The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-07-08
missouri Graduated Lands.
RArrrrA, Ono, July 9th, 1858

w. s. BAKER, whom | never saw nor heard
of until he attacked US in this public man.
ner.
also came here to contradict his lies,
sent forth through your journal, and put
forth to the people orally.
The man heard of my approach and made
his escape the day before my arrival here,
which l consider it we'll for him, for in
fight there is generally safety.
This fellow has grossly imposed upon !
snd slandered Reed g. Scott, and has misled
your readers. !
He obtained money from Mr.. Scott under
false pretences, and when he found he could
not fasten himself upon US like leech, he
sought vengeance by means no gentleman
would descend to, and it is believed at ST.
Louis that he was bribed by rival interests
to scandalize Us as land operators.
He said in Macedonia that he had been
paid to lie for Reed g. Scott. With more
show of truth he might have added th.t he
was now paid to lie against them.
He stole a copy Of part Of one OF my
private letters, altered its reading, and put it
to use that would cost him his ears among
gentlemen Of honor.
He never acted. for US in any shape or
manner, with my knowledge or consent, and
since his attack upon US haze enquired into
his character, and would as soon employ one
of the inmates of the Insane Asylum at Co.
lumbus, as him. Those who know him,
say that insanity is hereditary with him, and
this accounts for his rawlings now, aud the
misapplication of monies that came into his
hands last year from parties who confded
them TO him.
f pronounce his charge upon Mr.. Scott.
0 about blank afidavits, base lie, and can
prove it SO.
He'furnished an urticle from the Missouri
E Democrat, for your paper Of June Sd, which
s he passed off as editorial. This is not the
fact. The article was the product Of o
Land Agency that had special and sinister
motive for it's insertion.
The talented and intelligent editor, Mr.
+ Brown, would not say what that article
It did, that all entries made without actua
il settlement and cultivation, and proof there
of in one year, ",0oul3 be annu!!ed, and Mt
money Lost!" He would not say that--foI
;. there is neither law nor precedent nor in
8 struction to this effect.
5 feel degraded to find myself under the
> necessity Of replying to the attacks Of thi
f shameless, irresponsible fellow, made here
. behind our backs, some 500 miles from oul
place of business; and were it not on q sub.
ject so little understood, and made here in
a my natire county where my dearest rela.
, tions reside, who arc properly sensitive on
the subject of good character, / would moi
notice the attack.
, The writer of this was, during one Prcsi.
d Dental term, the U. S. Surveyor General
!, for the States of Illinois and Missouri. He
: is, therefore, well acquainted with the 10,
cation of the best lands, with the customs o
the U. s. Land Office in relation to entries
and the law and practice concerning grada.
ated lands. This brings US business from
!. those who know US; and from those who dc
, not know Us, and have dstrust as to honesty
: or capability, we do not want nny business.
We do not wish to mislead any one in the
investment Of his money in the cheap lands
We point to the law-to the instructions o.
] the Commissioner, to the entry of millions
, of acres without actual settlement and culti-
vation, and the ratification thereof by Con.
, gress, aud the issue Of patents therefor, unt
and let people judge for themselves.
The government wants the money for her
lands, and the States wherein they ure 10.
d. cased want the tares therefor. So there is
. no inducement on their part to hold then
back upon any abstract technically, or the
: idea that all the "poor settlers" for the mex
quarter of a century will not be able to mo.
> nopolise them, if instant settlement be no
h, required.
: The graduation law is four years old mex
month, and has been open to the competition
:. OF all classes since 4th Of August, 1854.
/. Here is an extract from the Sd and las
section OF that law, and the only part whc
relates to or interests the applicants unde
the law:
"SEc. 3. And be ii further enacted, Ths
n any person applying to enter said lands
n shall be required to make etfidavit that he {
: she enters the same for his or her own use
and for the purpose of actual settlement an
cultivation, and that he or she has not az
r. quired from the United States under the pre-
n visions of this act, more than 800 acres"
- Here you will perceive there is no tim
:. specified when you are to settle the land.
y But the Commissioner Of the Generl
n Land Office, expounded the law at first
~ mean settlement within tlco months, and ha
q the FIRST form Of affidavit framed to this e.
It feet. He afterwards changed it to one yea
is and required the applicant to swear that h
2 would remove upon the land with his fami
n. within one year, as follows, to wit:
Y, 81 do solemnly swear that enter Il
+ same for my own use-for the purpose
y actual settlement and cultivation, and th
10 l will remove in person and with my ow
a family, on said land within not exceedr
1T twelve months from the date OF the entI
a. Of the same." &C., sc.
Remember, this was not the lav, but Il
l. affidavit required by the commissioner, up t