St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-04-28
GIVING AWAY THE STATE LAND
| TO CONTRACTORS.
New Orleans Picayune.

:
On Sunday we referred briefly to the
efforts which are being made by Mr.. John
McEnery to have the battle; ground OF
1915 declared swamp and overf1owed
land, and as such the property OF the
United States, to be turned over under
the law of 1850. Elsewhere we publish
full details OF this business, and give
sufficient evidence to show the general
oneration of the contract between the
State and Mr.. McEnery.
1t will be seen that the evidence on
which the application is made, to the
Land Office to have this tract declared
as swamp and overfiowed land, is of
the yerv ffimsiest character. 1t was
the very spot where jackson. sixty
eight years ago, posted his artillery. 1t
was under cultivation then, and nearly
the whole tract is tillable land now.
One of the witnesses, it will be OBJ
served. swears it would be oyerfowed
| if it were not protected by the levees on
| the river front. The act of Congress
only contemplated the donation OF ac-
| tnal sWamps covered with cypress
growth, and lands ordinarily covered
| by tide water. The act OF lS49 also ex-
pressly stated that only lands mot
claimed or held by individuals" were
donated. This tract was claimed ana
held" by an individual, and afterward
was purchased from that individual by
| the State.
We call the special attention of land
| owners throughout the State 20 the
facts in this case. Ii the law Is i
stretched so as to cover such pieces OF
land. then half the sugar plantations in
TOnisiana NAV be grabbed in this way.
If such an Interpretation is to be put on
the statute twenty three years after Its
enactment, there will be an era OF land
grabbing and litigation that will un-
4 settle titles for a half century to come
Mr.. Mason, the sub-agent OF MIR. NC
Enery. claims, we believe, that these
nrOceedings are not intended to be
against the interests of the State, and
/ that no claim will be made for half the
nrOperty by the agents. We do not think
/ the people will be satisfied with such an
| assurance, and we are sure they Will
not recognize the necessity for any sucf
nuestioning Of the States title to what
4 She has already bought, paid for, anC
/ held undisturbed for twenty -eigh
/ wears. Nor will the property holders OF
i Louisiana look with favor upon sucn al
/ insiduous movement to stretch the limit
of profits under this State contract
Even those who might feel assured thai
! the State would not be made to buy
4 back one-half of this famous piece o
ground from Mr.. McEnery and his as
sociates, will scarcely see the necessis.
for such labor to perfect title alIeau.
i good, and will not fail to look at tn'
precedent it seeks to establish. II ~
Claim is to be set up to a moiety OF thi
battlefield, then it would seem the onl!
motive left is the precedent unde
/ which the whole lower delta would tal
under the contract. !,
/ Indeed these claim agents have al
1 ready set up title to large portion 9 9,
the parish of Orleans. They are al
4 ready within the city limits. Aye, they
I have invaded the very cemeteries an.
questioned the title of the very spot OF
which the Stonewall Jackson monumen
is erected. The homes OF the llVlnl