, 1864-02-19

sEt4t0 U5 lub GupIEIuE t1QyE OF inc Uu1t1l
States in 1859. BY which decision the Court
rules and decides that .the grant, Of ISIS III
the improvement Of the Des Moines River
did MT eztend abole tie ,n.stth Of the Raecoox
Fark. For thirteen years that controversy
bad been going on, and every one, not ID
eomc way Interested In the Des Moines i'm.
prevement, supposed that by that decision II
was finally and forever put Mt rest, Vain
anticipation! Like Banquo's ghost, 1t las
since, to plague and torment the members
and bring distrust and discredit upon the
Stute.' Now it evidently was not tue pur-
pose Of Mr.. Bcycmau to state these facts,
Perhaps be did not know them. If SO, he
surely is nota safe very guide in matters Of the
importance of this. The railroads now claim,
as they bare always done, that those 2n ,573
acres Of land were not included In tho Des
Moline River lands under the grant Of August,
1916, md that they mere included, at least q
very lurge share Of them, in the grant oi
May, 1856, for the railroads. Tint position
has been sustained by the Supreme Court
the Highest tribunal known to our law.
Ite Des a'oines River Company is asain a
suifor before the Legislature, asking and de-
mapdipg, with the most untirins per HInaoity,
that The legislature shall resume the railroad
lands and lhat this 81, ,573 acres shall be de-
Quoted ont Of them and conveyed to that
company, Notwithstanding that the Supreme
Court Lad thus decided That they were not
Included In the grant Of 1SIG, TO the Des
Moine River. Mr. Beyeman is member Of
the House from Henry county, and is one OF
the most able and persistent and determined
advocates Of that resumption. The Nayigu-
t1ou Company claims that the State Is largely
indebted TO the company, aud TINT these lands
ln dispute should be conveyed to It to pay
that Indebtedness. It may and probably wilt
throw some light upon this most intricate
rnrnnF tn
Of tlat supposed indebtedness 1t appears
blythe records of the Genera! Assembly Of
Iowa, that the company expended about
*ltV,tUO In Improvements, and during the
same time they expended $1D, 600 In eSpen-
ses, including officers and employees salaries.
Almost dollar for dollar. Some of-the items
OF this Oil OF expenses arc curiosity. Here
Is one item Of balance of Presidents salary
for one year, 4,450. What he had received
before docs not appear. But it does appear
that he lad previously received Us expenses,
S.91.G3, making In all, Ice for balance
OF saleIy and expenses. There was expended
during the continuance Of the Improvements,
lars for pay to engineers. The chief engineer
receiving about $4,000 per annum for bis
se1victs, or about SO 900 in all.
As'paH payment for this outlay Of SEX, 900,
the Company received OF the lands below the
Raccoon Fork, about $4,000 acrcs, which Mt
the time, according to the lowest estimate
which could reasonably be placed upon them,
were worth IN amount equal at least to the
entire amount expended by the Company.
They were transferred, however, to the Com
pany ut $l-15 per 6cre. It ALEC appears BY
the records Of The General Assembly, that the
State and the Company had settlement,
think In 1859 or 1850. BY that settlement it
IVES found that the State after dcductfng all
payments, was still indebted to the Company
aLont $4,000, bnt payment of this balance
was Withheld as indemnity for the non.com-
Fiction Of portion of the work begun by tie
ComrDy, which would cost ut least that
much to finish. These are the main facts in
the case SO far as the accounts stand, as ap-
pears BY the records and proceedings Of tue
these recorded facts, this Dcsuloints COM
Fany now comes before the Legislature with
a claim (including principal and intercst)
amounting to about $50, eco, and demand that
Tie railroad interests Of the State shall be
stricken down and destroyed, and these rail-
roed land grants resumed; IL order to pay
this claim. ] shonld state, however, that
they Ese smother erg1ment for resumption,
and that is, that the title to this o71 ,57 acres
OF land, which 1t is claimed that the Company
and TIC St1te las eold to individuals, should
be quilted. I do not by anJ mems intend to
accuse Mr. Beveman Of Misrepresentation, but
It IL most incomprclensiblc that he should
AOt 1At& uAGC AAutC11 uASlEE Oh LuG heE0fQA
Of The General Assembly before he made as
sertions, tie direct Consequences and effect
OF which Is to destroy sonc OF the most i'm
Fortant and valuable improvements of the
State and nation Nothing can moro posi-.
big BIZ acceptable to the Missouri and Kansas
tontc Of the Pacific Railroad than that We
with even our own hands should strike down
and destroy the railroad system in our State
conr cctlnG With the main trunk and north
crly branch of that road. Let the Legfsla-
tuEc 1esume these 1ands as AIr. Bereman pro-
Foscs and desires, and the work of self de-
etructtcn ia most effectua1ly accomplished.
he Gays aleo that 1.-TWO years ago the North
cTn ro.d (thD Dubuque & Sioux City, was re-
qrired BY the Legislature to relinguish its
Pretentions; 1t declines to do SO. Words
md grass Eaye.dailcd to effect anything. It
fetms to rs here In Iowa, however 1t may ap-
pt ar to yon and the Chicago Journal aad the
abroad interests, that as the roads have
failed in 70 many particulars. it is slightly
imrudent in them to maintain their" dog
Eofo' OF these lands wien they lave not yet
Ind 1EtM certified TO them"
He does not state In wHat particulars they
have 1ai1ed, nor do understand what he
.Itans by - dog hold" nor shall stop to
inquire. Now before he pcnncd that para
graph hr. Bcveman: could, ssilh ,ery li't't.
rcsd (the Dubuque d Sioux City, had
in obedience to the requirements of
tsa. a saGn asjuz.ne afef ao Its ams q
stttlr1s upon the lands Of the company, and
Led settled nearly all Of them to the entire
satisfaction of each individual claimant, long
Ec1oro tho commencement of the present seS-
sion of1he Legislature; a few claims, amount
Ing, rs aJn informed from the member of
that district, 10 about twelve hundred acres
had BEEN omitted through lnndyertcnce or BY
mistnkc- Since the commencement Of the
present session arrangements have been niadc
between the agent Of the company and the
member of the Senate from that district for
tho f1aal settlement Of those claims. which
will be perfected in few days. This ar,
is entirely satisfactory to the Sen
ator; and when consummated will include
every acre Of land sold to any settler within
the limits Of that road, either By the State or
by the Navigation Company. The mode Of
conveyance of;the lnnds claimed to tie set:
Tier. The only inquiry being whether in fact
The clsimont comes within tho provisions and
intent Of the law. # so, he gets his lands
without my further inquiry or hesitation
Mr.. Brennan further states, apparently upon
the authority Of the Attorney General Of tho
Suite, that there Is Imminent danger Of civil
tiers and the railroad) unless the State re.
su1nes those land grnnts. With all due rc.
epect for that sent1e1nan's position, social,
moral and political, cannot but suspect that
ho- has In this respect taken counsel Of his
interest, 1nther than Of his fears or Of his
The Honorable Attorney General must
lave received this Intelligence through
their. elbows, for. it could not have
entered the head Of any mortal being
through the medium Of the ordinary senses.
A more preposterous and absurd charge than
this never, went forth from the mouth Of
sl-1. WIKI ali ali r1x- ~
sanity. At least that is true so far as the
North road is concerned, against which this
charge appears to have been made. A civil
war, indeed Surely there can never be
ciyil war or any other War, unless there be
two parties, Mt least, to fight, Now there
never las been and there never will be a Sec
ond party to fight in this case. That road
neyer has and never will have any quarrel
with the settlers along their route. 1t has
conceded every reasonable claim Of the set
tlcrs. and no unreasonable CHIN has as get
been pressed, and ne have no fears there
eyer will be. If difference as to the rights
of parties arise las they unquestiopably WlD
the properly, constituted tribunals Of the
country have been, and %e nave , not @ Inc
quatc to settle any controversy which has or
ever will arise between the road md the set
Tiers or anybody else. A civil; war! Is the
honorable gentleman seeking Brisadier
Gene1alships 1ftc ia, can assure him he
can well spare himself tho trouble and ex-
pensc IT,. be contemplates IN expedition
against that road. There. Is no body there
that aesie rs nr Intends to tight. He will not
encounter eyen so much as the enemy of
saneo fPapz& of olden time, Mr. Beyeman,
please dismiss your feara on that subject,
and also inform the Hon. Attorney General
that the peace Of the country viii not be dIs-
tu1bed by the railroads.
There has been strong disposition here