St. Landry democrat., 1884-06-14
OPELOUsAS, SATURDAY, JUNE II, 1854

We publish below an extract from /
debate which took place in Congress {
few days since, on the subject of the
railroad land forfeitures. AS stated by
Judge Cobb, chairman Of the commit.
tee having charge of these measures
there are 100, 900, 600 of acres of land in.
vOlVed, worth the sum of 5000, 600, 600
Who will doubt but that Judge CObb's
committee could have had 100000 from
the railroads if he had asked it.? The
Congressman from this district, Hon. E.
Il. Lewis, is member of that commit
tee, and has acted in perfect accord with
Judge Cobb in all the fOrfeitures pro-
posed.
Mr.. COBB. did not have him in nv
mind at the time. But I am stating
facts that know to be true. heard q
railroad man say that if I would take
the position of nOn-forfeiture ia this
case the argument would be ample and
the report full and complete without nv
labor. l scorned it as | w0uld turn a
leper from my door. If Il had required
1t, if | had said | wanted million dol
lars for my committee, have no doubt
It would have been forthcoming in due
time. Bnt, thank God, the Committee
on Public Lands
Mr.. EATON. I think under that state
OF circumstances the gentleman should
call for a committee and have an exam
1nati0n made into this matter. / would
ike TO know who these railroad men
are to whom he refers.
Mr.. COBB. The gentleman is getting
very sensitive. What have I said to
make him so
Mr.. EATON. You have volunteered
to say virtually that you had been Of
tered for your committee million dol
Oars.
Mr.. COBB. 1 did not say any such
thing. # the gentleman had paid at
tention he would have known what / |
said.
Mr.. EATON. / did give attention.
MT. COBB. said no such thing.
Mr.. EATON. You said You had no
doubt that if You had required a million |
dollars for your committee yOu would /
have received it. That is what you
said.
Mr.. COBB. 4 will state here the rea-
Son / had for what have said. lam not
sure that have it here, but / have re-
ceived o circular letter that has been
sent by the president OF combination
of railroad men, of stockholders of rail-
roads who reside in New York and else
where, leyying Q contribution on tile
of every railroad corpora
ton in the land asking them to furnish
a certain proportion Of money. rating
them according to the amount of their
stock. What was the circular sent for +?
1t was for the purpose, he declares as
the president of this organization. of
preventing legislation in Congress and
in the States detrimental to the railroad 4
interest and for the purpose of procuring
legislation that is in the interest," OF rail-
road companies. And be said it will
take large fund. This is the reason III
made the remark / did to which the
gentleman from Connecticut takes ex-
ceptlOn. Have / not some reason to saw
that have no doubt that if my commit
tee could have been controlled the result
would have followed that spoke of in
The remark to which the gentleman
takes exception
/ can point the gentleman to a rail-
road stakeholder ia this town that gave
ne circular land he stands high as a
nan), and he will give the gentleman
'ne ii be desires it. He was levied upon
md refused to pay, because he beloved
t TO be for corrupt purpose and
knows that it was. IN
MIR. EATON. The gentleman misun-
lerstands me. / did not take any ex-
option to what he said. What / said
vas this, that if my friend had been ap-
'Toached in the manner in which be
it was high time that q COM
1ittee of this House should investigate
be matter and let us know in regard
D it. That is what | said. IL
Mr.. COBB. gave my belief, and |
ave given the facts upon which that
elief wac based, that money was raised
r had been tried to be raised. and III
o doubt it has been raised. And
ave no doubt that if my committee
ould have been controlled against land {
rant fOrfeitures We could have got
illi0n Of money. Does any man doubt
lat, when $780, 900 worth of lands
g in the balaRee9 What Ronlh 81, COO ]
0 amount to with 1O0OOO.O0O acres
land in the scale to l,p t,.'' al