Nebraska advertiser., 1856-07-12
For the Nsbrnska Advertiser.
TIE NKR LAND OFFICE.

EDITOR OF THE ADVERTISER;--OnRi-ES IL
true that the members of Congress, the
constitutional guardians of our Territory dur
ing its infancy, are so sincerely labOring to adj
vance cur interests as they constantly claim TO
be? III so, it occurs to me that we may well
excIaim, "save us from our friends During
the present session, we have seen moths Of
time wasted, and thousands Of dollars drawn
from the National Treasury, and squandered
over the single question Of slavery, while a
shameful may say, in view Of their being
assembled at Washington as National Legis-
latos, and ssOOrs TO discharge faithfully and
honestly their duties-a criminal negligence
has been shown to all matters, from which any
material and substantial advantages might re-
suit to our people.
A few days since, in a communication to
your paper, I suggested advantages we might
derive from q proper action on the part Of Con-
gress, with respect to certain of our public
lands; and now I desire, if / can, to call the
attention of the honorable members, to the ne
cessity of a new Land Office in our Territory.
In q few weeks from now, the Land Office at
Omaha City will be opened; and, thenceforth,
until another district is established, those of us
who reside south of the Platte river, compris-
ing, as we do, a large majority of the people
of the whole Territory, must take a long,
troublesome and expensive trip to Omaha and
back, whenever we wish to file upon, or enter
our lands, or 20 transact business Of any kind
whatever, at the Land Office; in which trip we
must cross the Missouri river twice, and travel
through a part Of Iowa, both in going and re-
turning; for the swift shallow and turbid wa
tens Of the Platte cannot be crossed with a fer
ry-bost at any point near its mouth. 1t is not
just neither is it democratic, that the majority
of the people Of the Territory, should be sub.
} jected to such onerous and oppressive burdens
merely for the benefit of the few settlers, who
: have made their homes north of the Platte
, river. A new Land Office for this Territory
is urgently and ~aLxiously demanded by on
people; and there is NJ reason, good, bad or in.
D different why one should not be given us i'm.
/ mediately. No one whose soul is not STEPPED
t in prejudice, or blinded by self-nterest, viii
D deny that South Platte Nebraska is entitledt t.
] il, even though there be but one in the Ter
rtory.
What has become Of tie memorial, address
ed by our last Legislature, to Congress; ii
which facts, showing the necessity Of a new
{ Land District were so fully set forth; and il
d which Brownville was shown to be the poin
g at which the Land Office, for that distric
" should be located. Was not that memoria
u given to our "sitting d~eZegate' when he starte,
q for Washington, armed with the Governor
certificate? l presume that it was; and if SC
why have we heard nothing from it? Is it fror
want of inclination, or of ability, that he ha
suffered six months of the time of Congress {
pass away, without any movement on his par
in the matter? Will he plead the lack of OF
: pOrtunity! That will hardly avail him. Ever
day must have afforded opportunities for th
reading of the memorial, and for the introduC
ton of a bill, based upon the facts set forth i
the memorial. The House would, doubles
10 have referred the bill to the proper committee
D. and the business of its provisions, would hav
recommended it to their favor, and gained fc
P it a report which would have secured its pa.
OF sage. If Congress adjOurns, without any al
ton at ell in the matter, it may be very diff
cult for our honorable delegate, to convince tb
: people of "South Platte Nebraska" that
60 was not through any fault or negligence on b
part We are Immediately and deeply intel
ested in this matter; we want the Land Ofic
and in justice should have it. If we fail
u get il, We will devOlve it upon our delegate
Il show, that he at least, did whatever could b
y done, by.him, to secure it for US
If a new District is established, the locatiO
Y of the Land Office for il, will be a matter {
y considerable interest. Rival aspirauts, thel
will no doubt be for the benefits of that locs
ton; but that point is settled, l presume, i
u the same memorial that asks for the Distric
Nc The Office Will be located, if at all, forthe BEL
!, eft of the people, and their wishes havin
y been ascertained, will, or at least should, be ca
ried out In that memorial, the voice of Il
'H people, not alone Of South Platte, but of a
Nebraska, speaking through their represent
. tives in the Legislature, have designat,
:. BrOwnville as the proper point and the. one
~, which they desired the Land Office for Sou
l' Platte Nebraska to be located. Let whoev
controls its location, bear in mind the o
adage, which we Americans hold in such biz
ia Fegard-"Kr pcpuli voz Dei." -.
ny LEoNIDAs.
he
nd Our Delegate, Mr.. CHAPMAN, has present
the memorial referred to by sLeonidas."
=, has been referred to the appropriate commit
M and they have promised a favorable repc
"A which should have been made long since.
!. We presume either Mr.. CHAPMAN, or !
- BENNETT, as honorable men would not dis
,oo gard the prayer Of this memorial, especia
!. coming from the source it did. We want
:. new. Land District established--we want
;tr Office at Brownville--we are entitled to it a
we expect to get ii; not only because Of
i6c memorial, but through the influence, adv