Washington telegraph., 1857-01-07
:; laTrHn ZfFt1 -.
O SWandp and 0verfowed Lands.

SCeuinSS VI tnc llt5iSisituiS III iSSe'iu e0
the Swamp and Overfowed lands. We
were aware that the system under which
the lands were being disposed of and
reclaimed, needed some revision and amend
ment, from the fact that work had been
paid for that was never performed, and
that much that was done was of such a
character as to render immediate repairs
essentially necessary to its preservation
and usefulness We were satisfied from
the report of the late Board of Commits
sioners that the State had suffered from
peculation and fraud in many instances,
and hoped the Legislature would have
suggested such amendments to the pre-
sent system, as would have effectually
protected the interests of the State, and
worked injustice to none of her citizens
In this, however, we have been disap-
pointed by the passage of law that puts
a complete stop to the reclamation that
was being carried on-a law that does
manifest and gross injustice to all who
have been induced to invest their means
in Swamp Lands, under the conviction
that the State intended, in good faith, to
complete the system of drains and levees
already begun. But the Legislature, in
stead Of preserving the unexceptionable
portion of the present system, and amend
ing that which was defective, preferred to
suspend operations altogether, and to tie
up every thing, to the great detriment of
the best interests of the State, and GER
tain loss to all concerned In the reclama-
ton cc our Swamp and oyerhowed Lands.
1t must be apparent to every one ac-
quainted with she subject, that before the
meeting of the next Legislature, great
portion of the work that has already been
done at so great cost and outlay to the
State, owing to the imperfect condition in
which it is left t,must be entirely destroyed
and rendered worthless for the objects for
which it was intended. In this event,
viii the State be able, under the most ju-
dicious and economical management, with
the Swamp Lands now left her, to recon
struct and prosecute to completion the
work thus suffered to go to destruction.
That she is not is evident, and no one can
calculate the vast amount of injury that
must result to the State, and the great in
justice that viii be done those who have
purchased her lands under the confident
conviction that they would be reclaimed
and rendered fit for cultivation.
We perceive that an attempt has been
made By the Introduction of supple
mental bill in the Senate, to remedy some
of the defects of the law passed at the pre-
sent Session, but as far as we have had
leisure to examine it We regard it as a sig
nal and total failure. The provisions of
the first section of this supplemental bill,
VIII in our opinion, preclude the possibili-
| ity of making contracts under it. Sane "a
| tiOnal men, are not apt to enter into con-
tracts, involving both time and money to
complete them, when their compensation
is to depend upon u contingency that may
never arise. 1t might, and under the pre-
sent law, we think it is very likely to be a
long time before there is specie enough in
the Treasury, arising from the sale of
Swamp Lands in either of the districts in
which such work is necessary, to pay for
completing the drains or filing up the gaps
in the Levees, that are deemed so essential
to the preservation of the work already
done.
We might yet hope, that before the
adjournment of the Legislature some steps
might be taken in the right direction to
preserve the levees already constructed
from utter annihilatiOn, but when we re-
fleet upon he past history of Arkansas, it
looks ike hoping against light and knowl-
edge to expect anything beneficial to the
interests of the State, at the hands of her
Legislature. It is matter of history,
that from the day the General Govern
ment donated five sections of land to aid
US in the erection of a State-house, up to
the present time, every gift,-every do
nation has heen squandered and wasted by
improyident and reckless legislation. The
many favors bestowed upon the State
through the indefatigable exertions of one
OF her ex-Senators, who now slumbers in
his grave, has been squandered and thrown
away, and to-day, Notwithstanding we have
had liberal appropriations made US by
Congress for internal improvement and
educational purposes, there is not within
the limits of the State, single Institution
of learning, sustained by her means, nor
has she ever built single foot of canal
or railroad, or done anything else that