New-York daily tribune., 1857-10-05
A QUESTION or SQUATTER SOFER
EIGNTY.

From The Chicago TribrHe Oct Q
The long contested Of the site OF Superior CITY,
Wis. as between the Superior Town COnpany-con-
sistirg of Stephen A. Douglas Jesse ID. Bright John
c. Bfeckinridge Sidney Webster flor eef and Frank
PeIce) and a pumber OF like Democratic patriots on
the one hand-and the poor Irish dupes who occupied
the ground before it brought into market on the
other, brought to a close at the Superior Land
Office week before last. The decision was rendered
against the politicians and In favor of the precnptors
The circumstances of the we're these Before the
land constituting the site of Superior brought into
marbet-we believe before il was surveyed-when 1t
could only be held by actual occupation these sharp
sighted Democrats one OF them President oil the Unit
ed States, another Nice-Presdent and third, who
most snxiously yearns TO be President, employed
agent to nduce rabble Of Irishmep to occupy the
ground build cabins and become possessOrs OF the soil
Of Columbia The Iibernisns seized upon the tempt
ing proposal built their huts staked out few gar
deDs and erected unconmonly large plgpeDs all ovor
the site of Superior. Tkey fulfilled the requirements
of the Presumption Ls" to the letter, wfn the minute
exception that they neglected to file their intentions
to claim the land in the Office of the Register OF the
Superior District, and neglected still further to prove
up their claims and pay the minimum price, 81 - per
scre, when the land was brought into market These
foImaites were exactly those which it was intended
they should omit. Probably not one in their whole
number could read the English language. They knew
less of the preompton laws of the United States than
their swine did Of speculative philosophy OF course,
it nobody business to go to them and explain the
aIcana of the General Land Office.
When the land came into market and no one appear
~
offered at auction according to law The Superior
Town Company then came into existence; Its agent
bid in the property, and ordered the cattle of In
stanter. This eveopement evidently not down
in the bills for the cattle made huge outcry and fill
ed the whole country about ond du Lac and Superior
with threst, nngs and lamentations They finally
made virtue of necessity, pocketed their wrongs,
shoudered their pgs and decamped across the mouth
| Of the st. Louis River, where they have remained
since cursDg the swinders on the other side and
plotting vengeance.
IL was evident that these Irshmen could give the
Superior spectators trouble before the titles IN that
region were regularly settled. The Presumption La vs.
{, the UDitcC States enacted for the protechon
of the actual settler against the resident specula-
tor. The ignorant dupes who occupied the site OF Su
penor, had perhaps title in law, bat taeY had
| veiy respectable one in Equity-such a one as the
g. neral Land Office was bound to recognize. Seve
,al prominent lawyers in Minnesota and others who
psssed through Superior pleasure excursions were
solicited 10 argue the case, but either through dislike
10 offend the formidable members of the Superior
Company or seeing prospect of justice in case
involving 40 much democracy II was not taken hold Of
IN earnest until recently when the Hon. ST. A. d. Bal.
conbe late President ofthe Republican Constitutional
Convention Of Minnesota, assumed the management IN
behalf Of the lrshmeu and prosecuted it. as we learn,
70 triumphant conclu ,ion The case wl doubtless,
| be taken on appeal to the General Land Once al
| Washington.