The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-29

of the facts, have dehominated the
scheme of your memorialist to get
quiet possession of Greer county I'M
der the juriSdictiOnOf the state to be a
mere matter of speculation on his part.
a moments reflection will convince
any unprecedented mind that if it is a
speculation, it is one in which all the
parties interested will obtain profits,
except, perhaps, your memorialist.
Whether he will gain or lose, will
depend upon the future expenditures
he may be compelled TO make.
PROFITS TO THE VETERANS.
If successful in getting the law
passed, each veteran can receive for
his halfIthe land at least 500: market
value of certificates when received,
S225; profit to each veteran, S415.
PROFIT TO THE STATE OF TEXAS.
For quoting title to Greer county
which could never have been effected
but by obtaining the duplicate report
and accompanying documents from
the Texas boundary commissioner,
Judge William H. Russell, which your
memOralist succeeded in accomplish
ing few months before Judge Rus
sells death. Anyone else could have ac-
complished this, but no one happened
to think of it. Without this testi-
mony it would have been impossible
to disprove the record of the United
States, wherein it is stated that the
line was run by the joint boundary
commission in 1860, thus giving the
territory to the United States.
As before stated, your memorialiSt,
on his own volition, at his own eX-
penSe, obtained this testimony. Not
only this, but he visited Washington
City, ransacked the government
offices, obtained such an array of
maps, public documents, books, etc,
as will establish the title of Texas to
Greer county.
The territory embrac-
ed within its limits
amounts to........ 1,6SO,OOO acres.
Deduct ninety-siX GER
tificatessprOpoSed to
be located. ........ 11712O
Net profit of the state 1,562,SSO ,
All that is asked in return for the
above mentioned expenditures and
services is the privilege of locating
the above mentioned ninety-six certifi-
Gates, according to their tenor, within
Greer county. Is not this reasona-
bic? Is it not Just? Is
there member in either house
who can vote against so reasonable a
proposition?
If the bill does not become a law,
you can readily perceive the result.
The certificates will probably fall to
the old price. They will have to be
sold, and the soldiers and widows of
soldiers who aided in achieving the
independence of Texas, will be de-
prived of all they have, leaving many
of them in abject want.
How will it be with the state of
Texas? Your honorable body will
perhaps not meet again in less than
two years. Delays are dangerous.
When you assemble again you may
find the title to Greer county appar-
emily as far from settlement as it was
tWenty-three years ago. You may
ind the evidence of title already col
lected to be private property and hard
to duplicate. You may find it folly
to demand justice from the United
States before you dispense justice to
your own citizens.
In conclusion, your memorialist
will state that he regrets to see so
little interest manifested in this
matter, which he conceives to be one
of the most important measures be-
fore the legislature, for, in his opinion,
based upon a thorough knowledge of
the subject, from the beginning of the
controversy to the present time, that
unless the present legislature author
ICES locations to be made in Greer
county, the title will forever pass
from the state of Texas. That you
will act advisedly is the prayer of
your memOrialist, respectfully sub
mitted. JNO. NJ. SWISHER.