The Yazoo Democrat., 1858-10-09

zoe utterly dread them. and would dispensel
with them entirely; prefering 10 rely and de
pend upon voluntary and individual enter
prise for protection.
Another fearful injury has been sustained
by large portion of worthy and innocentI
persons. who have been induced to venture
upon submerged lands. heretofore eight or
ten feet overhow) which was promised pro-
lection by the evee system. Ignorant of theI
Typography of the della, they re led too con-
ideatly upon the promises and expectations
ot $ advocates in the river counties, and
the Jealous operations OF specula ore, and
now bewal their precipitous investments.
Furthermore, the higher the Mississippi Isl
raised oy dammiug up the water above the
mouth Of the Yazoc, the more water is back
ed up the mouths OF the Yazoo, SunHower|
and other water courses thereby submerg-
ing The back lands Of Yazoo county.
The lands 10 the tmck counties, with great
care were settled uU ards .o' twenty years
ago with an eve upon The sdbneI gel IandS)
varying from government prices, to ten aul
twenty dollars per acre, and it is well known
that every planter in selecting high swamp
lands, submitted to the purchase OF at lest
loue-fourth, and frequently more, Of sub
merged, and has often adde considerable
tracts, on account Of timber or stockrgsuge
or TO square out the plantation, and when
Sc ected, with no view Of tilling them except
occasionally to square out a ield and then Al
the risk of overflow. What a won erfH
difference exists betweeL the views and inter
ests of he river aid back counties. The
back ountes are satisfied 10 submit to the
occasional inconvenience Of ovelh flow upoo
their lowest lands, whilst the river counties
are striving to secure their high lands, and
also the whole of their submerged, at the ex>
pense of others.
You certainly are IN error, in affirming that
up TO the present lime, the river counties
alone have been taxed for levee purposes
| You must admit that the lands donated by
the General Government to the State for
levee purposes, aud by the State to the river
counties IA large portion Of which lay in the
back counties, and which you now seek to
tax legitimately belorgs to where they lay,
and ought 10 have been appropriated to tt cir
S le use and benefit, or at least their PRO rata
share; nevertheless, they generously submits
ted to the tax, amounting to the worth OF
what they sold for, by surrendering them TO
the river counties, upon the promise to re.
deem them, and forever keep up the levees.
This certainly was boon worthy Of their
acceptance, and should forever have allayed
their craving appetite for more taxes. In
stead of taxing the back counties to try and
protect, ii justice we're meted, they should
be mulet in damages on account OF the fall
ure.
| 1t is not the fault Of the back counties that
the magnificent donation for leyee purposes,
has been squandered, and in every way. bad
Iy managed. The lands were sacrificed fol
the ptitul sum of forty five or fifty cen pei
acre. whereas had they been he'd up to their
proper value, ten times The amount obtained,
would have been realized. Spectators would
have as greedly possessed them, and have
realized large profits.
Many speculated largely in those lands,
under the denomination OF submerged, and
have amassed immense fortunes. A distin-
guishel citizen of our State, who has held
the highest position N its gilt, entered th
evee scrip, some twenty-lwo thousand acres,
at orty-five cents. Soon after offered them
at one dollar and fifty cents per acre, the
offer was readily accepted, he recanted, and
refused five dollars per acre for the sam ;
! this land is now estimated at over two huns
dred thousand dollars. 10 my immediate
neighborhood, three miles wess, several hun
died acres were bought for forty five cents
per acr4, sold fo thirty five dollars there
are numerous other instances like the same
proving the miserable waste committed by
the river county functionaries. Other in
stances, though Of different character, exhib
its tae same reckless prodigality, Largr
sums of the levee funds were loaned, for TIE
purpose of entering these donated lands, tn
lands secured, the comm ,ssioners were com
PEELED to resort to legal process for recovery
of the loans, and in one particular instance
resorted to compromise for only a part.
expect there are other instances OF a slma
nature, which hive moi come under my cog
nizance They have Lost the olden oppor
tunily Of ever accomplishing your wish o
making The levee continuous from the moutl
Of the Yazoo, to the hills OF Memphis.
can not admit las you say that he land
donated bv Congress, including those in tn,
ba;k counties, all alike are comparativel,
worthless without protection. You ar
egregiously deceived, if ahus informed.
know, and most persons who are a quanteC
with he delta know, that is not he tact.
very large portion which comes under tn
denomination Of submerged, is the finest ant
highest land 10 the sw mp, ndepe ldenl Q
) protection from river county levees, and hav
not been overAowed for upwards Of twent
years, | have no doubt that many OF you
commissioners, and most, or all Of the speCu
lal .rs. can testify to this fact.
AS to the drying up OF the lakes, and ponds
and the improvement OF health in the bacl
counties, occasioned by the levee system, "a
you say) we experienced no difference or i'm
prOvement on that account, no mportau
change in the drying up Of our lakes ant
ponds, except by ditching and draining, ant
draining them by our individual labor, with
out taxation or legislative assistance.
ais rejec your proposition that the land