Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-06-01

county, which was published i'm the AL
ton Democrat of last week. speaks
OF "my bill to quiet titles to lands en-
tered under graduation act" as though
no one knew that it is identical with the
one Attorney Bliss drew up and went
to Washington to have passed, not to
quiet, but to unsettle and disturb the
titles to all lands entered under the
graduation act.
The bill gives Bliss five years after
its passage i'm which to commence suits,
aud further, reverses all rule Of law on
evidence, and puts the burden of proof
on the defendant, thus giving Bliss the
power not only to annoy and harrass
all owners Gnnocent and guilty., but to
absolutely dispossess them of their
lands, because there are but few per-
sons who would or could go to the eX-
pense of defending suits in the United
States courts, having all their Witness
costs to pay, while the bill takes from
the poor defendant the use of the patent,
record and deed as 1orinad fdcia evil
dence of title. and compels defendants
to prove outside of these that he is, or
was, an innocent purchaser. If the OBJ
ject really be toquiet the titles, why not
pass bill to that effect, with a proviso,
if necessary, that when Attorney Bliss
finds O tract still In the hands of the
original patentee, whom he has reason
to believe fraudulently male his entry,
let him test it; but by all means let the
burthen of proof rest where the law has
placed ton the plaintiff, which in this
case is the Government. Out with all
such quieting bills as this!
Senator COckrell says, at is best not
70 ,ft t.> of
graduation lands at tax sales if Bliss
claims such particIar lands to have been
fraudulently entered and still owned by
fraudulent enterer or person having full
knowledge of the fraud" Right here
the Senator virtually recommends the
stOppage of all revenue collections for
five years the time the bill gives Bliss
to commence suits in. Not only stop
collections OF revenue, but absolutely
destroy the value of the land for that
time; for 10 one would buy with the
expectation of suit, and with that suit
have to shoulder the burthen of proof, !
not only of his own Innocence, but that |
of his predecessors. Bliss has already |
interfured i'm this county, by notifica-
ton to Owners-purchasers ut tax sales
hot to sell dny more lands sold by |
Sheriff McClaren at tax sales, which |
SlopIIcu u tisa'tc dlTeitIy dSFSeu upon
for a large lot of land. He has also at
tempted to stop the collections of rev.
enue, by notification to our Collector,
Circuit Clerk, Sheriff and County Court
not to sell, or attempt to sell, any more
lands for taxes entered under the grad
uation act of 1854; that the Government
would resist all such attempts, for the
reason that said lands were fraudulent
ly or evasively entered. And now the
bill "to quiet titles" proposes to aid Mr..
Bliss in this obstruction to collection of
taxes aud destruction of value of lands
for five years, that he may grow rich
off those who are not able to carry the
burthen of proof that has heretofore
been borne by the affirmative in all
suits. The quieting bill OF 1873 is all
sufficient, and no disturbance in titles
vol have been heard of but for the
cupidity of Bliss.
Again, the Senator from Missouri
says: ANY one who comes within the
te. ms of my bill will be safe, whether
the bill passes or not" If they are
safe, whether the bill passes or not,