The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1864-02-20
Editorial correspondent nc /,
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LETTERS FRoM THE CAPITAL.
February 10th, 1864.

1tA 3. s'f : %.f- D.
>. ..'- ~".s's February 10th, 1864.
The Dubuque Times OF. the 4th, copies,
approVingly, an article from the Chicago
Tribune of the Cd inst, under the caption
of The Iowa Railroad Grants" the OBJ
.ject of which is to convince the =. Legisla-
tureo of Iowa that it would be unwise, un-
just and tuinotfs, for the State at this
time toresdme thsgrants Of Ind in ques-
ton. 1.-The Tribune. says: =: Il srs,,. !.
'%HBy the precise terms Of the grants the
railroads were, to be completed in ten
Turing the coming year" Taking advan-
tage ofthe precise letter of the. law, we
learn that 9 movement is about; TO be
made in nthe. Iowa Legislature to deprive
the company Of these s lands y ~; -.
CIRCLES and. in times, Of general financial
disaster IKE those of 1878 capitalists
would beeoiifhe infamous who should push
their, debtors TO the wall, when BY small
extension of time they would, be able to
pay dollar for dollar with interest" =
The Chicago guardian of the Interests
Of Iowa is correctly informed that an ''ef-
fort will be made in the Iowa Legislature
to deprive the Companies of these lands "
4 and Ills assertion. that creditors would
tiseome infamous who should press Their
debtors to Gle wall in times of great finan-
eiaf 'disaster,,"-I is also very true; bat there
is no disposition on the part of the State
OF Iowa to press these railroads to, the
wall; though there is a disposition q de-
To- mirnation-to make these companies
release the iron grasp with wrieh they
are ,ertishihg-pressing to the, wall--so
many unfortunate citizens of the State
All Of these companies have been and are
now harrassing and distressing
citizens of this State, Who have
nre empted and made ~ Joad Jfde
settlements upon lands lying within the
range of these railroad grants, andorfgin-
ally belonging to the State as Swamp
Lands. These lands were pre-ernpted, ao-
cording to law prior to the selection OF
the railroad lands, and the claims of the
companies upon them -are without sh"a' 'Et
ow Of Foundation m justicej but the com
panies being rich. and the settler poor
- they can carry the matter from Court to
-. Court till he, y for want Of means Psar Is no
RI longer able to follow and concludes that
It is better to iet his land go, than to
waste his whole substances feeling Lawyers
and thus, through the power OF dqliafs
and cents, and without pretense OF right
or Justice, the home of the poor MAN Is
wrested from him. Hundreds upon hun
dreds of these cases are now pending
, time and again have these corporations
promised to relinquish their groundless
claims, but in rot q single instance has
the promise ever been kept, There is nc
wav to reach the Consistency Of corpora
ton but by operating through Its tFeasu
~, The State is now i'm position where
she esn touch sAe sensibilitie4 of these
companies. she has now the pofw'e's1r. fN''s1. te
fomnei khern TO. act in justice toward tne
81 beopiewhonaethsy are seeking to oppress
and kuaeh mistake the temper OF tmht m
-eresentLegislature if this power Is no 10
= exercised. Z The State will say to the ra'l
roads, release the pretended claims y willef p
F. sod have set up on the homes OF o4rp Q
'Ao pie or we will resume the landsthat wer'
tonditi6nalIy granted to toyo,l-rrellirnnqoisf 60
d. 3our Gnrighteous claims upon those sil land
that are not. your own. OF lose all--dojas
tiee to our people, and we will deSsfhfll
> a~sth SOU; but perseyere insyonrt rtasiorts Il
rob the people, ahtfws' *ill'take from so''
' tvery acre, The tihhefof the eofnPltet'ioll
sef YOUR roads has expired, and you haF'
no longer any eId1tns; whatever; but II y'o'
"a viii act in justice toward. our people, y
,Will give you reasonable extension, ,nL,f ofh
',aeryise Ne viii, resume the grants
"GAoose ye. = 49,. ss .''