The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-01-21


lands have, in my judgement, put il in the
power of the State tn do something to-
wards an amicable and equitable adjustment
effort be made to that end I further rec
oa,mend that, if such efFor shall fail, the
Attorney General of the State be directed
Courts Of the United States, il it may be
| from the Supreme Court Of the United
States, nnal decision of these vexed qles-
tons.
THE SWAMP LAND GRANT.
recommend the modification Of thu lsw
approved April 9th, 1859, providing for the
appointment Of agents in regard to these
lands 20 rs tn allow the appointment of
specia! agents bv counties. am well sat.
lated that single agent appointed by the
State, will be able to effect more towards .
speedy settlement Of the Swamp Land bus.
ine,s of the State, at Washington, than
larger number will do. II
! The same reason which render desirable
the settlement Of the conflicting claims of
the Railroad Companies, and the grantees
Of the State to portions Of the Des Moines
River Grant, apply with equal force to the
conflict of title that has arisen between Ger
tain counties and the Railroad Companies
as to portions Of the Swamp lands. in
vite your careful examination of the cues .
tions, whether you can do aay thing to
bring about . settlement of these con fficting
claims. s
The Swamp Lands are granted to the
State upon the condition ''that the proceeds
of.said lands, whet er from sale or direct
appropriation, ii kind. shall be applied. ex-
clusively, ~ far as necessary, to the pur.
pose of re-claining such lands, by means Of
| the levees and drains Aforesaid. The stage
by accepting this Grant, covenantsd to per-
form this condition, either directly, or by
those to whom she granted the lands; and
this obligation still remains, and must con
time to remain until 1t shall have been
done. I recommend a careful examination
of the legislation already had in regard to
these lands, for the purpose Of ascertaining
il thus point has bsen sufficiently secured,
and supplying aiditi nal legislation, should
it be found necessary,
| invite yonr special atten ton to that
portion ofthe Report OF the Register relating
| to the de cision Of the Secretary Of the inte-
rior changing the formland substance Of the
proof required. Of the swampy character Of
the landA sold by the United States. after
the date Of tho Swamp Lahd Grant, for
which the United States are to indemnify
the Sta.s. and the decision of that officer.
cutting of all claims for indemnity in coun-
ties whore the Swamp Land selections were
made after the third OF March, 1857 and |
recommend that you take the action sug-
gested by the Register on these points,
There can be no good reason why the claims
Of iowa, uader this Grant, shall not be set
| tied upon as liberal terms as the claims Of
other States and it, by want of county or.
ganizstions in portion ,f our State, Che
proper steps were not taken 10 secure these
lands. IN those countries. within the time
limited by law, have no doubt that Con
gress will, upon proper presentation of the
facts, extend the tina SO that it may yet
be done
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE GRANT
Under the Act OF Congress, approved Ju.
ly I'd, 1882, grantin, land, to the states
and Territories which may provide Col
lege< for tina benefit Of agriculture and the
mechanic arts, this State is entitled to re-
ceve 100000 scre> Of land upon the condi-.
tons contained in said Act These lands
have been selected, and the selections are
now being examined at Washington Il
Among the cond tons contained in the
Act making the grant are the following
that no portion Of said fund,' (neaning
the proceeds Of the sales of the land grant
ed } nor the interest thereon shall be ap.
piled, directly or indn ectly, under any prs
ten a whsteVer. to the purchase, erection,
preservation or repair Of any building or
buildings and that amy State which may
take and claim the benefit of this Act, shall
provide, within five ye,rs, at least, not less
than ono College, As described in the fourth
section Of this Act, or the grant to such
State shall cease, and said State shall be
bound to pay to the United States the
amount received for any lands previously
sold. and that the title to purchasers, under
the State, shall be valid.'
The fourth section Of the Act provides,
that all the proceeds of the lands granted.
teIcept one tenth Of the amount, which may
be expended for the purchase Of lands for
sites. or experimental farms shall be in
vested in stocks of the United States, sor
of the States, or some other safe
stocks'
= .'And the interest shall be invi-
olably appropriated, bv each State which
may take and claim the benefit of this Act,
10 the endowment, and maintenance of, at
least, one College, where the leading ohjec,
shall be, without exclu ling other scientific
and classical studies. and including militia.
ry tactics to- teach such branches OF learn
ing as are related to agriculture. the mechsn.
ic arts, &C.
The grant thus made to tbs Sta'e, 10 q |
magnificent one. being about Ave times a.
large M that made fer the support of the |
State University, a; ID will, if properly hus. |
banded and cared for, make . rich endow-
ment. But, to secure the grant, sufficient |
funds must be provided, outside this grant, |
to erect the necessary buildings and then |
funds must be provided to meet the cur.
rent yearly expenses. until quantity Of !
the lands can be sold, the interest Of the |
proceeds If which invested ~ required |
BY the law making the grant, win support
the institution.
If these funds cannot be furnished or
provision made in some other way to com.
ply with the terms Of the Grant, the State
will lose the great benefits she may other
wise derive from this magnificent donation. |
I recommend the subject to your careful
consideration.
Fan SUPREME COURT.
very earnestly recommand to you the |
passage Of q Law providing for the early
appointment and subsequent election of an
additional Judge Of the Supreme Court:
aud also that you make an appropria ion |
of tho sum Of Ave thousand dollars to be |
expended under the direction Of the Court
for the purchase Of law books for the state
Library.
The f1rst of these measures r Deem neces.