The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-09-11

In reply TO Coz. WIZARDS NeaC Albany
speech. Egery proposition Of Wizards
proven false. Delivered at Bloomington
July 2lst 1860.
CONTINUED.
This is the man, covered all over with
crime, that Gov. Willard appointed Swamp
Land Commissioner. Let us examine for
a moment his excuse Tor so doing. He says
81 found Mr. Mirkel coming from the hands
of his Republican supervisors in debt $l0l,-
1886 ~. He has paid all to the State save
$25, O93 80. Was it a wise appointment,
by which $4,000 was saved to the county
of Jasper" Did Mr.. Mirkel come to Gov.
Willard from the hands of Republican SUI
pervisors. l think not. Talbot and Col
Inns had no control over him. 1t was Gov.
Wright who had appointed him and who
was his supervisor. Would it not, therefore,
have been in rather better taste for Gov.
Willard to have said, coming to him from u
Democratic supervisor. But to the point.
Is not that a rather remarkable excuse of
Gov. Wizards for appointing Mirkel, that
because a man is a defaulter to the State
for more than 100000, that you must APP
point him to office, to give him an opportu-
nifty to swindle the State out of enough
more to pay the debt for which he is a de-
fanlter. 1t is clear if Mirkel was not able
to pay, before the appointment, that if he
became so in few months afterwards, at q
salary of So per day, to Iay the State as the
Governor says some $75, 900, he must have
swindled the State to that amount. In my
Judgment Governor is inexcusable for APP
pointing public defaulter to Office under
any circumstances. .-- ..
After this man Mirkeps appointment
such Commissioner by Gov. Willard, let us
see how he conducted himself, and in what
manner the Swamp Lands wsEe disposed OF
under Gov. Wizards administration This
Swamp Land Fraud Report, in speaking OF
Mirkel, says: "Under this law, (passed
March 5, 1850 the Swamp Land Commits
sioner of Jasper county confirmed all tie
old contracts at 20 cents per cubic yard
which had been originally let at from 2 to
Is cents per cubic yard, and the contractors
were permitted to file lists of lands to any
amount they desired, and the amounts o
their respective contracts were swelled NJ
TO cover the amount filed; and soon after the
taking effect of this law, all the unsolt
Swamp Lands in Jasper county, amounting
to about It's, 900 acres, were then absorbed
and nearly all the contractors, without pay.
ing any money into the county treasury, by
private arrangements with Jacob Mirkel
the then treasurer of Jasper county; obtain
ed from him certificates of purchase, anC
upon these obtained the greater part of thei
patents for these lands" | wonder if Col
Hendricks ever read this part of the Swamp
Land Fraud Report? For it does seem t
me, that here is Democrat, Mr.. Mirkel
whose frauds exceed Talbot, Collins anC
Company, by 900 acres Of land. Viii
he remember his promise made to the PEG
pie of Monroe. And how is it possible tina
Gov. Willard should ever have signed tn
patents, that conveyed away all these lands
obtained by fraud as they were. Was he de
ceived by this man Mirkel? If so, why d.,
be not plead with the Democratic represent
atives, in 1859, as he did with the Repub
lican Senators in 1857, and urge them t.
ioin with the Republicans and burst UP al
these frauds, and regain these lands Is i
because he was opposed to the bill and fel
content with MirkePs acts?
Let US turn to another county and Sc
how fortunate Gov. Willard has been in hi
selection of Swamp Land Commissioner:
This same report says: lsee House journal
1889, page lO43) a." Your committee fin
tina. in Lake county, frauds of the crosses
kind have been committed by the presen
Swamp Land Commissioner, S. r. Child
in connexion with the Treasurer and D.
Stanton; that said Stanton, by the depes
with said Treasurer of a pretended check c
draft, has obtained certificates for all III
unsold Swamp Land in the county, amour
ing to about $4,000 acres; that after II
pretended lettings, the contracts being Il
bid of by Stanton each time at four cen
per cubic yard, was afterwards confirmed I
him at about forty cents per cubic yard