The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-11-18
Hypocrisy which Cannot he Rid.

The Democracy of Oregon should.
for the sake of decent propriety and
consistency, be extremely modest
about assuming the role of critic on
Republican honesty, Willie the
Swamp Land Swindle, ofwhieh they
were guilty ut the last T.egisla-
ture, stares them in the face. Just
at this time they are raising trc-
mendous howl about Republican
honesty. They have assumed the
role of virtuous indignation Like
priest OF whom we read, who
preached sermon on honesty, at
the same time having a stolen chick
Ell under his gown. So of Ecmoc-
racy. Tammany steals upwards of
SOC, 900, 900 from New York: but
as Tammany is Democlacy's most
influential child, she endeayors to
shield him from observation and
justice by directing the eyes ofthe
world, if possible, in another direc-
ton. While Tan,many was en-
gagged i'll stealing these enormous
sums, old mother Democracy as
sumes a Mortified expression, rolls
up her pious-looking eyes, clasps
her wrinkled hands, and exclaims
i'll trembling accents: Tie country
is going to ruill--the Radical thiev-
cries are a~-fll to contemplate! In
this State, however, the inconsist-
ency and hypocrisy of Democricy is
most glaring. Many of the Demo-
cratic journals of the State seem to
be trying, not only to distract at
tention from Tammany, but also
from the I4itigant Bill and Swamp
Act, of which they have been guilty.
They evidently want the people to
forget them, and so endeavor to
keep their minds directed in another
channel. The swamp land law of
Oregon is truly most shameful
swindle. The Legislature in this
law endeayors to take from the ac-
tual occupant of the soil, his land
and improvements, and without Civ
ing him time to prove his pre-emp-
ton at the land office, to bestow it
for a paltry sum upon a favored few.
That this law was designed to favor
this ring Of spectators, favored
few, it is evident from the fact that
the law was made to take effect
Immediately on the approval of the
Governor-an entire departure from
the general rule, three months being
the customary time allowed to give
the actual settler time to put in his
claims The policy of Congress has
ever been to favor the actual settler, I
and not to legislate against him. The
General Government has ever held |
out inducements to persuade her
citizens to settle upon these public
lands, AS a compensation for
the toll and anxiety and suffering
and danger of crossing the plains
and mountains to settle in the fer |
tile valleys of Oregon, or other ter
ritory Of her western domain, and |
for the purpose of increasing the
population, and. settling up these
sections, Congress has gieess these
lands to the. bona tide settler; but
a Democratic Legislature in Oregon,
at its last session, passed a law in cf
feet taking the land utoy form the |
actual settler, and giui,ay it to a few /
favored Spectators at 81 per acre. |
But we are glad to know that these
land cormorants are likely to gain
nothing by this attempted 'swindle, /
save the contempt of fair-dealing
men. The lands which were survey |
ed prior to March 18th, 1860, the
State had no right to dispose of, as
they belonged then and now to the
United States. 7 his appears clearly /
inthe following swamp land law
of Congress, bearing upon Oregon
That the selection to be made from /
lands already surveyed in each of the
States including Minnesota and Ore
gon, under the authority OF tile act
aforesaid, and of the act to aid the