The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-02

sch IN equitable claim as 10 divcst the preference shown
him of every motive of improper fvoIitism and partial
ity and the stipulated to be paid the full and
El value vi tbs property and than could probably
have been realized by any other mode of sale.
The reasons which induced the action Of the commits
sioners set forth with great cearness in their official
report and also in their testimony taken before the
mittee and they sustained in their by many of
the most intelligent aud best informed witnesses who
examined before the committee Their reasons were
lst The lesson derived from the experience OF the
sale at public land in that section of country for the pre-
ceding ten years Not sale having taken place that
combinations had not been successful in reducing the
price TO the minimum prescribed by law.
I'd. They satisfied, not merely from the past
erience Of the government but by evidence palable to
their ears, that combinations being formed To
reduce this land 10 the minimum price.
Sd They saw, the event even there being cobi
nations that it otherwise impractible to carry out
the instructions Of the War Department which limited
them to the minimum Of 81 so per acre. For, whilst
portions Of the land might readily have commanded
price beyond the minimum, considerable portion
worth much less, and great deal not worth fifty cents
They believed therefore, that they would best
advance the interests of the government and comply
with the Instructions under which they acted by selling
the entire parcels private sale to responsible pur
chaser either at the minimum price prescribed by their
instructions for such greater as upon careful
examination Of the property they might conclude to be
| its fair and full value.
The practical sagacy and soundness of the pur
sued by the commissioners far at least the pecuna-
interest Of the concerned is vindcated
| and sustained by overwhelming of the testi-
mony taken before the committee to which evidence the
House is referred for full Details of the principle and
suits of that system of combination for many years
paced in the West at the sale Of all government lands
system universally approved in those countries,
and boldly justified by that specious logic which applies
to government property rule which it would To
in its transactions with Individuals and which will
make public domain subject of undisguised
appropriation and plumber As many whose duty it will
be to decide upon the poprety of the conduct of the
commissioners Of sale may not have any adequate concep
ton of the embarrassmens of their position and of the
difficulties which they had to encounter growing out
that system of combination to reduce the price of the
public lands prevalent in the States and Terrific
res will present few extracts from the testimony of
OF the witnesses whose means of information will
not be questioned and whose public positions would af
ford them motives to SUPPRESS rather than magnify the
evil
The Hoa George u. Becker, representative elect from
Minnesota in reply to questions submitted to him before
the committee, answered as follows
"Qaeston you suppose Smelling
tered al public sale there would have been fair competition the
purchase OF the reservation
that public had taken place. the thing
CURED which took place in references to that part the which
Question Iio If hai been o in small parcels would not you
Answer You that have system IN the West which
Of the unwrien law of the land by which claim associations
formed by parties for the purpose Of protecting cnc other at
public snes government brings
Question isao system apply mostly to those claim
ing presumption rghtss
Question l42i Il /, considered honorable among the men In
your country 70 carry out such system where there are no pre-
Answer. s. We do not lock upon the land
This reserve was sold three or four years Claims made
citation was formed by the parties interested They appeared at the
land office on tho day Of sale Tbs sale conducted qey and
without disturbance but the land all purchased ut dollar and
Question 422 We're engaged in such combination
Answer. bid OF part Of that land,p
The Hon. Henry M. Rice testified as follows
.sr
auction what IN your Judgment and from your knowledge Of that
0en ,G, wen hay naTs g. rSs ale
price satisfied 1t would not for advised the settlers
about there and buy II favored plan which would
Question gsas While disappoved q the mode Of sale
70 promote the pecuniary the goycrnmen.s
appointed commissioner SELL but
being resident that immediate region did like the mode IN
Question 1884 The you fclps undesnd you.
ernmeni and In opposition 70 the pecunay Interests Of the
anything the government
would rather had brought hfty cents than what 1t did
bring So ai a. he m concerned nk the Pubic
people and do not thnk proper for the government to speculate
Question 1856 DID you inform Major Eastman that combination
would Be formed a. IN the sas was %e u E"nc n man
ieved there would DO one, and very likely told him at
to sell prior my Knowing appointment have never
known sale to take place in the West that these combinations
Question made you thought
each
purchasers, think combination could have
formed that would forced the below received
the government for IL Z
Answer Yes The sale of which have spoken, which took
the side Of The advertised the
cpa papers in the United States for six months.
255s Did not understand that chained
by emptor9P
/" Answer eide; part
the side OF the sold at public auction.
Question 1855 Is there which the
make sale valuable public lands without cncouncng these
binations
very difficult because, they
cessiuly the will always Congress for relief
moro
sold public SALE with improvements The
od Think about 81 The purchaser
half
OF land including these dollar and
acre, and II granted.
"oucon 1860 you any special supposug
bination would have been formed in this nsanoe2
answer have and think stated communication 10 the
secretary Of War; In which expressed the desire that the
should be sold in lots cach enable
to purchase depressed tho opinion openly all
spoken about spoken
to by who bad and made the improvements which had
given all wished that these
opportunity to purchase. ,"'
256l Then object enable neghbors
purchase a II quarter per
Answer object 10 enable them purchase at the
lowest price,
Francis J. Rossr ex-secretary of the Territory 4
Queston yonr opinion that
exposed Smelling reservation public sale horo would have
which would brought
that paid for III
Answer. satisfied perfectly satisfied
S. A. Meduy, esq.
the results had they advertised that land and sold public
the in the they did private sale,
single individual at S90000p
Answer comparatively nothing
had been sold the which tho sales usually take place the
land Office
Question why in your Judgment would It less
nd hnpHu gI mt n.tt ala