The daily Butte record., 1858-06-21
The Lime Point Debate.

This property which the government is
abeutto buy for 500. 900 would not sell
under the hammer Tomorrow for $1,000
What the Government wants with 23 900
acres o. land for the urpose Of erecting "A
fort is a mystery to me. / hope that the
communication will be referred TO the Com
mittee on Military Affairs, so that they can
IN IKE an investigation at the next meeting Of
the committee"
Mr.. Gwin This is a question of very con-
siderable importance 10 the State of Califor-
MIA, and wish to make statement in re-
gard to this whole transaction, so far as |
know anything about it. 1t is only twenty
three hundred instead Of twenty three thou
sand acres. The owner of this land refuses
to sell any portion of it except he sells the
whole of it. II covers the entire entrance to
the Bay Of San Pranci.co on the north, in
Guiding a light house site and a fertilization
site | think the Senator from Mississippi,
when he was Secretary Of War, was aware
Of the fact that the Government has been
trying for years 10 get this property at
less price. While he was Seer etary Of War,
an estimate was sent in TO purchase the
property at the price asked, because it was
indispensable, but the owner refused to sell
Il smaller portion 10 the Government, be-
cause he insisted that the portion Of the
property which the Government desired, was
more desirable to him than the rest Of it,
and he has refused pertlnaciously from the
beginning up to the present time, 50 far as
know, TO take anything less than the ori
ginal price which, for years, he asked for
this property for Government purposes.
This appropriation was made during the
last Congress, and it was reported from the
Committee on Military Affairs, with dis
tinct understanding that this individual had
refused to take less than 4200 600 asked for
the purchase Of this site : at the same time,
the Chairman Of the Military COMMITTEES.
the Senator's predecessor, asked for an al
ditional ,5l01 900 for the purpose Of COM
mencing the work during the present hscll
year, but owing to the fact that il has been
impossible 10 purchase the site. the owner
Of the property refusing to take less than
500 900, the w0ik has not been commenced,
aud the appropriation has not been used. J
believe that both the former aud nresent
Secretary Of War have do c everything they
possibly could 10 get it Mt the lowest price ,
but il is private property, u Il the indlyidu
al refuses TO sell tvi less than the sun spe-
cited.
Mr.. Davis will answer the reference
which the Senator from California has made
to my self / think the point necessary f,r
the entire protection Of the entrance to the
harbor OF Siu Francisco, aud did try to
obtain il. There was a d.ili ;uity as 20 the
price " hich was asked; and the difficulty
also, " hich toe Senator mentioned, that the
owner OF the tract refused TO sell the site
that was required for military purposes un-
loss tho whole tract was purchased, Il very
small part Of which only WAS necessary for
military purpose. have 10 recollection
ns 70 the hmoun6 which was asked or tho
amount which was estimated. do recoll ect
that sought to obtain 50 much ~ would be
necessary for military purposes, at much
smaller amount than the owner Of the tract
cmimcd for the whole Of it. | have no orin
ion, and express no jud cement as to the pro-
pricty Of the amount to be paid when the
land shall bo purchased; but it is quite
clear that the defense Of san Francsco re-
quires the possession Of this point for militia
~ purposes,
Mr.. Fesscudcu i was present at the time
the npf ropylAti0n was madc anl heard, |
believe, all TINT was said about it in the
Senate. had somethiug to do with it, IN
connection with the Chairman Of tho Com
mttce oa Military Affairs Of the last Con
grcss--at least paid some attention to ii
because there was an appropriation for the
the erection OF n fort in Maine in the
same Bdl | have no recolleetvn-and If
any such a thing took place the debates
will show it--that the Chairman OF the
Committee on. Military Affairs stated 10
the senate any difficulty of this kind. Al
APPROXIMATION Of $500, 600 was recommended
as necessary to commence the erection oi
this fort .hcation. e f...t
Mr.. Gwin no purchase the site, and
commence the work.
MIR Fessseudeu to purchase the lite, and
commence the work but nothing was said
about the price asked for the site No ex.
position was made ~ the Senate according
to my recollection, and / think none at al
wns made ct nny diiiieaity ia the way.
am very conGdant that had the Senate un-
| derstood at that time thai III order to com.
meuee this fortihcation IL was necessary 60
give $500 coo tor what the country ought
to have Tor $4,000 they would have hesita-
ted before making the appropriation. There
can be no such absolute, pressing, imme.
diate necessity, as would compel Congress TO
submit to gross imposition OF this decsrip-
ton from anybody; and Tor one would not
submit 10 il, unless in case Of absolute
pressing necessity.
We have ample power under the Consti-
tuition to pass laws to condemn property
needed for public use, There is no necessi.
ty for our submitting TO exactious of this de.
serption in time OF peace. II It's necessary
absolutely to have a portion of This property
sufficient to erect fertilization upon, we
have the power and the time to pass the
necessary law in order to get possession OF
il at q fair rate, and not submit to 50 gross
aud outrageous an imposition as this is said
TO be. We're |, with my views upon the sub
ject, in the administration OF any depart
ment Of the Government, and had the man
agement of an appropriation OF this descrip'
tion, would suspend all action under 1T,
until had communicated fully to Congress
the objections aud difficulties in the way
Why, slr, there is no tnd to II, i! We are q
| - hiniN ~ lhNss ihinus ono Attsr Anuther. az