Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-08-07
THE TEXAS PACIFIC.
Some CrOOkedness in Connection with
the Backbone Land Grant Exposed .
A Transaction That
Locks Very Much Like Bribery-The
Negroes and DemOcracy-A Kick
against Quarantine.

WAsHIHGToS, August G.-T The United
States Consul-General at Matamores has
sent telegram to the Department OF State
in regard 10 the action Of the authorities OF
LOUISIANA in suhizc.iDg s'l vessels from
Mexican pcTts to quarantine, az foilows:
"The 5 Of. OF L1uisi ana has qusrAntIned all
Mexican por.s. THIS very unjust to Mats-
mcras. Their. is DO ..,.-...,,u- -. u,--r-- u--r
this city, l. is rem lkably healthy. T!!;.zzTe
is strict quarantine there against Vera
Cruise, Tampico and ell p5iuts south OF
twenty FIVE north lati uds and Under control
pt the Texas qusrsniine officer. The New
Orleans quaran inc against Matamoras is
needless and irfl cts gre a. commercial dam
sges. Canuot come measure be taken 10
h ave it removed uplil there shall be csuseW
The telegram Hss, referred ie the Treasury
D:psflmsrt am VII be, 10y that department,
-s.r4red to me Louisiana Board of Health.
BACKBONE LAND GRANTS.
SOME CRooKEDSEss IN CONNECTION WITH
THAT BILL ESPosEh
Ws;hicg'oa special: R,pr, sentative Z.
John Ellis was iuterviewed tr lay about the
statements recently made by J. A. George, of
Louisiana, TO the # ct that Ellis, as he rep
rezen' alive cf the New Orleans Pacific had
dealings with George with a view 10 employ
gress the bill giving the New Oreans Pacific
the backbone lend grant. tThsre is Just
enough truth in it to give it coloring," said
Mr.. Elli-. There is a man in the citv, or
was at that time, by the name OF J. J. New
ell, from Michigan. He came TO me pend
ing he consideration o. the bill and claimed
to have contract, ma ade with Tom Scot,
whereby he WAS to be paid $4,000 for his
services for working for the passage of the
Iexss Pacific railroad charter, out Of which
grew all the land grants sought in the
hili then pending. 1 examined his claim
and was satisfied that he did have a con-
tract, 70: in writing, but one sustained by
good proof by reputsble parties. He claimed
that Scott had gone back on him and he
therefore thought, as the holders of the
backbone wculI il the bill rassed, be the
benehciaries o. his lG5orF, that he ought TO
be paid by its projectors. Within a few days
alter th!s took place George came TO me aud
said ha had been employed by Newell and
that Newell had gone back on him, snd tha
ii he did not get his money he would expose
the manner in which the Texas bill wss
passed. de exhibited lot of letters and
telts ans, which, while they did not look ex-
actly right, bore upon their fac just enough
suspicion TO prsseii timid t)pgress,ti an or a
timld Committee from actiug upon the back.
bone bill. l asked him how much
Newell had promised hin. He said
1850. | told him TO keep his mouth shut
and | would gustsntee the payment OF his
claim. | saw Mr.. Wheelock, the nr' sident
of the backbone road, and told n . what /
had done. He said l had done right
and to pay The money and he
would refurd it 10 me. l paid the
dirty d. 500 in cash ard sgreed 10 pay
him 500 more Uoen the patents TO the land
were issued, which, by the way, has not bee n
done yet. After Congress had adjourned he
drew on me for the other S100. / wrote him
that he had been paid $500 and that he had
no, kept his contract, but / would do az /
sgreed, pay the other 800, which 1 did. l
knew l was dealing with dog, too trihing
10 kill and too mean TO let alone. There is
ali there is in the story. Sheridan, believe
it was, who ssid, Patriotism is the Last
refuge of scouDdre.s' When such men as
George bscoms 80 patriotic as to
want 10 protect the people against rogue9,
think patriotism is getting TO a low ebb. l
repeat that l did pay him the money to keep
his mouth shut, because ! knew him, and
knew that he aud his followers could delay
the bill, and would do it, and my people
were too much interested in the bill to let it
ia,l for the want of 5000 or $500. 1 paid
the money, ard ss ! said before, Mr.. Whee.
lopE rain .daI it fn ma y