Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-11-13

value, including all improvements. the
company made no Immediate attempt
to force compliance with thor demands.
To do so would bring tho whole matter
prominently before tho country and
! raise such a storm of indignant protest
from the whole people ms not only 10
forco the company Tn relinquish their
claim TO the homes OF tho settlers, but
to the entire grant OF many millions of
acres.
Tho conspirators well knew that they
had complied with no portion of tho
terms required in the grant, and that
until they did so they could have no
legal or equitable rights thereto. They
had decided, however. to obtain the
lands without complying with the terms
of the grant, and their policy was to
harrass tho settlers by threats, and in
every way possible TO incito them to
such acts of violence rs would bring
them in conflict with the State or local
authorities, while the officers of the
company stood ready TO appcuso any
public sentiment that might be stirred
up against themselves by asserting their
readiness to submit 10 arbitration or
the decision of tho courts, and il was
in pursuance of this policy that they
made no immediate attempts to enforce
their orders to pay or vacatc.
When it became evident that they
were to be forced into long and cX-
pcnsivc contest in defense of their
homes, the settlers had formed then.-
selves into n league, for tho purpose OF
employing counsel and taking whatever
other steps were possible for the pro-
lection of their rights. An appeal was
made to o. Ii. Browning, then Sccre.
tary OF the Interior, at Washington, for
his decision regarding the claims of the
company and of the settlers. Mr..
Browning examined { matter careful
ly, listened patiently to the arguments
OF the attorneys of the railroad COM
pany and decided that the company
had not built their road upon the line
specified in their charter, but had in
stoad built one hundred and fifty miles
distant from that line, where they had
no authority for building, and consc-
qucntly could have no possible claim to
any portion of the grant At the same
that he rendered this decision Secretary
Browning ordered the Land Commis-
sioners TO consider the lands in Cali
fornia claimed by the railroad company
opened for settlement, and to allow those
claiming them under the homestead
and presumption laws to prove up and
obtain their patents from the Govern
mcnt.
This decision was received by the
settlers mt the Slough with glad and
grateful hearts. 1t secured them in
their natural and acquired rights, and
was accepted us proof that the authori-
ties ut Washington were beyond the
power of the corrupt.onists, and that
the General Government would contin-
uc to respect the rights of the humbest
OF her citizens equally with those OF the
wealthy and powerful
With their love for and pride in their
country and its institutions strength
cncd by the justice of this decision of
one of its officials, those who were in a
cond tion to do so at once prepared
their papers for proving up, but before
they could secure their patent from the
Government word came that Mr..
Browning had withdrawn the lands
from market and that they would not
be permitted to receive their patent un-
til further notice
The cause Of this action on the part
ot the Secretary of the Interior was the
receipt of request from prominent
politician, who was Ma ior-General in
the Union army. whom the railroad
company had induced to intcrce c for
them, asking that further opportunity
of presenting evidence to show that
they were entitled to the land i'm uues-
ton be given lem. This was but a
trick OF the con Spirators to obtain time,
prevent the settlers from ut once recciv.
ing their deeds from the Government,
and give themselves opportunity TO
learn where an influence could be found
or purchased sufficiently powerful to
secure permanent reversal of the de-
clsion OF the Secretary. The Presiden-
tial campaign was coming on and they
hoped for change of some kind that
would enable them to accomplish their
dishonest purposes
The settlers, although anxious and
uneasy in their minds, believed that the
Government would ultimately deal just.
ly with them, tended their orchards and
rs usual, and added new fields
TO the territory already irrigated.
lhe election came and passed. Gen
eral Grant was elected President and
j. ID. Cox, of Ohio. was made Secretary
OF the Interior in place of Mr.. Brown
ing.
To Mr.. Cox the officers of the railroad
applied for favorable decis-
ion upon their right 10 the lands in
question, bringing every influence pos
siblc to induce him to do so, but with |
out success. Mr.. Cox decided rs Mr.
Browning had done, that the company
had no right whatever to the land, and !
ordered it again opened to presumption
and homestead, and this decision was
by the Acknowledgement OF
the United States, Hon. Charles Dev- |
ans.
1t is probable that the leading con
spirators and owners of the railroad |
had anticipated the nature of the de |
cision and decided in advance upo,
their course of action. BY means which |
may sometime; be better known to the |
public than at present, they procured |
the introduction into the United States |
Senate OF II joint resolution authorizing |
the railroad company to build its road |
las near as may be- on the line speci |
fled in the charter from the Stale oj
Cal fornia, and providing that when the |
road should be built in compliance in |
other respects with the law making thu
grant OF lands, the Secretary of the In
terror should cause patents for the same
TO be issued to the company, express
ly saving and reserying the rights o,
actual settlers"
This resolution was referred to the
Senate Committee on Pacific Railroads
whose chairman was friendly to tho
road, and who immed ately wrote to
Secretary Cox, suggesting that he
his order permitting the
settlers to prove up on their ella ms un-
I'll the committee could report, and
The Senate and House act upon the
resolution.
Mr. Cox complied with the re-
quest, again withdrew the lands from
market and again the Mussle Slough
settlers were refused permission 10 pre-
sent their proying-up papers and re-
ceve title TO Their homes.
No sooner was this nppnmnlishnJ