New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-01-21
Public Meeting In Ascension.

At mass meeting of the citizens, occupants of
the Houmas Land, held in the Parish Of Ascension
January 18th, 1852 Romanta Tillotson was unani-
mously called to the chair Honorables VIM. R. Boote
and Simon P. Elser were appointed Secretaries.
The meeting having been called to order BY the chair
man. the reading Of letter addressed to Gov. r. c.
Wicklife by DR.. Frederick W. Hart was asked for,
and after hearing it read, it was unanimously
Resolved, That the said letter contains full ex-
position Of views is endorsed by us and meets our
cordial appreciation.
The following preamble and resolutions were then
unanimously adopted: ,55iy.
Whereas At the last session Of Congress bill was
reported to the Senate of the United States by the
Hon. J. P. Benjamin, Senator of the United States
from this State, who, as chairman of the Senate's
Committee on Private Land Claims, under the title
Of bill to provide for the location of certain private
land claims in the State Of Missouri and for other
purposes, and which bill subsequently became law,
to the great injury prejudice and wrong to the resi-
dents and occupants of the Houmas Land and to the
great benefit of Hon. John sdel, associate Senator
Of Mr.. Benjamin in the United States Senate, who
claims to be the owner Of twenty thousand acres
said Houmas tract, and
| Whereas, The said act of Congress contemplates
the eviction Of three hundred and electors
of the Parish of Ascension and one hundred or more
electors in the Parish of Ibervlle with their wives
and children, from lands they have long occupied
cultivated and improved, and to which they contend
| they have an incontroyertibe title.
Be it resolred, That the introduction of this bill
and its passage through the Senate by the Hon. J.
Benjamin, is mischievous in its tendencies direct
charge against his moral integrity positive betrayal
of the trusts confded to him, and violation of his
oath of office, intended to benefit his colleague John
Slide and entail the ruin of at least five hundred
families in the parishes Of Ascension and Ibervile.
Resolved, That our Senators and Representatives
in the Legislature be requested and earnestly urged
to oppose the reelection of J. P. Benjamin to the
Senate of the United States to fill the vacancy from
this State in that body, on the 4th March next or
account Of this act of unparalleled turptude by which
it was sought to aggrandize servant Of the people
sworn to guard and preserve their interests agains
all assaants, by the views Of five hundred free whit
electors of the parishes Of Ascension and Iberve ii
the State of Louisiana. -.
RESOLVED, That petition be drafted to the Legis
lature to take such action in this matter as it MAJ
properly do to have justice secured to the resident
of the Houmas Lands, and that similar petition tt
Congress be prepared and sent to the Hon. Miles Tay
or for presentation to the House of Representatives
asking for such legislation as may be necessary to OBJ
tain the repeal of that Missouri BILL or of that part
it referring to land claims in the Territory Of Orleans
introduced into that bill with so much subtlety by
P. Benjamin.
Resoioed, That the thanks of this meeting be gver
to its Chairman and Secretaries for their attention
and poteness in conducting its business, and thai
the proceedings he published in the Baton Rouge
Advocate, True Delta of New Orleans, Coast Journal
Of Donadsonville, Paquemine Sentinel, Crescent Of
New Orleans, Washington Union and National Intel
lgencer. .-,...-,
| RoMASTA TILLoTsoN, Chairman.
y. rs,.ss Bos1s Secretaries.