Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-07-08

OMAHA CITY, (NERRAsKA,) June 10. 1857.
Stree 1 wrote you last l nave added a chapter to
nv Western experience, which | propose to send
you and your readers. Therein is contained,
think some things new to you and them, as they
were to me. Il is said that must 'live and
learn" Some do and some donot. refer to 'pre-
empting" known in former times as 'squatting,"
from which arose that new term in political par
lance ''squatter sovereignty"
Before give my experience" let me premise a
few woLds as to the rules and regulations hereun-
to pertaining.
The laws of the United States give the right to
any citizen who does not own three hundred and
twenty acres OF land in any State of the Union land
to this he is required to make oath) TO pre-empt
one hundred and sixty by fulfilling the detail
ed T, quiremeBts of the act. These requirements
are that he shall file bis intention in the land office
to enter upon and improve the land either by Gull
tiVating il or erecting thereon home and residing
upon the land long enough make it his residence;
which time is VarioIsly estimated to mean one or
five days, just the Receiver at any land office
may decide. At this Office the time fixed upon to
acquire residence is five days. To the fact that
he has so resided and made said improvements he
must produce a witness who testifes that such and
such things have been done, and that the pre-emp-
tor has resided the required time IN the house on
the land. Upon fulfilling all these requirements
aud paying one dollar and quarter per acre, ell
Their in gold a land warrant and the fees, he re-
ceVes a certificate of title. duplicate ct this Is
sent to the Secretary of the Interior at ashing-
ton, who, after having searched the records and
finding that the individual has not pre-empted be-
fore, issues patent direct to him, and he becomes
the of his farm by title direct from the Gov
eminent. One may very readily see that there Is
very poor business here for lawyers to search de-
duCtIon of titles.
In addition to this local clubs are formed, called
"claim clubs" which directly or Indirectly up
held by the Territorial governments, which, by
laws of their own, grant the right to each one OF
hose q hundred
acres more, provided he is a resident, and make
SUCH improvements upon the additional acres as be
does upon the first; which, here, is breaking up"
or ploughng to the value of fifty dollars. 1t IS
optional with the party either to pre- empt lmme-
diaely wait until just before the land sales take
place for that district thereby getting the use OF
the land perhaps for two or three years before
paying for it, and what Is still more, in this coun-
try, where three per cent. month is the regular
rate of interest," in bank or in the street. he saves
the interest his money. After he has pre-
emp,ed his first hundred and sixty acres, he still
holds on and cutivates # he choose the other,
/ being protected by the 'cub," which is nothing
more less than a mutual protection society -
Should one, either resident outsider, dare,
as they often do file on this, the matter is soon
| known, and officers of the club bring the parties
before them as judge and jury, and the matter is
made the subject of discussion and regular trial
| When the right of either is decided the decis-
ion is final, and he is obliged to withdraw his file.
Il he is obstinate, and refuses SO to do, sometimes
! quite severe measures are resorted to; the most
severe that has been used here are, / believe, a
thorough ducking in the Missouri, and u reat' "
| be ever come back that his weight should try the
strength of Missouri hemp and the limb of a con-
venient tree. In many of these operations those
who behind the scenes use great deal of "scull
! dugerY." This is a word which hrd Its origin
| in the West, and is not found in either Webster or
| Walker. Il Is like all such new words, compre-
| hensive and difficult to define. It's meaning is
nearly the same as the quaint though vulgar phrase,
| ''whpping the devil round the stump" Some
! members OF the CLUB, by them position, bold more
than a single claim, and convey their rights to
others for a consideration. When these lands are
brought into market By tie Government, theee
clubs stand ready, by force if need be, to secure
the right to each one of their claimants to bid and
buy at Government price the lauds they have
''claimed il" and the comeris deferred, throug
fear of violence, from bidding on Them and so the
pre-emptOr becomes the possessor of three hundred
and twenty
And for my experience. 1t may be, as they
| say out West "hlgh mixed" in the detail and so
it was in reality. LIKELY, Also may be charged
with telling tales out of school," and perhaps
| give you a moFe practical definition to the word
| sculldugery. The day before, or the same day it
may be, upon which you propose to commence
housekeeping on the prairie, you appear before the
| register and, with sober face file your intention
to pre-empt any certain quarter section of certain
quarter of certain range and certain township.
A due record of this is placed upon the books OF
the land Office, and a certificate of the given
to you. Taking with you good stout team of
| horses and wagon, with or two hands and your
"witness," you start for the quarter section of
some fri nd who has already pre-empted. On this
| is his home so called or rather cabin of cotton
| wood, and which he has used, and nov, having Oh
tanned bis title, he has further use for. This,
with your help, is soon taken down and carried to
the quarter section-yours ava Jstt'T0. lt is nearly
| as soon put up as it was tIkeu down. and, having
| moved in your bed and bedding, stove and chairs
| dismi-sng your team and help, with the aid Of
witness you set your house 10 order, and take
/ your first meal in your 'home" on the prairie. By
this time, Xix, ly it is dark, ard yon glad 20 60
| to bed. II you have pleasant weather aud are not
| disturbed by the bowling of the praire-wof or
! Indians returning from the ei v, you sleep the
| sleep of the labOFing man. Rising early, and De-
ing suddenly transformed into cook we'll as gen
| eral hoIse-mald, you prepare your own breakfast
aud make your own bed. In the matter OF food
but little opportunity for the dspi y of gouraaaa,.
disc il offered. Bread and butter, tsa aud coffee
aud bacon make up the bill OF fare. After the
| morning work is done you are man OF leisure in
the fullest sense of the term. Woods beiag scarce
your hunting propeusities if you have any, get no
| chance for display. Angling Is unknown, | be-
| leVe. You perforce, therefore, obliged 10 re-
| sort to literature, aud spend tie time between
eating reading, and sleeping, unless you ride into
| town some day Tor variety.
will not attempt TO describe the rolling prairie
Il would be like trying 10 portray the raging sea
| and the mountain wave. They must both be seen
| 20 be fully appreciated. Would that could dag
| uerreogyps il for those who have never seen it
Suffice It 10 say that it dh, rent far from my
former idea OF rolling prairie, more varseo aud
beautiful Not tree is 10 be SEEM except along the
borders OF streams Still it is a variety 10 unifor
| nifty, with occasionally here aud there range OF
| view, with nothing TO bound the visioo save the
distant horizon. Que gets feeling Of freedom aud
| antrammeed thonght as vel as movement. The
| words Of the poet arise spontaneously 20 ones
| mind
"No psnt up Utica contracts our poEers;
The hole unbounded eontisnet Is ours
Bot 10 come back from the pOesieai 10 the prac-
teal, are efteH obliged % 10 IN this age and
worid OF progress, must bring my account OF pre-.
empting well my letter 20 Close
The i've days having been duly spent 10 youE rss-
dence 10 the county" you Eetarn 70 tosn. AID
ia company with yonr witness repair q tue land
oEiee. whers the officials Ia charge proposnd g
you certain questions reduced 70 writing, As - ths
lime you hsve resided on the lands. tbs Improve
meais made, SC, 70 which yoa make eflidasst. paI
Jour gold, and receive your certificate Of title, AMI
retire eth tbs conscious importance Of being
land owner.
TIE oihse Is throagsd daily, and the smploysi
are busy conveying Awsy. one sfler another, %
toBs q she aemaia OF this great aad u the tres