New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-13
GREAT LAND FRAUDS IN MISSOURI
PRESIDENT PIERCE AND GOVERNOR
PRICE-SWAMP LANDS.

Ooy..,ordent. Of The n. Y. Trbune.
ST. LOUIS, Wednesday, JAN %, 1856
THE TRIBUNE has been instrumental in prevent
ing the immediate contamination Of one of the most
,trpendous frauds ever attempted 10 this country.
II will be recollected by your readers that William
H. Taylor of Palmyra, No, some tire last Fall
charged gross fraud upon the officers of that State
who were selected 10 locate the Swamp Lands
under the Act of 1850. He charged further that
the fraud had been arrested by the General Land
Office at Washington City, but that if Gov. Price
was to be believed he had succeeded in enliSting
the President in behalf of the speculation, aud the
svindle was resumed and going forward.
The Washington Union, in answer, acknowledged
that the Commissioner of the General Land Office
had agreed to patent the lands selected under the
Act of 1850 on the request Of the Governor OF
Missouri. but denied that the President had any
connection whatever with the matter. The On,on
devoted column TO convince its readers that the
Commit sioner had done light in agreeing TO patent
the lands on the request Of the Governor. Taylor,
however, came with his replication, and by giving
stern and undenisble facts, lie silenced alike the
organ Of the Administration and of Gov. Price, and
succeeded in convincing the Commissioner that he
had done wrong. As evidence of this, give the
backs square out from what he had agreed TO with
the Governor Of Missouri:
"SwAMP AND OVERLOOKED LANDS.
PUBLIC NOTICE.
"PuruAnt the Tc0ns Of the Secretary OF the Interior
public notice hereby given That in order to bring to oo.e
tie business under the act Of Congress approved SEPTEMBER
1870 entitled An ect to enable toe Stae Of Arkansas and
'otier States reclaim the Swamp Lands within their
ls end Al the time afford 10 parties who cas hat
cultivation en- on oruuy Introduce evidence ell lands
selected the approval whereof objection be made within
tlsfr fapF ate be
srcb az IRE conteraed ~ the above mus, be
made AID fled with the Register and Receiver OF
the yrIer Land Ofoe for Transmission TO q General Land
Ofe The Necessary as and adsvits IN the hands Of
Tie following classes Of land e1enp; from objection to
Firs. Lands entered with cash located with military
bounty land scrip after the passage Of The act OF
18Th SetcsbcT 1880 aud ror to the Iease Of TIC act OF "a
March 1853 For the Tcef O. purchasers 'nd locato OF
Sc,d: Lands already patented to the State uader the
lin oh cases where objection is raised testimony must be
taken the Register aud Receiver Of the LandOce e.
such time after the expiration Of said Elk moths as they m'y
appoint with the consent OF the ComusoneI Of the General
The lists Of w amp oycreowed lands iuFpee
ton during the regular lu,iness hours Of the Land Oe
Given under my hand at the City q this st
COmmifsioDer Of tie General Land Office
Now that the Commissioner has issued his proc
lsnstiOn will the Organ of the Administration
have the candOr and manliness to acknowledge
that it was in eTor1
One word in regard to the proclamation of Tho
mas A. Hendricks: He seems ostensibly disposed
TO have the frauds under the Act of 1850 correct
ed but is he in earnest lie says that indiyidu-
ais may contest any lands selected by the States,
under the Act of 1850 within six months from the
date of bis proclamation, provided the lands have
not been patented. This is all right aud proper.
But Mr.. Hendricks, in bis instructions to the local
Land Offices, refuses to allow the successful con
eetant of the States claim the preferenceright to
enter the land, even though he may employ sur
yeyOr to run the lines, and be at the expense of
bringing three or four witnesses slXtyiNe seven
ty miles to prove the tract he has applied for does
not come within the Swamp Land Grant Is this
the way to correct the frauds complained of He
virtually acknowledges by his proclamation that
laads have been selected under the Swamp Land
Act which were not intended to be granted there
by, and adds that they will be patented 10 the
States unless objection is made within six months
and still he refuses 10 give the contestant the
preference right over the Spectator is It posi-
be the Commissioner is green enough 70 suppose
that IN individual will contest the States claim,
and pay all the expense incident 10 an lnvestlga-
ton Of the matter, when he will have no prefer
ence-riglt if he succeeds No man is fool enough
10 pay out of his own pocket money TO advance tne
pecuniary interest OF the Government, when he
can derive no advantage thereby. Very many poor
men, who have filed the necessary affidavit, Will
abandon the contest, unless Congress will give the
contestant the right to enter the land at the ordi-
nary cash price when il is shown not TO have been
entered, or to be Of a swamp character. II this
is done, the frauds under the Act of 1850 can be
corrected in twelve months otherwise thousands
of acres situated upon the highest and dryest
praries in the State will be patented to the State
under the Swamp Land Grant.
The NAL administration of the swamp and grad
nation lands by the Department at Washington is
theme upon which may have much TO say be-
fore many months. ALPHA.
RECENT DEATHS.