The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-04-11
UNIDENTIFIED SENATOR'S.
Sharp Debate in the Senate on the Bill
Punish the Timber Depredators.

Sharp Debate in the Senate on the Bill to
Punish the Timber Depredators.
The bill making an appropriation for
detecting trespass on the public lands
being under consideration, Mr.. Blaine
said:
A labored attempt had been made to impress
the country with the belief that in this Senate
chamber the timber thieves of the couctry
found defenders and apologists, and under this
cloud of Misrepresentation the real issue which
he raised against the Secretary of the Interior
was sought to be obscursd. l am for prosecut-
ing the timber thief, and 1 am for protecting
the settler, and this amendment, if it prevails,
will force the Secretary of the Interior to do
the same. The amendment only guaranteed to
the settler in the Territory precisely what be
had enjoyed from the foundation Of the Gov
ernment. precisely what the early settlers in
Ohio, and Indiana. snd Illinois, and Michigan,
and Wisconsin, and Alabama, and Mississippi,
and Arkansas had all in turn enjoyed, and that
privilege was simply only that until the timber
lands we're surveyed and offered for sale the
actual settlers might cut timber for their own
use, and not for export.
Mr.. Eustis said he would vote against any
appropriation to pay special agents of the De-
partment of the Interior who were engaged in
the business of discovering and prosecuting
persons who were charged with trespassng on
the public lands. People absolutely knew moth
ing of the proceedings ordered by the Depart
ment of the Interior, which were of despotic
character. The seizures were made on informal
legal papers:
MIR. Dawes argued that, if the proceedings
were irregular, the Judge who issued the writs
responsible, and not the agents of the
Interior Department. He glad this dis
cussion had taken place. 1t would teach the
Secretary of the Interior that it was his duty to
inquire into the conduct of his special agents
charged with delicate duties. 1t would teach
him that this was a Government of law, not of
men.
Mr.. Christiancy argued that the course pur-
sued in Louisiana had no bearing whatever
upon the course pursued in Montat1a. 1t was
not to be expected that the Secretary of the
Interior could hsve knowledge of every act of
the timber agents. The Senate would not have
heard all these charges to-day had it not been
that there was more feeling against the Secre-
tary of the Interior than for the poor settlers.
Mr.. Sargent said when Western Senators got
up here, and asked for the people of the West
privileges which had been enjoyed by the peo-
pie of Massachusetts,, Vermont and other States,
they were sneered at, and their wants measured
by some county of Massachusetts,. This pro-
vInclallsm he was opposed to. 1t was unworthy
of debate like this Western Senators were
not to be turned from their convictions in this
matter by sneGrs and statements that they de-
sired to attack the Secretary of the Interior.
No one thought of attacking the Secretary of
the Interior Until the people of the Territories
were dragged before the courts. their property
seized, and they themselves charged with be-
present Secretary of the Interior was contrary
to the whGe polieS OF the Government i'll re-
gard to this timber lands He tSargent) would
go as far as any man to protect the surveyed
lands and punish men for stealing wood there
from. The action of the Secretary of the Iu-
terror was caused by desire to gain cheap
reputation as reformer. considerate Sec
retary, instead of turning the Interior Depart
ment into huckster shop to peddle out wood,
wopld have called the attention of Congress to
he M sls cd for nj loft
Mr.. Dawes said the remarks of the Senator
from California (Sargent) were as much un-
called for by the debate as they were by good
breeding, and his illusions TO Massachusetts
NJ. Sargent-Will you please quote anything
I said against Massachusetts 2 l deny that I
said anything.
Mr. Dawes-t have the floor and will not
yield.
Mr. Sargent-As t yielded to the Senator
from Massachusetts SO frequently, see his
good BREEDING does not correspond.
Mr.. Dawes-The Senator'S InHmofy Is as bad
as his manners. Continuing his remarks, Mr.:
Dawes said thousands of cords of wood were
cut from the ptiblic lands in the Territories and
ready for market, end it was that plunder the
Secretary of the Interior sought to stop, no
matter how much he might be denounced for
being over Jealous.
Mr.. Sargent said the Senator from Massachu-
setts in his orig ginal speech spoke of the people
of the Territories thieves and plunderers.
Did the Senator think that remark consistent
with good breedingP He thought he was en-
titled to an apology from the Senator for
questioning his manners.
Mr., Dawes explained bis remarks, and said
he had no disposition to indulge in any remarks
offensive to the Senator from California. He
did not n1ean to speak Of the people of the
Territories as plunderers, but be did tt1eap to
say that those who we're taking property from
the public domain were plundetIng it.
Mr.: Hoar argted that it wac a bad thing for
either branch of Congress to undertake to con-
denim public officer for doing his duty, the
neglect of which would have made him liable
to impeachment.
Mr. Matthews said it had been the practice of
the executive officers of the Government to
punish those trespasslng upon the public lands
for fire-wood or any other purpoees. and he
challenged the Senator from Maine (Blaine) TO
point to any statute authorizing settlers to cut
fire-wood from public land.
Mr.. Blaine asked if it was a proper policy to
charge 81 cord stunpage.
Mr.. Matthews said it was not, but il was pol
icy Of law, net the policy of the Secretary of
tne Interior.
Mr.. Blaine challenged the Senator tMat-
thews) to point to instance where settlers
had been charged stumpage.
Mr.. Ingalls, cah do it.
Mr.. Blaine-Well, let us hear it.
Mr.. Ingalls, then quoted from tie ttstrnc-
tions of J. NJ. Edmunds, the Commissioner of
the General Land Office, in 1864 issued to
public land officers to punish timber depreda-
tions, which instructions were submitted to the
Senate with the report of the Secretary of the
Interior for that year. In reply to the ques-
| ton of Mr.. Blaine Mr.. ingalls, stated the re-
port showed that since Jan. 1. 1856. the sum of
s1J9,95S had been taid into the treasury on
account of timber depredations. He was not
assailing or advocating the policy of the Se5-
retary of the Interior, but he believed in Civ
ing the devil his dues. no matter whether it be
the Secretary Of the interior or any one else.
The Senator from Maine (Blalne) reminded him
0ngalls) of the snake in "Hudibras,' that
''vvlred in and wired out"
Mr.. Christiancy inquired if anything had
been paid into the treasury on acccunt Of tim
Der depredations under the late order of the
Secretary of the Interior.
Mr.. Blaine said yes, about $4,000 had been
wrung out of the people of Montana. Reply
ing to the argument of Mr. Dawes, in regard
to plunderers, he spoke of that portion thereof
as hole through which the Senator might
escape
Mr.. Dawes-If the Senator thinks anybody
can beat him in lodging from hole to hole il
this debate, he very much mistakes public
judgment.
The Death of Murat.