Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1859-08-25


The fact u veil known to the pnpple Of
lowa that one DR.. J. s. PREscorr, Of Spir.
u Lake, has bees for some months e6ga-
ged 10 Tie project Of coloniziog negroes in
The uaosganizsd counties Of Northwestern
Iowa. To sccouplish this purposs b
visited Xenis, and other negro infested
localities in Ohio. held meetings, made
speeches 10 which he eulogized the liber.
atty Of the Iowa laws towards the negro
race, and collected large sums Of money
to purchase lands for bis negro elysium.
Upon his return to Spirit Lake be i'm.
mediately Get to work to prepare for the
reception Of biz sable brethren, but instead
Of using the money collected for the pur
pose, he INDUCED the propensity which is
unfortunately Characteristic of most ne
gro worshippers, trespsssed upon Govern.
ment lands. and stole upwards of one thou.
sand saw logsi These are .faets patent
to the knowledge Of every man who has
read the accounts Of the transaction which
have appeared in many Of the papers in
this State. But We are sorry to say that
there is one man, seeking high position
from the voters Of Iowa, who is ignorant
Of the existence Of project 10 aflict the
fertile counties Of Northwestern Iowa with
the curse Of negro colonies.
In reply this charge on Tuesday last,
Col. kIRKwooD (of course he's a Colonel,
because he owns q saw mill) said thu,
there was no truth in it-that il was moth
ing but Democratic trick to catch votes
that he had heard the same story lust
previous to an important election for the
last four years, and that immedi lately after
the election there was nothing more said
about it, &C., &c. In making these dec
larations before On audience Of Intelligent
men who are acquainted with the facts in
the case. be displayed depIorable igno
rance, or IN attempt by falsehood and
contemplate prevaricstion to exonerste
bic party Of the responsibility Of gross
outrage upon the people of Iowa. H.
met this charge, a. be did oil others, with
lame denisls and clownish attempts o.
ridicule. To show how much bis denial.
are worth, We append letter kindly fur.
nished us BY Ges. LEscn, from Hoo o. C.
HowE, our Republican District Attorney,
10 which the fact is established that An
attempt Is being made 70 colonize negroes
in Northwestern Iowa, and also that Col,
HARDWOOD had better retire to his saw
mill, l.. e. banking Office, and pos. up, +"
before attempting to refute charges against
the Republican party. The following il.
the letter:
Hon. >. r. lEuAASs and A. LEEcH,
Register and Receiver Of Unied States
Land Office, III the Siour CITY Land
District.
Permit me to call your attention to a
trespsss upon the public land within your
District by cutting timber. One John s.
Prescott, Of Dickinson county, Iowa, has
caused to be cut more than one thousand
saw logs in township ninety.nine, range
thirty six, with the avowed intention Of
saving the same and selling the timber in
different parts Of the county, to the great
damage of the immediate vicinity. The
timber in that part OF the county is hardly
sufficient for that locality, and its tran.
sportation to the extent conte n pl ated by
Mr.. Prescott, would 10 great degree ore
vent the extension OF the settlement
The waste and trespass mentioned il not
mere cutting Of timber for the purpose
OF improving . pre-. emption claim, but is
committed under . preteucs Of Q town
site claim upon piece OF land which has
several other claimants by persons who
claim under the pre.smption law in oppo-
elton 10 Prescott.
Any action taken BY you ia the matter,
10 oruer to be effective. must be promp,
and summary, ss il is the avowed inten
ton Of Mr.. Prescott TO proceed immedi
ately 70 saw and dispose Of the timber
now cut, and to continue cutting in the
same vicinity.
Mr.. Prescott and bis agents claim that
. colony Of several hundred negroes are
shout to settle in the adjoining counties.
and that many Of them are now On the
route. This timber is doubtless intended
to be used for the benef, of that commu.
nifty. as Mr.. Prescott has been engaged
during the winter in organizing such an
emigration from Ohio aud Pennsylvania,
and publicly informed the colored people
Of those States ,ha: they could occupy
whole counties in north western Iowa To
the exclusion Of the whites.
(Signcd) ORLANDO G. HOWE.
Reg. Office. Sioux City, Aug. %, SO.
l certify that the foregoing is a correct
copy Of the complaint, flied in this office
BY o. G. Howe.