The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-10-16

y redress they tried to console hir
y !: win the thought that while none q
Il ms money could be refpnded to hin,
"a he would be allowed to mako apo+h
:, 4 er entry That fellow quit the Stat,
y y III disgust and is now tramp anC
Q communist. "Ne
" 4hese occurrences are not at al
rare and many family has beer
+ + brought to beggary thereby. 1t i:
i strange that the attention of on,
members Of Congress has not beer
: called to the matter so a law conld
! T nave been enacted to meet the "a,
quIrements Of the case.
, The grievances are Tins mado
hnown ' to the Commissioners by one
OF the sufferers: 0D0
OCALA, FLA, July l, 1878.
M%:-To insert the notice of NV
intention to apply for the three dol.
lars and thirty-seven cents on excess
receipt No 1875 "in some paper of
extensive circulation for six weeks. y
VIII cost not less than six dollars. and
1t is absurd to make such reouire
ment unless the government intends
10 pay TOR the advertisement Rnt
.ne . section to which you call my at.
.enCl0n says purchase money and
does not limit it to the amount Maid
on the excessive acres, and | don't
zee now you can properly come to
any such conclusion, and by SO do
ing you rob innocent parties ont II
amounts-though small-wbioi-aiey
can i'll afford to : lose, Governments,
like indiEiauals, should be .respoasi-
suffer On recount of tie tie niil kas ae otsi
government agents, which, from the I
number made, it is reasonable to SUP.
pose are made designedly. Besides
the purchase money, 1 have paid out
on my entry over 5000. 1 appeal to
your sense Of justice if it is right that
I should be compelled to lose this
amount when the mistake is alto :
gether on the part of the government =
agents And | am not alone by any =
means. l know instances of a mum. /
Der OF other very poor people who o
have had to lose their homesteads, i
,he improvements they put upon +,
hem, and their growing crops, on h
account of the oft recurring mistakes u
If these agents. Is there any room f.
% doubt that these mistakes are N ~
made designedly and for the purpose 4
II pocketing the fees? This is a ., q
cheat and swindle-small it is true Il Il
but hurtful to many an honest and 7,
Industrious citizen. Under your rul. - -
NC the person deprived of his entry a a
must lose his purchase money and a. a.
he amount actually paid out on i'm !; Il
'rovements, but can have the excess - -
purchase money refunded by paying a.
tut taco dollars for one. Did / oc. :"
upy the position you do, 1 would be .,
shamed to let such an absurd ruling :;
70 out to the country. And if you h /.
re compelled to be governed by the s,
ullings Of your predecessors in office, ~
nd was aware there was no law by 4,
which you could refund (at least the Y
money! to the wronged APP en-
llcants, it seems to me that you 90
7ould have called the fact to the at ~
ention of Congress and had law
nacted to cover the case; your fail
re to do so, convinces me, if it does ha
OF the country, that you have not en-
lst conception of the requirements -,
f the position you occupy. But an, mrs
'hy need enter my protest further ,n r,e
gainst the wrongs of such system? .hS .LS
he practice will go on. Innocent ls .ns
arties will continue to be permitted - ia
, make improper and illegal entries -.
order to enrich the pockets OF dis s,S
Onest officials. W. W.
/ have the misfortune to be one of
e sufferers so l must be allowed
e privilege of at least speaking
eely on the subject. the
Respectfully N.
- ......--...... bel
on. j. A. WILLIAMSON, Commits. sna
sioner General Land Office, Wash. sen
ington, d. @. sol
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