Vicksburg weekly herald., 1878-03-29

bringing into market public lAnds Ia
certain States, and for other purposes,
the pending question being on the
amendment Of Mr.. Beck 10 that Of the
Committee on Appropriations profile
iting the use Of money 10 collect any
charge for wood or timber cut on pub
lie lAnds In the Territories Of the United
States for the use Of settlers in Terrific
ries and not for export; 10 provide
that the timber shall not be exported
from the territory where It grew and
provided further, In the event Il shall
be exported from the territory, il shall
be liable to seizure BY United States
authorities wherever found.
Jones, of Florida, quoted the second
section Of the bill, which appropFiates
$40 900 for diagrams, furniture and re-.
pairs In the General Land Ohice, actual
expenses Of clerks detailed to investl-
gate fraudulent land entries, trespasses
on public lands, ETC., and sald be would
never vote for that appropriation, &c
the Secretary could use the whole Of Il
to annoy and hArass the people. What
authority existed under the laws
Of the United States % they now stood
tor the action Of the Secretary Of the
Interior In regard to timber lands 7
The Senate had been told there had
been no change In the policy Of the In.
terror Department; that the present
Secretary was following in the steps Of
his predecessors. He (MF. Jones) con.
tradicted that position; he denied that
Il was true. The prasent Secretary had
instituted q new policy, and one not
supported BY law; policy which had
9 detrimental effect on q large part OF
the people OF this country. He argued
that In oil cases Of timber prosecutions
which had taken place in the Southern
States, the Secretary Of the Interior had
gone into Federal Courts under State
laws, which be had no right to do, and
without anything, he believed, in the
statutes Of the United States 10 sus.
tain him In hls proceedings. Up to the
time when the present Secretary Of the
Interior came into Office, such Q thing
was never heard OF 90 o seiEare OF tim.
Der In the hands OF any man who had
purchased logs In open market. He
quoted from the section Of the Revised
Statutes regarding timber lands, and
argued that Il was never the intention
of the Government 10 permit the Sec.
retAry Of the Interior TO harrass and per.
secute large number Of the people oil
the country by suits not authorized by
law. In reading over the correspond.
ence between the Secretary OF the In,
terror and his agents, be found
that charcoal must be seized
> Nearly every man knew that char
! coal was manufactured by poo
men and not by rich corporations
I Where the Secretary Of the Interior 20
his authority TO seizs charcoal, was be
yond his comprehension. Whatever
authority was conferred by the Revised
Statutes to punish timber depreciation
was not given TO the Secretary of the
Interior, but 20 the Secretary of the
Navy. lie was the only officer to carry
out sections 240l, 2462 aud 2A63 of the
Revised Statutes. The policy of the
Secretary Of the Interior was not right
not wise, not generous. The States OF
FlorIda, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisi
ana and Arkansas, had large districts
of public lands which were Of no use
whatever for agricultural purposes
but by a mistaken policy they had been
reserved for sale, aud citizens we're NOT
allowed to buy single acre, no matter
how much they might need the lands
for their convenience.
Morgan, of Alabama, also opposed
the second section Of the bill, and said
the Secretary Of the Interior had relied
on men not worthy OF trust, and re.
fused 10 hear men who we're worthy Of
trust in regard to these timber depre-
dalious. The conduct Of the Secretary
Of the Ialerior as TO public timber
lands had been evAsive and not candid.
He started out for the purpose of exeE-
citiug q jurisdiction which the law
never conferred upon him, and when
be wac advised that bis sgents exceed.
ed their authority, be shut bic eyes to
ell review Of their condnc'. The
Secretary Of the Interior bad been
informed by those who knew, that less
than eight Sper cent. Of land within
wagon haul Of the place where seizures
: In the South have been made, was pub.
lie land the balance was the private
land. An issue had been made here 10
Senate between the Secretary of the
Interior on one part and the people on
the other part-the Secretary being
characterised 90 an eminent patriot and
the people as q pack Of thieves. A
man In his State, one Hester, was
now preparing an additional raid on
the people Of Florida. He (Mr.
MorgaD) knew instances In the
South, where men owning saW.mills had
beed ruined by timber seizaEss, and
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars lost.
The Senate could not vote on this qnes-
ton now without seeing plainly the
Issue presented. He then read an order
Of the Secretary Of the Treasury, TO
Mr.. Hunt, Collector Of Customs al
VlCksburg, MlSS., directing him to re.
fuse clearance 10 vessels having on
board turpentine suspected Of hav-
ing been taken from trees on the
public lands, and, resumiDg bis
remarks, said, these industries In
the South were 70 be broken up
h., Enan.a nn.AAaw, aHA n.sa.. -.