The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-10
|%HEBACKBONE LAND-GRANT.
DIR. Van Wyck Denounces the Issuing Of
Patents by the Interior Department,
sAnd Er. Teller Defends His Action in the
| Matter, and E~ndeavors to Prove that
His Position Is Well Supported.

he Journal the Chair laid before the Senate a
Communication from the Secretary of State,
sbeing notice that he (Mr. Bayard) had forwarded
TO the Legislature OF Delaware his resignation
of his position as Senator; also, communication
from the Secretary of the Interior and the Attor-
ney-general, notifying the Senate of their ac-
ceptance of Cabinet positions, and requesting
the President of the Senate to so notify the
Legislatures of their respective States.
The credentials of Mr.. Blair, as senator to fill a
temporary vacancy, were laid before the Senate
and read. DIR. Vest moved that they be re-
ferred to the committee on privileges and
elections. Lost.
Blr. Hoar offered a formal resolution that the
oath be administered to the senator from New
Hampshire. Mr.. Harris asked unanimous con-
sent that it lay over till tomorrow. Granted.
The resolution offered on Friday by Mr.. Van
fWyck, making inquiry of the Secretary of the
anterior in regard to issuance of patents to the
Backbone road, was laid before the Senate.
tMr. VanWyck spoke at length. He said that it
was a matter of sincere regret that the last act
of the late administration should have been per-
formed at the dictation and interest of
corporate wealth. He detailed the history of
the backbone" road, and it's mysterious rec
ord, " which, he said, formed a most remarkable
chapter in railroad annals. Gould and
Huntington, he declared, were schem-
ing in this matter, as they were with
Scott and the Texas Pacific, using
the same tactics and the same influences. They
would not consent that Congress should forfeit
Ethis grant unless it should, at the same time,
convey it to them. The proposition was so in
famous that Congress, though manipulated as
Huntington desired, would not consent. 1t was
elaine that there was a special meeting of the
Cabinet-its last-to legalize this fraud. Did
the actual settlers on this land have any advo-
cate there, and were their rights protected9 The
law secured settlers rights, but did the Cabinet
protect them. or were they turned over to the
tender mercies of this corporations 1t was
claimed, by way of apology or defense, that
Secretary Kirkwood desired the opinion of the
Attorney general as to the validity of this grant.
With q few notable exceptions, the history of
the land bureau of the Interior Department was
a record OF demands for land grants to corpora
tons and DEGREES of the department in obedience
thereto. But when the demand was too exact
ing, an opinion of the Attorney general was
sought, behind which to escape until the storm
of public indignation passed by. In this case the
Attorney general was equal to the occasion, and
sustained the reputation of his office in that di-
dectl0n. very learned arguments Dy JuQSeS
Dillon, Green and Pierrepont, on behalf of
Gould and Huntington, were made before the
Encouragement, but alas! no one appeared on
behalf of the people. From all the offices Of
this great Nation no one appeared to defend the
public domain. No wonder the Attorney general
readily accepted the arguments of Gould's attor-
neys. In the Forty-eighth Congress the public
lands committee of the House reported in favor
of forfeiture, but, by some political legerdemain,
the matter was afterwards referred to the judi
ci2Ty committee TO PenOrt as TO the legality
of the proposed forfeiture. A majority of the
latter reported adversely and was sustained in
the House by a close vote. That the symmetry of
legislation might be preserved, it was to be
hoped that Samuel Huntington might hereafter
give sketches of the means and manner of this
achievement. By what mysterious power could
this company orits assigns coerce this government
into an extra session of its Cabinet and secure
action with which they would seek to ~foreclose
Congress and the people from effectively reliev-
ing the spoiler of his prey? What right had the
President and Cabinet to waive broken condi-
tions9 That power was vested in Congress alone.
But why this hastel Why should clerks work
nights and insult the religious element of
this Nation by working on Sunday?
What the necessity, public or other
wise9 This Republic was not to perish
on the 4th of March. It's continuity was not to be
disturbed by changing the executive. There
was to be no suspension of powers and duties.
Was all other business in the Interior Depart
Ment concluded by March 4! Did the other
AGEuIIN6 uGUdE UIuGAlo " II tlClI LlSUU
and Sundays so that the new administration
might start with only new business2 The people
would ask, why this hastel Was it dangerous
to trust the representatives of the people In the
next Congress! Was it dangerous to trust the
incoming administration to do justice to the
men claiming this grant! Was there danger
that the rights of settlers on these lands would
be recognized and the public domain be pro-
tected by the incoming administration? If so,
then it evidently had been installed
too, soon. He desired to give public
notice that the legality of the patents
would be contested, so that purchasers Of the
bonds now TO be issued might not claim the pro-
lection accorded innocent purchasers without
notice.
MIR. TELLER's REPLY.
Mr.. Teller, replying to Mr.. Van Wyck, said:
ttMr. President, my experience in this body has
Snot been as lengthy as that of some that sit be
fore me, but, after something over eight years
that l have been in the public service. l confess
to considerable establishment, on picking up a
resolution SO discourteous, so unsenatorial, as
this to a &C. ordinate branch of the government.
] suppose it has ACCOMPLISHED the purpose for
which it was introduced. 1t has enabled the
mover of this resolution to appear before the
public, not for the first time, not on the first oc-
-Gasion, but as he has on various occasions, as the
special champion of the labor classes, of the
down-trodden people of this country, and
as the special opponent Of corporations
/ presume the senator, in introduc-
ing the resolution, expected nothing more.
de hardly expected that any department of the
government would allow itself to be thus as
sailed without answering. Before this discussion
is closed, and on some other occasion, | shall call
the attention of this Senate to the remarkable
character of the various resolutions coming from
this same source, that have been directed to the
executive departments of this government with
in the last three years. | want to give notice
here. and to everybody, that although the ad-
ministration has passed into the hands of a polit
ical party with which | am not affiliated, yet as
q senator having due respect for the executive
department of the government, l never intend,
without at least a protest. that that administra
tlon shall be treated by this senator, or
late administrator has been treated.
Why, Mr.. President, if you were
to believe ali this honorable senator has said to,