New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-21
State should interpose its authority to pre-
vent the buying up of that land. He said:

State should interpOse its authority to pre-
vent the buying up of that land. He said:
The universally favorable discussion of the Fort
st. Philip canal project is trust, but the certain
prelude to the construction of the canal itself
recommend that, without unnecessary delay, GU
grant the right of way and appropriate the neces.
sary lands for the construction Of the canal. Its
completion will be the signal for an unprecedented
influx OF capital enterprise and labor which m usr
infuse new life into every part OF the State.
But unfortunately before that action had
been taken by the Governor some 5000
various plats, by john Beckwith, engineer,
and brother of former officer of the army.
He commenced his entries about the time
that the engineer corps in New York had
come to the conclusion that perhaps that
canal was practicable if they had the time
to locate it.
Between the nineteenth of August, 1873,
and the twenty eighth OF that month 600
acres of land-I have a certified copy of
the record-were entered. the message of
the Governor of the State Of Louisiana
called attention to the fact that it was
necessary to expropriate that land for the
United States. That appears on the fifth Of
January.
On the ninth of February. 1874, the State
of Louisiana passed an act giving the
ritory required for the proposed st. Philip
canal. BY section two Of that act the Leg
islature conveys all the lands owned by the
State of Louisiana within the limits Of the
canal to the United States. She had very
little to convey, then, because Immediately
following the recommendation of tie Gov
ernor, notifying the community of the State
of the proposed cessiOn, one of your repre-
sentatives at Washington, in TWO weeks
after the Governors recommendation,
stepped in and, at two bits an acre, grabbed
up all the land that was recommended to
be ceded to the government. A Voice
What is his name
Senator West-I find from the records of
the land office, on the fifth of January, 1874,
Caleb G.. FOrshey, assignee and agent of
joseph s. Copes, entered 1000 acres of land
before the State could protect itself; before
il had an opportunity to deed this land to
the United States. In the interest of the
people of Louisiana, this gentleman stepped
forward and volunteered his protection.
4 Mr.. Forshey-My name has been used
md wish to reply. ~.
The Chair-Order.
MI. West-If the gentlemen will take his
seat moment l will give him an oppor
tunity. Now sir, did the gentlemen stop
here? No, sir. But after this property had
been conveyed to the United States, and
after the fee simple was vested in the gov
ernment of the United States, this man.
after she act was passed, steps forward and
Bought more land as the records Of the land
office show. Not satisfied with interposing
their indecent haste before the Legislature
could act, subsequently,, after that law was
passed, Caleb G. FOrshey went to the land
office and bought more land; and have the
evidence OF it in my possession.
On the sixth Of April, 1874. six days after
the passage of the act, Mr.. Beckwith steps
forward and takes 47S acres in one parcel,
and 1923 in another. and 1000 in another.
These patents must have been presented
to Governor Kellogg. We all know, that
in the mulrtariOus duties of his
office, he must sometimes rely upon sub
ordinate officers; but there is one fact that
is patent. Subsequent to the passage OF
this act, not satisfied with getting the title
of the land, they must step forward and
buy more. Now, sir, l am ready to hear
you.
Mr. Forshey-I have to say to this audi
ence that, without any knowledge of what
the Legislature was doing, was employed
by parties and entered some land which is
there now. They proposed to grant to the
United States all the land they want with
out charge, should the canal be located
there. All that land l entered is four or
five miles from the location of Major Howell
of that canal. have entered 5000 acres of
the same kind nearer the city. The owner
ship must be in somebody. 1t is located at
twenty five cents an acre. l made the sur
vey of the land and reported that it was
unfit for use, except that perhaps the front
might be made into orange groves. What
l did was as a professional man and the
same az what l would do tomorrow for
any body. Take the remainder: will en-
terit for you if you pay me Tor it. But you
will have to pay me more than these other
parties, because il is more difficult M tier
than thought. 1 have no doubt but that
the par ties will order decided back to the
United States any land they may require
should the canal be located there.
Mr.. West-GeDtlemen, You will bear wit
ness that | made correct statement. The
gentleman gets up to make an explanation,
aud what does it amount to. That in the
munifcence of his heart and his pocket, he
became the guardian of the United States,
and went down there to buy land to build
the canal upon.
Mr.. Forshey-I protest against this, and l
ask protection against any attack upon me.
claim the privilege of replying and / can
reply with a vengeance.
Mr.. West-Ah, the gentleman claims the
privilege of replying.
The Chair-General West has been in
vited to speak, hope he will not be inter-
rupted.
Mr.. West-Now, in the light of what
have already said to You, first of the some
what extraordinary but, perhaps, easily
explained circumstance Of the engineer OF
the army, who was entrus red to look for an
outlet, that he directed his attention pecu-
liarly and particularly to the location OF the
Fort st. Philip canal, and then the fact that
another officer, through his relative, took
up land there. l ask you if there is not
something peculiar and tshy in this bill
that l am going to read to you! This is the
bill that am criticised for because l would
not make a minority report in favor of it.
A form misshapen, sent into this breathing
world scarce half made up. There is no man
here, who, after hearing it, but would scout
it. 1t was never intended that through
that bill one drop of sweat should fall from
any mans brow in the construction OF the
canal as contemplated by this bill. 1t is
delusion and a fraud. 1t is impossible as
method of realizing the object; it is crude
piece of clap-trap, gotten up so that
Congressman on the eve of the election
might 90 back to their constituents and
say: Look what we have done for you"
The bill starts out with direct and posi-
tive provision that the canal shall be To-
Gated by the engineers, and that it shall be
right there at that particular spot and no.
where else. 1t is to be done by the Secre-
tary of War He is to locate it.
That prohibition was interpolated in the
House and as consequence the United
States was directed to build the canal in
certain place; che should not build 1t until
she owned the land, and she should not
buy the land.
In the Senate of the United States there
is no man more eminent as a lawyer than
Roscoe Conkling. 1 give you my word,
that he exercised his ingenuity tor hours,
how to proceed under it and how to
obViate this difficulty. appropriation