Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-05-11

were allowed at the reduced price for settle.
ment and cultivation under the graduation
law OF Aug. 4, 1854, which was repealed by
the act of June I'd, 1862. The act of Con-
gress of Sd March, 1857, confirmed entries
made prior to its passage under the gradual
ton law, which were regular in every re.
spect, and not fraudulent or evasive of the
law, leaving those entries allowed under the
same law subsequent to the Sd March, 1857,
and prior to the repeal of the law, to stand
on the original basis, which required that
the parties should produce satisfactory proof
of settlement and cultivation before the
| patents could be issued at the reduced price
| paid; or when such proof could not be made,
the parties interested could perfect the
entries and have the patents issued as in
ordinary cases by paying up the difference
between the reduced price paid under the
graduation law and the ordinary minimum
of $1.25 per acre. There is consequently a
large number of entries for which patents
remain undelivered on the files of this Office,
the parties having neither produced the
proof of settlement and cultivation nor made
additional payment for the land, one or the
other of which was required to entitle them
to the patents. 1t is with regard to these
entries that that the act of Feb'y II, 1878,
(cOpy annexed dispensing with the require
ments of proof or payment, provides for is
suing the patents in all cases where the
entries are regularly made, where they have
not been annulled and vacated by this office
on account of fraud, evasion of law, or other
cause, and where they may not be ascertained
to have been traudulently or evasively made.
THIS Office aoiU accordingly issue the patents
for these entries, as in ordinary cases, on
surrender Of the duplicate receipts by the par
ties, If the entries beregular and unimpeached
on the official records. 1t is desired that you
difase Information of this as far as practical
BILE in the discharge of your official duties.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
[Signedl WILLIS DRUMMoND,
Commissioner.
This circular declares that proof of
and cultivation is dispensed
with under the confirmatory act of
1878. Now, where is the ground for
all this cry of fraud SO extensively |
hawked about by these latter-day |
land reformers? Where and in what |
way has the Government been de-
Frauded? And wherein is the necessi-
" for a new act to "quiet titles?"
"To quiet titles in Missouri" And
Why in Missouri more than any other
State where lands have been entered
lnder the graduation act? Why rot
n Arkansas, Illinois, Wisconsin, and
'ther Western States as well: Were
I'll frauds confined to this State, aud
I'll entries elsewhere honestly made in
trict compliance with the law? 1t
appears to us the very title of the bill
n question is an insult to our great
and ought to receive
he unqualified condemnation of every
member of our Missouri delegation.
;hange the title and make the bill APP
'ly to every State where lands were
ntered under the graduation act.
here are no doubt U. s. District
attorneys outside the limits OF this
tate ambitious to distinguish them t
elves in this mousing hunt after effete c
raud. Give them all a chancei t
That proviso which throws the bur- Q
en- of proof upon the alleged fraudu-
snt holder of the land for that is what
J meant by innocent purchaser'D is
mother beautiful thing to contemplate. t
| law upsetting all rule of law! We t
ave no patience to discuss SO outrage
US a thing.
Pass the bill without amendments,
ent1emen of Congress, pass the bill! /
Tnsettle the title to every acre of land e
ntered under the act in question, and
our constituents will call you blessed
perhaps! y
*See decision of U. S. Supreme Court in U.
ex. rel. Thos. NJ. Mcbride, plaintiff in
TOR, Us. Carl Schurz, Secretary of Interior,
Oct. term, 1880.