repose- promising his wearied readers however, that he will, after his nap, again pursue the subject to the ever receding end. The last was the third number, and yet, except an apparent exhaustion of the vocabulary of abusive epithets against Gov. Conway, the end seems to be as far off as at the beginning. When the Doctor wanders from his own, into the provence of the legal profession, he overrates his powers and destroys his usefulness The Megahty of Conway's re- commendation about the swamp lands is the last point, in our opinion, upon which to hase an excuse for censuring him so severely. Conwav's recommendation was intended and does carry out in good faith, the object and purpose of the act Ot Congress granting the swamp and over flowed lands. Under the impression, as many others are, that, with judicious management. there are more of these lands than are necessa " to the completion of all the practicable ob- jectS of the grant, the recommendation is a wise one. He recommends that out of the lands perpetual fund be created, the proceeds of which are to be sacredly applied to the repairing and preserving the works that have been and may be finished. If this is illegal we must confess the Doctor has failed to make it so appear to our mind.
 The manner of investing this fund, recom- mended by the Governor, we think, too, a wise one. The grant thus serves double purpose. It aids us in the construction of railroads while 1t insures perpetual fountain from which will constantly flow the means to preserve the works already completed. If this object could be accomplished by the present Legislature, it would be lasting monument to their wisdom and foresight; if, however, upon an examination of the subject, it should be found to be imprac. ticable by reason of the nsufficiency of swamp land, it must then be abandoned. We all know that, from the very character of the streams levied many of the embarkments now thrown up and received as completed, will be distroyed, and that unless some such means as those re- commended by the Governor, be provided for restoring and repairing them much of the an- ticipated fruits of this noble grant will be ut terly lost. It is the part of wisdom to provide for the future as we'll as the present.
 The Doctor in his broken doses upon this sub ject also treats us to history of the grant, Upon this point too, we think we can assist him little
 The original bill was introduced by Dr. Bor- land into the Senate and passed by his and his colleagues efforts Afterits passage through the Senate, the Doctor left his seat, in July, we believe, and came home. He never returned to Washington any more during the session, though 1t lasted two months after his depar- ture, but left the fate of the bill as we'll as the fate of the South, during the pendency of the compromise measures, ill the hands of his col leagues in the Senate and the House. It was bill to grant the sDansp lands to this State. Robt. W. Johnson, upon consulting the Com missioner of the General Land Office, ascer tained the grant it offered was utterly worth less. It only granted, according to the estimate of the Commissioner, about half million of worthless swamp lands. Robt Johnson then amended the bill by adding the "oyeylo,oea'' lands. In this shape, the bill was passed through the House and sent back to the Se- nate where it was passed-Senator Sebastian be-
 
 post. Thus the bill granting the "swamp and ove,aosoed' lands became law, while Senator Borland was here at home luxuriating in the society of his friends And by it, as amend ed, instead of getting what the Commissioner termed 55OOOO acres of s,oamap we get up- wards of 8,OOO,OOO acres, the most of it the finest land in the State
 This is a plain statement of the facts as we'll as our memory serves us. We state them for the purpose of correcting an error into which many have fallen, that Senator Borland alone is entitled to the credit of this grant, All that 1t is worth, it received from the hands of Robt. w. Johnson, after it was sent into the House and after Senator Borland had left for home. We have in thisnrticle endeavored to treat LIT. Borland with courtesy, and we have done so, though he does not deserve it at our hands. The manner in which he has again appeared before the public as political writer deserves the severest censure. Blows from behind an. fhurec hoo olx i