The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-10
EXTRA SESSION OF THE SENATE.
Van WICK speech on the Backbone"
Land Grant Issue.

of the journal the Chair laid before the
Senate communication from the Secretary
of State, being notice that he (Bayard) had
forwarded TO the Legislature OF Delaware the
resignation of his position Senator, also
communications from the Secretary of the
Interior and Attorney General, notifying
the Senate Of their acceptance OF Cabinet
positions and requesting the President of
the Ser ate to so notify the Legislature of
their respective States.
The credentials of Mr.. Blair, as Senator to
ell q temporary vacancy, were laid before
the Senate and read.
Mr. West moved they be referred to the
Committee on Privileges and Elections.
Lost.
Mr.. Hoar offered formal resolution that
the oath be administered to the Senator
from New Hampshire, and Mr.. Harris asked
unanimous consent that it lay over till to-
morrow. Granted.
The resolution offered on Friday by Mr..
VanWyck, making inquiry of the Secretary
of the Interior in regard to the instance of
patents to the Backbone" road was laid be-
fore the Senate, and Mr.. VanWyck spoke at
length.
He said it was matter of sincere regret
that the last act of the administration should
have been performed st the dictation and in
the interest OF corporate wealth. He de-
tailed the history OF the Backbone" road
and its mysterious record, which. he said,
formed the moot remarkable chapter in rail-
rofd annals. Gould and Huntington, he de-
clared, were schsmiDg in this mat.
ter as they were with the
Scott and Texas Pacific. using
the same tactics and the same influences
They would not consent that Congress should
forfeit this grant unless il should at the
same time convey 1t to them. The prOpo-
siticn was so infamous that Congress, though
manipulated as Huntington dictated, would
Lot consent.
1t was claimed that there was a special
meeting of the Cabinet-its last, to legslize
this fraud. Did the actual settlers on this
land have any advocate there, and were their
rights proteeted2 The law secured settlers
rights, but did the Cabinet protect them, or
we're they turned over to the tender mercies
OF this corporation? II was claimed By way
of apology or defence that Secretary Kirk
wood desired the opinion of the Attorney
General as to the validity of this grant
With few notable exceptions the history
of the Land Bureau of the Interior Depart
ment was q record of the demands of land
grant corporations and DEGREES Of the de.
partment in obedience thereto.
But when the demand was too exacting,
sn opinion of the Attorney General was
sought, behind which to escape until the
storm of public indignation had passed by.
In this case the Attorney General was
equal to the occasion, and sustained the
reputation OF the Office in that direction.
Very learned arguments by Judges Dillon,
Green and Pierrepont on behalf of Gould and
Huntington were made before the Attorney
General, but, alas, no one appeared on be-
bali OF the people. From all the offices OF
this great Nation no one appeared to defend
the public domain. No wonder the Attor-
ney General readily accepted the arguments
of Gould ssattorneys- In the Forty-eighth
Congress the Public Lands Committee OF the
House reported in favor OF forfeiture, bat
by some political legerdemain the matter
was sfterward referred to the Judiciary Com
mittee to report as to the legality OF for.
fixture.
A majority of the latter reported adversely
and was sustained In the House by close
vote. That the symmetry OF the legislation
might be preserved, il was to be hoped that
the same Huntington might hereafter give
sketches of the means and manner OF this
achievement what mysterious powei
this company or its assigns coerce this Gov.
eminent into an extra session OF its Cabinet
aud secure action with which they would
seek to foreclose Congress and the people
from eff ctively depriying the spoilsr of his
prey.
What right had the President and Cabinet
TO waive broken conditions That power
was vested in Congress alone. But why this
haste2 Why should the clerks work nights
and insult the religious element of the Ma.
tion by working on Sunday? What is the
necessity, public or otherwiEe2 This Re-
public was net 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 aud duties. All other
business in the Interior Department was
concluded by March 4. DID other Executive
Departments work their forces nights and
Sunday, so that the new administration
might start with only new business? The
people should ask, why this haste2 Was it
dangerous &c trust the representatives OF the
people in the nsxt Congress- Was it dan
gerous 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 protected by the incoming adminiStra-
ton? II so, then it evidently had been in
stalled too soon. he desired to give public
notice that the legality OF the patents would
be contested, 80 that the purchasers OF the
bonds nov to be issued might not claim the
protection accorded innocent purchasers
without notice.
Mr.. Teller, in replying to Mr. Van Wyck,
said: Mr.. President, my experience in
this body has not been as lengthy as that OF
some that sit before me, but after something
over eight years that have been in the pub
nc seIVlCe,A CONFESS 10 conslusraoIe asIonlSn-
ment on picking up the resolution so
ciScourteous so unsenatorial as this to a
coordinate branch of the Government. ]
suppose 1t has accomplished the purpose for
which 1t was introduced. It has enabled
the mover CT this resolution to appear before
the public, not for the first time, no one
first occasion, but as he has on various oC.
cssions as the special champion of the labor
ing classes Of down trodden people of this
country, and as the special opponent of cor
rorstions. presume the Senator in intro
.ducing the resolution expected NOTHING
more. he hardly expected that any depart
ment of the Government would allow itssli
TO be thus assaulted without answering the
resolution. Before this discussion is closed
and On some other occasion, / shall cal
the attention of this Senate to the remark
alba character of various resolutions cOmipc