Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1880-10-30
Pacheoo's Pledge.

We present below the pledge en-.
tered into by the three candidates
for Congress In this district In 1875
and the Mussel Slough settlers, and
which Paoheco conspicuously VIC.
lated:
JOINT RESOLUTION
To inquire into and define the Acts
of July 9th, 1855, and June 2Stb,
1870, granting lands to the South
ern Pacific Railroad Company Of
California.
WHEREAS, On July 9th, 1865,
Congress passed an Act granting
to the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company, a company incorporated
under and subject to the laws of
the State of California, twelve
thousand eight hundred acres of
the public domain per mile for
building q certain railroad in said
Stale of California, subject to GER
tain conditions and restrictions
provided for in said Act of July
9th, 1865; and
WHEREAS certain conditions
have not been complied with, eth
er In letter or spirit, namely: First,
the map filed by said company OH
January Sd, 1867, was improperly
filed, and did not comply with
their charter obtained from the
State of California; second, said
road has not been completed and
reported as required by said Act,
but 1t is utterly and entirely at va.
rance with the fourth section OF
said Act; third, the time for the
completion Of said road ;(according
to the eighth section of the Act of
July 9th, 1861 did, on July 4th,
1873, expire, and one hundred
miles of said road remain to be
built, to connect with the South
ern Pacific Railroad OF California;
and
WHEREAS, There are petition 6
before Congress, signed by several
hundred actual settlers on lands
thus claimed by the Southern Pa
cific Railroad Company, and said
petitions, among other things, say:
"Third. Yet, Notwithstanding the
act of July ~, 1865, was a grant in
present., four years after June 2S,
1901 there was joint resolution
passed by Congress purporting to
locate this land grant on these
lands; and the terms of said joint
resolution did protect the rights OF
actual settlers, aud we would re-
spectfully ask careful cOnsidera-
ton of the contract of July 81. 1865,
and the joint resolution of June
%, 1870. And, believing that you
have full power to act in this mat.
ter, and believing, also, that early
action will save serious trouble,
and believing that you are always
ready to do right by your constit-
uents, we pray that your honorable
body will give this matter your
earnest and early attention."
Therefore,
RESOLVED, by the Senate and House
of Repre- entotives of the United
States of America in Congress as.
seMbted, That the Committee on
the judiciary be instructed to in.
quire into the matters and things
herein rscited and set forth, and re-
port, by bill or otherwise, whether
patents to lands have not been i'm
properly issued to said Southern
Pacific Railroad Company of Call
ifornia, under the acts passed July
q, 1856, and June %, 1870; and
what action, II any, should be taken
to preserve the rights of actual set
tiers on the lands claimed by said
railroad company under the joint
resolution of June %, 1870, and
July q, 1855; and also to define the
rights and duties of the officers OF
the Government to the same; and
also as to the effect of the failure to
comply with the Acts by the Com
missioners who have reported upon
the sections of said railroad; and
also the effects Of the expiration OF
said grant, and the rights of settlers
who have made, or who may desire
to make, presumption or home.
stead settlements on said lands;
and to this end the said committee
may send for persons and papers;
anu that the Secretary Of the In.
terror be requested to suspend the
further issue of any patents for
lands to the Southern Pacific Rail-
road Company, under any of the
Acts recited in this resolution,
pending this investigation. There
fore
RESOLVED, I. the undersigned, do
pledge my sacred honor. that if
elected a member of the 46th Con-
gress of the United States, l will
do oil in my power to urge the fore
going resolution In the House OF
Representatives, and endeavor to
pass the same, and do all in my
power to bring about speedy set.
Element of the troubles now exist.
ing between SETTLERS on lands
claimed by the Southern Pacific
Railroad Company and the South
ern Pacific Railroad Company Of
California.
(Signed) WALLACE LEACH,
r. PACHECO,
JAMES J. AYERS.