The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1880-05-21
InronTANr SWAMI LAND DrcIsIoa.

portant decision of the Secretary of the
interior, reversing the Commissioner of
the General Land Office in the case Of
Dennis Crowley, claiming as pre.emp-
tor of lards in klamath Lake basin,
which were swamp lands and claimed
by the State us such, awarding the
lands to the State of Oregon ON the Sc
lections made by Governor Grover, and
as administered by the Board of School
Land Commissioners during his admin
islration.
This decision is FINAL, and settles
lst. That the lands in klamath Lake
basin Of this character arc swamp with
in the meaning of the Act Of Congress
of March -, 1850.
End. That the selections made by
Gov. Grover are in due form and in
proper form,
3rd. That the grant of the swamp
lands to Oregon by the said Act of Con
gress is a present grant, that is, one talk
ing effect at its,date
4th. That no settler who had knowl-
edge of the claim of the State TO these
lands could be considered settler in
good faith.
9th. That all swamp lands in Oregon,
after. selection by the Governor of the
State in a proper manner as such, and
due notice given to the proper land of
fee, ceased 10 be the lands Of the Uni.
ted States, but belonged to the State.
These points cover substantially the
whole controversy between the State
and those claiming adversely before the
General Land Office, and with said of
fee, and settles in favor of the State the
title to the great bulk of the swamp
lands therein.
The OTegOaiaa last fall raised great
hue and cry against Gov. Grover and
the Board of School Land Commission
ers, of which he was member, and as
serted that his and their work was al
wrong, and had been and would be re
pudiated by the proper authorities al
Washington. This assault was based
on minor decision Of the Commission
er of the General Land Office, affecting
.only oveTflowed lands on the lower Co
lumbia river, and the point of the dc
cision was that Oregon could not hole
these lands because they were not SO
! lected within two years after the grant
as they were surveyed before the gram
was made by Congress in 1850. Thest
lands involved in that decision xer,
surveyed in 1854 or 1855. The char
aeteristic meanness and unfairHcss O
that journal was fully exemplified il
this attempt to hold Gov. Grover nc
couniable for the failure Of his prede
cessors to do their duty ss to Sies,
lands
These lands on the Columbia river il
controversy do not amount to more
than one per cent. OF the wirOlr, and
perhaps much less. Even that decision
Of the Commissioner is appealed from
the ground of appeal being that as the
grant took effect in lsC0, if not select
ed in time, there being no adverse
claimant until it WAS selected by Gov.
Grover, it must be awarded TO the
State, and it is confidently believed that
the decision Of the Commissioner will
be reversed by the Secretary Of the In
terror.
Gov. Grover has been maIigned,
abused and constantly attacked by the
press of the opposition and by every
Republican stump speaker, for his con
slant and steady work in favor Of Ore
gon in securing this important grant to
the State, which is Of more value than
any other, except the 10th and Seth
sections, granted to the State for the
support of schools. The so-called in
vestigating committee was only part
of this planned abuse of Gov. Grover
on account of this WORK, and it was ex-
peeted TO defeat this grant by repudi-
ating his work as Governor, and the
work Of the Board, and also repudi-
ating the just obligations of the State
to pay for services rendered by other
parties in making the selections Of the
lands. But after careful and honest
examination and deliberation the Secre-
tary of The Interior, Carl SclIuIz, has
rendered decision affirming exactly
what Coy. Grover laid down as the law
nine years ago.
This decision, rendered as it is in
these days when judicial decisions are
matters OF favoritism, does honor 10 It's
anthor, and is lasting rebuke to those
who have endeavored TO build on the
ruins of the man they have vainly
sought to destroy.