The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-07-27

Two per Cent Fund Of the states Of
Illinois, IDai0na and Ohio.
Governor Baker has received from Hon. I.
N. Norris, of Quincy, Illinois, = conmuniea.
ton in relation to the claims OF those States
for the two per cent. fund arising ont OF the
sale Of the public lands in their respective
territories under former acts Of Congress on
the subject. Mr.. Morris, acting on behalf Of
the State of Illinois, sad being familiar With
the subject, was solicited by the Governor OF
Indiana to present the matter on behalf Of this
State, which be did, acd his letter to the Gov.
ernor. copy of which We give below. will
show the progress made. The amount Of the
claim on the part of the State Of Indiana il
over $500 900. Mr.. Norris was also employ
cd by the Governor of the State of Ohio to
represent that State in the matter:
QuINcY, ILL, July 3, 1872.
Gov. Conrad Baker, Indianapolis, Ind:
M DEAR SiR:-I reached Washington on
the goth of January last and arrived at home
en- the 7th of June, having been absent over
four months and q half. My time, while in
Washington, was solely devoted to the prose-
cution Of the two-per- cent. claims of Ohio, In.
diana and Illinois.
do not, however, deem it necessary at
this time to trouble you with detailed state
ment of my labor5, or the difficulties encoun.
tered.
In early sought, and made the acquaintance
of the Hon. Jeremiah N. Wilson, Of the Con.
nersville District, who had been placed on the
Judiciary Committee, in lieu Of Hon. NC.
Kerr, who was transferred to the Committee
Of ways and Means, and was grat,fied to
learn that he had already partially read up the
case. At my suggestion, Judge Bingham,
Chairman of that Committee, referred tie sub
ject to him for examination and report. Upon
my mentioning to Judge NibIack, Mr.. Kerr,
and Hon. Thos. A. Hendricks. when he was in
Washington, that such reference was made,
they exposed great qualification, and spoke
Of Judge Wilson as gentleman of unblem-
ished integrity, and lawyer of great ability
adding that if he should reach the conclu-
sion that the claims should be paid, after =
full investigation Of their merit, his opinion
should be received as entirely satisfactory.
Ny subsequent intercourse with Judge Will
son satisfied me that they had not overestima-
ted him, and it was fortunate for our States
/ that their cause had fallen into the hands of
90 able and faithful . man and let me add
here that Mr.. Kerr, to whom the matter had
been referred at the previous session, and who
l heard Judge Pratt at the time justly speak
in the highest terms of commentator, found
. worthy successor. Both of these gentle
men deserve we'll of their State for the talent,
labor and zeal brought to its support. Aud
must not forget to call your attention to the
exhaustive argument OF Judge Pratt in sup
port of the claims of the States. 1t is 30 well
known of him that he goes to the very bottom
Of subject when he attempts its investiga.
ton that it is hardly necessary for me to add
that he impresses his hearers with his OWL
convictions to such q degree that it is diff.
cult, if not impossible to escape from them
He announced to the Senate and the country
and was iejoiced that he did-that Indi
ana would never cease to press her claim un
til it was paid. Judge Niblack, too, has beef
its ardent and devoted advocate, and vii
speak upon it at the earliest opportunity.
must not, therefore, fail to congratulate 20,
that Indiana has contributed so much to tn
maintenance of the common rights of herself
Ohio and Illinois.
Judge Wilson, prev ious to preparing his re
port submitted an argument to the House o.
the subject, which you have of course read
Speaking Of this argument, Senator Wilson
PresiLent) said to me he Thought it was tn
clost 81 and sblest argument be had ever reat
and that he had made UP his mind TO supper
. the claims when they came before the Senate
l question, however, whether the report {
Judge Wilson, subsequently, prepared An
submitted to she Judiciary Com rittee, doe
. not excel it in the force of its truths, and j
, its unanswerabe conclusions.
That report carnot indeed be answered, an
no man will attempt to answer it.
Those who will seek to defeat the clair,
will do sc on some extraueous idea. In Ii
name Of my State, his own and Ohio, than
him for Il, and Indiana should not be ungrat,
: full to him. l know, of my own person,
knowledge. Of the almost constant labor he b,
. slowed upon the subject at the last session
: and anxiety he manifested that Congress
should deal justly with the States who.
rights have SO long been neglected. relic.
. too, for success, upon the high character
built in the House in 30 short . time, for /
i commands universal confidence and respec
His report was adopted in the JudiciaE
Committee by vote of eightto one, but IN
+ fortunately such was the press Of busine.
= that that committee was not regularly Gale
e excep. during the first week of the session
e when there was no business to report, N
: consequently the report went over until Il
q next session, when it will come up for actia
= during the first week.
n The other committees we're gone throue
: with, and the casa stopped with the Judicia,
e Committee.
i During the session it was thought and b
. lieyed from week to week and month to mont
$ that the Judiciary Committee would be reac
= ed. and that it was better to wait until il ",
s reached, so the report would come up in Il
). regular order, without running the risk of
vote to suspend the rules.
This belief. INDUCED in until near the clio
Of Congress, proved delusive; and then =
thought it better to let the whole subject
:, over until the next session. That the frien
: of the bill will return to Washington with
determination to pass it l have no dout
' Missouri, Illinois, Indians and Ohio are
: unit for it; and BY little exertion there O
be no question Of favorable action.
!, cannot close this letter without acknov