The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1878-01-11

We say these seizures are unjust
because, in the first place, the mill
owners are not the offending parties,
even admitting the laws have been
violated--which we do not admit.
They had not employed men to go
upon government land and cut logs,
nor did they employ logmen to cut
timber from other lands, but purs
chased the logs after they were cut
and foated to the mills and were
thrown upon the market, as any,
thing else would be bought and
sold; and in many instances the log
men had certificates from the Cir>
cult clerks showing the number of
section, township and range in
which tie logs were cut, thus prov-
ing conclusivelv that their logs came
from lands belonging to private in
dividuals, upon which they had been
paying taxes for a number Of
years.
Then again, the seizure of lumber
upon the yards at the mills was un>
just ard Illegal, for there is not a
man living, be he ever SO expert at
the business, who can 60 before a
Justice and make affidavit, uuthfully,
to the effect that the lumber seized
by these marshals was sawn from
logs cut upon government landiand
the man who does it will be proven
a perjurer when this matter is
brought before the courts or a COM
mission upon q hearing. Upon
these yards are thousands OF feet
of lumber known TO every mill
owner to have been sawn from logs
cut on private property, and in
some instances cut from land owned
by some Of these mill men for twenty
years or more. Now how can any
man-even a United States marshal
or detective-truthfully swear that
this lumber is the product of gov
ernmcnt land?
The seizure of logs belonging TO
logmen in many instances was il
legal and waLtonly unjust. for we
are personally acquainted with men
who cut logs from their own land
land which their fathers have owned
since they were children; land which
there can be no dispute about-and
these logs were seized with the rest.
Can there be any justice in such
acts, or is there any law to sustain
men in such procedures? We be-
lieve not.
If the marshals had the intel est OF
the government at stake, and not
the oppression Of the people in view,
and he'd wanted to protect the ine
terest Of the United States and at
the same time to deal honorably
and justly with the citizens Of the
government which they were pre-.
sumed 10 represent, they could have
instituted suit in such manner that
would not necessarily have sus~
pended the business of entire com,
munities. as these seizures have, thus
running the property holder and
out Of employment the
laboring class of people whose sole
for support rested in
the lumber and timber interest of
this region. The sudden aud entire
,sioppage of this interest has seri-
,usly crippled some of our largest
lumber dealers, has suspended in a
manner all business, and unless re-
ief comes soon the whole industry
# this coast section will be 80 badly
that il will take years for
'ur people to recuperate and to
lace the commerce of this region
pom a solid and paying basis. /:
We have men in congress who
Fill do all in their power to bring
his matter 10 a speedy settlement. {
nd, in the name of our people, we !
upon the representative from this !
to assist US BY all the means :
e can bring to bear upon the issue a
t stake, that the matter may be i
sttled and that our people may re.
lme business again. J
We would suggest that congress
ass a special act sending q COM y
Iisslon here with power to take Il
,stimony and settle nj difficulties. Il
r to authorize Judge Hill to come t
ere and hold o special term Of u