Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-01-19

W bDihll from INA Shn TIHnclNCp CpIIfrIpn-
denee # the New York Evening Post the fol-
lowing summary of recent interesting events in
! the State of California, The date Of the letter is
tn 2Dh Of December:
The most important events which have occur
red since the departure of the last steamer are
/ the decisions Of the Supreme Court and the con-
! irs-iun If fraud in the Imantour claim.
The Legislature of 1855 passed an net 10 pro
side for the construction Of wagon-road to the
/ Sierra Nayeda mountains. This act the Supreme
! Court Inns declared unconstitutional, on the
ground that the Legislature Is prohibited by the
! constitution In create debts which in the nggre-
gate exceed the sum Of $500, OtU. without raii-
cution by the people. This decision affects with
the exception Of s300,0O0) the whole indebted
ness II the State, amounting 10 over three mil
| lion dollars.
The court recommend. the Legislature to
adopt the entire indebtedness of the State. and
submit the net IL the people for ratification. To
hi. end general funding bill has been drafted
by an emineut iurist, which provides for the ap-
pointment by the Governor Of Board Of Com
mi- sonefs, whose duty it shall be 10 advertise
for proposals for the lowest bids to redeem all
The outstanding Indebtedness Of the State. Tn
donbtedly this some bill will be passed by the
| Legislature, soon to assemble, and he submitted
10 the people for ratification at special election
| The Newspapers being almost without exception,
opposed 10 reputation, il is believed that Il bill
for the redemption of the State debt would be
endorsed by an immense MAJORITY of the legal vo-
tiers Of the State. In consequence Of the decis-
ion of the court work upon the State Capitol has
been suspended.
Another decision of the Supreme Court in the
case of Argenti rs. The city Of San Francisco.
declares fraudulent constables sale of city pro
perty tho value over one half million dollars. The
property is known rs the slip Property" and
consists of whnrves and wharf lots, which in lS53
were valued at ! 1900 now probably worth
| s60o,o0O, yet were sold on Il Judgment against
the city Of less than two hundred dollars. The
following 81 an extract from the opinion Of the
court:
The whole transaction, from its inception, is
pregnant with baretaccd fraud. 1t is one the
most d sgus'lng exhibitions of vcnaity and cor
rnptlon, TINT we have ever been called on to re-
view or adjudlcate and il is our earnest desire,
Tor the sake Of good morals and the character Of
the bar, some Of whose names appear in the re-
cord, that this court will never again be cnlled
on Ia review SO fragrant piece of dishonesiy.'
In the cnse of Palmer ct al. vs.. Boiling tho
court affirm the action of the court below where
in 1t was decided that the sheriff of Mariposa
county properly seized what is known as the
Fremont Mariposa Grant" for delinquent taxes.
Palmer Cook & Co. had sued out an injunction
10 resra,n the sale; the court decided against
them, and they appealed, alleging two crrors.-
Both objections are overrnled by the Supreme
Court. aud the tax sno will of course proceed uu-
less the taxes paid.
Great excitement occasioned by the ar
test in this city of Jose J. Lmdntour, whose
cain to immense property in San Francisco was
confirmed by the United States Land Commission
n charge of perjury. He is now in custody.
The arrest caused n great sensation Tho in
! detment charges him with uitcring and publish
/ ing AS true certain false writing. with intent
/ nTrn Init
/ to be fase,purportngto grant lands in the south.
ern part Of the city of San Francisco, and dated
! the 9th February, 1913. whereas, in fact. the
! grant was made at the city of Mexico, Gnstcad Of
Los Angeles, as 1t purports,) in February, 1882,
inter California became n part of the United
! States.
The claim embraces four leagues of land,
most of which is in the limits of the city. Large
sums have been paid Limantour by some of the
present occupants for quit claim deeds. The
amount paid is stated to be S96OUO. and the ne
/ gotlations were pending with many others; con-
seqnently h.rge number of citizens were pecu-
niurily Interested in tho result of the efforts to
prove the clnim fraudulent. The United States
Government also had valuable property at stake,
at Aleatres Island on which tortiEcatious are in
course eff erection. and the Farollenes. ON which
lighthouse now stands, are both within Liman-
tours claim. 1t is stated that since the grant
10 Limantour was confirmed by the Land Com
mission tho General Government have made great
efforts to procure evideI of the fraudulent ma
ture OF tho claim. To this end, Colonel s. W.
lnge, of this city, was dispatched TO the city Of
Mexico 10 vestigate the matter. He left Wash
lngton on this eirand in June last, and proceed
ing 10 the Mexican capital. he asceraned that
the false titles were made in 1852 by one Emile
Ietanneur who is now in san Francisco. After
the arrest of Lmantour, on the 10th instant, Lee
tanneur confessed before the grand jury that he
wrote the papers. The bail of Limantour was
fixed at 100000, but he declined to furnish bail
alleging TINT he feared the people might take 1t
into their own hands should he make his appear
ance in public. 1t is stated that aside from the
confession of Le,nnneur, the fraud can be proved
by reliable testimony from its inception. Letnn-
neur was released ON his own recognzauoes, but
was arrested again and held to bail in the sum
Of $4,000, for the purpose of nsurng his atten.
| dance Mt the trial.
The counsel of Limantour applied to the court
TO defer the trial till the next term TO enable
them to procure the attendance of witnesses
! from Mexico. The motion granted, and the
trial set for MAY. 1857. The present value of
the land covered by the Limantour claim is over
Sl6,0O0,0OO according to the last assessment.
A writer in the Bulletin connected the name
of Mr.. DILLON with the Limantour fraud. ntima
ting that Mr.. Dillon pecuniary interested
and had endeavorod TO influence occupants of
the property to compromise with Lmantour
! Mr.. Dillon published card in reply, stating
| that he had no other interest in the success of
the claim than that Consul should entertain in
behalf OF n countrvman, who asserts the posses
sion of rights md refers TO the law for their re-
oovery. Mr.. Dillon has been repeatedly ANNOYED
by parties soliciting his Intervention with Ii
mantour's agents in the hope of obtaining com
promises thereby at a reduced rate. lie did con
l.