Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1858-07-08
The Corruption Case at Washington.
Judge Birch and the General Land
Office.

found for the first time, that my name wal
signed to the memorial 10 Congress. asking
that patent. might not issue 10 certain
parties in Pennsylvania, for lands in the
Plattsburg, Mo-, district, &c., and in the
publication of the proceedings in the premi
ses, my name is brought before the public
without my knowledge or consent. 1t ap'
pears that in said memorial the Commits
sioner Of the General Land Office, and, per.
haps, others, are accused Of grave offenses,
and in consequence, he, in his letter, accu-
ses me as one Of his calumnistors, con-
spirator, SC. Having never seen the me-
mortal, cen orly form an idea OF what
charges are made therein by the report OF
the Senate Committee, and as TO the truth
ofthe charge that The Commissioner was in
any manner connected with said Pennsyl-
vania parties, Felix, Mclaughlin & Co., !
have no knowledge; and if the memorial
had been presented to me for my signature
should not have signed it, if Tor no other
reason, than that such charges were made
and of the truth of which had no knowl.
edge whatever. / suppose that some Of
nv friends took the liberty Of signing my
name to the memorial, knowing that l had
entered some Of the land Gao acres, be.
lieve,) which is now claimed by Messrs.
Felix, Mclaughlin & Co.
Now, in regard to the correctness and
fairness Of the entries made at Plattsburg
on the I'd day of March, 1857, and the
management Of buiness at that office for
some time previous 10 this time have some
thing 10 say.
feel compelled 10 do this, in order TO set
myself right before the public, and although
you say you have published the "finale, y
and twill publish nothing more upon the
subject" it occurs to me that as public
journalist, after having been the medium Of
bringing my name before the bubble, with.
oul my consent, you cannot refuse me a
hearing in my own defense, and IN thus
making my defense can see no other pro-
per course, but TO 60 over q part Of ground,
at least, that constitutes the subject Of this
controversy, and in doing this should hap
pen 10 entertain an opinion about facts and
rights, different from that Of Thomas A
Hendricks, Commissioner, shall not there.
fore, denounce him for dishonesty or -as-
cality, bu, let the facts speak for themselves.
II SO happens that casual remark Of
mine to the agent Of this Pennsylvania Com.
pany, Col. M. jeff Thompson, Of St. Joseph
is the foundation Of all this controversy.
told him in conversation that as the Office al
Plattsbureh was not closed in the eye Of the
law, but only practically and necessarily
closed for an application at that place, that
on entry could be made through the Gener.
al Land Office, and after convincing him Of
the fact he remarked, that he had some
clients in Pennsylvania who wanted a large
amount OF land, and that he would try it,
He did so, and the result, in part a, least, is
before the public. r.,
Itisyery properly held BY the Senate
Committee, that, whatever claim the Messrs.
Felix, Mclaughlin have tc The land, dates
only from and after the 9TH Of March, 1857,
the Time Of the reception of the Commits
sioner's letter by the local officers. The
whole question is then resolved into the
single fact, as to whether the entries made
on the I'd day of March, were properly
made and valid.
propose to show as briefly as possible,
from testimony in my possession, that such
was the case; but before proceeding TO this
question it is proper, perhaps, 10 state that
large portion Of The land entered on the
End Of March, 1857, was entered by actual
settlers, and not covered and carried by
mere SPECTATORS" and am informed that
there are several parties now residing upon
some of those very lands in controversy,
who claim under, and by virtue of their en-
tries Of, The End Of March, 1857.
Now, because quarrel has arisen be-
tween James H. Birch and Thomas A..
Hendricks, which, if they choose 10 have it
SO, may involve their characters as men, il
is no reason that innocent parties should
suffer. 1t was known, understood and pub
lished, some time before the 2nd Of March,
1857, that new applications would be re-
ceived on that day, and there were hun
dreds there from all parts Of the district,
and hundreds Of others had been there pre-
vious TO that time, and left their business in
the hands Of agents; and in the great rush
for land at that time, is was believed that
the only plan that could be devised. which
would give satisfaction 10 all, and by which
all might have fair chance, was to require
all the applications for land, to be banded
IN OF the same time, and in writing, signed
BY the parties as the law requires, by which
means no one would take precedence over
another, but every man would have a right
TO the land applied for at once. in case
there was no conflicting application; and in
case there was, the applicant alone would
have the right to bid. Where land was ap'
piled for thus, and no conflicting spplica-
iion, it was declared by the Land Officers,
the legally constituted agents of the Gov
eanment, that said land was sold to the ap-
plicant, then and there, 10 oil intents and
purposes, and where there was conflict,
it was determined by public auction, or all
the applicants but one Withdrawing their
claims.
This was understood, acted upon, scqui-
esced in, and, so far as know. satisfacto-.
riIy to some four or five hundred men pres
ent; and i; was understood, FOO, 10 be a plan
adopted to protect the sexual settler, but
the plan recommended in the Commission