The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-01-27
Tax Titles No. &.
Ar. Editor :.

IN support OF our pOsltlOn that Govern
nent has not dealt fairly by Army and
Navy purchasers, and to further illu,trat.
tho fact that buy ers were totally deceived
ss to tho nature of the consideration pro(r
erd in return for their money, let us recur
to the first sale Of Lots in the newly pro
jected City of Port Royal on the Island OF
st Helena.
At that saleit was represented that the
Government would shortly establish q
Navy Yard and Military Station at that
point, thus giving purchasers assurance
that their lots must possess some value
in the future, even If expectations con
corning the rapid growth of a new me.
tropolis failed ot realization. Other gilt.
tering generaiities we're INDUCED in bv
way Of interlude, not forgetting reference
to that clause of the title guaranteeing a
sate in foreclosure for tho benefit of The
purchaser. After the attending crowd had
been sufficiently piled with the certain
sdvantagea of an investment in this Goo-
snmsnt speculation the lots were offered
not at values determined by the iudp.
ment Of intending purchasers, but at
upset prices fixed by the United States
Commissioners themselves, and below
which not bid would be entertained.
Many persons considering these values
exorbitant, as in truth they were, dec in, d
investing; others ventured, and at that
sale the Government actually obtained
several thousand dollars in exchange for
the customary titles reciting the transfer
to individuals of lots embracing in all
not over ten acres of land situated on
barren sea beach, whose only tenants
were the white-winged sea- gulls, ano
which territory the aforesaid rovers have
quiet possession of up to the
present hour.
GoOernment got tho money, and what in
the name of common sense did the Dur.
chasers get for their money?
Hear the decision of our modern Wash
ington Solons, a decision arrived at after
years of investigation of this knotty que;.
ton, and whi. h has received as hefrre men
toned the Iuas. endorsement OF Congress.
They say in effect, "Messrs. Army and
Navy Purchasers, it is true we received
and still hold your monies. 1t is true
we issued to you titles purportin2 to
afford your interests some degree of
protection, but this was all mistake, q
pure overnight all we intended to offer
you, and all we did offer you in return
for the money paid down, was the privi
ledge Of erecting tents, shanttes, &C., on
your strips of sea beach and of personally
Or sub-leasing the premises
presumably to the aforementioned sea-
gulls,) for the term of three years. "only
this and nothing more" su
Now nothing can be more certain than
this. il at the time of the original sale the
conditions of the sale had been distinctly
and squarely stated In accordance with
the more modern Washington understand
ing of the transaction, not dollar
would have found its way into the Govern
ment Golfers. The truth is, that this late
w ashington Interpretation of this seri. 8 OF
transactions is pure afterthought, adopt
ed with reference to the supposed politi-
cal exigency of putting stop at once to
all further sale OF lands in the Southern
States, whether stipulated in the bond OF
not. Hence the monstrous injustice on
the part of the Government Of taking
large sums of money Qrom two to ten
times the present cash value of the lots
sold and giving nothing in return
It 10 said that every cloud has its sill
yer lining visible, or invisible; accord
ingly the parties investing inthe sol called
" City Lots" have re cause for congrat.
lation.' Their small domains ground
rented from Government (oide the W ash.
ington Ukase) for the magnificent term
of three years, being unsuitable for plant
ing purposes, have never involved item
in further losses such as overtask their
fellow investors in plantation property
in this vicinity, in their vain atteni ptsto
utilize in agricultural operations the mass
Of lazy and thievish ignorance which
unhappily constitutes the bulk of this