The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-09-12
GREER COUNTY MIDDLE.
scATHlNe oAsTioATloN.
ne FranekIy N catLe Company and Its
Allies Shown Up, "The Greatest of
0rass Thisyes'-Governcr Ire
land indicated. aud His
Enemies Routed, Etc.

The folio q ing reply 10 the Galveston
News recent esticls on the Swisher
communication, has been sent 10 uB
for publication. II is addressed to that
ournal:
AUSTIN, S9pt. I, lSS5.--When / read
your editorial of tho lst OF September,
1 did not deem iswogth while 10 reply,
but upon second reading / noticed
your peculiar sneering, sarcastic, and
say.one.thng and'moan-another kind
Of style, and nearly all OF 1t applying
to me, have concluded to ask space
to say q few wordsin regard to 1t. 1t
Is u very peculiar document, for in its
whole length and breadth of nearly 81
column, ii does not mako one truthful
point against the land board, the Day
Land and Cattle company, or myself,
against whom Its lhundors arc hurled.
You commence your editorial az fol-
lows: "rho State Land Board and tho
Greer County Lands. The candid
statement of Colonel Swishar, re-
Gently mado To tho News IN defense OF
the State llnd board, sro 10 DO COM
mended. IL ell other curious land
transactions wore as fully exposed as
those referred to by Colonel Swishor,
the people might begin IT, 500 tho trug
inwardness Of much that perplexes
them now. I'ho unique naiveto Ia
refreshing. For hall OF 800, 900 Reros
Colonel SWiaher and others located
certificates OF his fellow-Yeteran
This land Is in Greer county, tho ter
ritory in dispute between Texas and
the general government.
Colonel 5wisher found the land,
which Ia fertile, fair. TO see,
and well watered, in pos
session OF free-grass pro-occupior,
and complains that Chis individual has
prevented tho sales OF his locations.
After obtaining only 600 acres tor
locating G2,5o0 actes for his ola COM
comrades, no was unable To sell, and
itnppears al tnat was loft him WAS TO
lease. Ii the State should lease con-
tigu0us lands, those located under
veteran certificates could DO leased,
and 1t Is understood, have boon leased.
The States interest and Colonel
Swisher's interest have been merged
into q common interest. No ono will
begrudge Colonel Swisher the advant-
age that results from a transaction
which " equally beneficial TO tho
State. No ono will sympalhize with
the misforEunos OF tho dnmineering
agent Of New York syndicate, who
would rule that country by tho power
Of might, in opposition TO the presi-
dents proclamation, or in violation of
the laws OF Texas. But what al that
has to do with the questionable action
of tho State land board in violating
its own advertised rules and rogula-
tons, does not appear. No one doubts
that Colonel Swisher did land-ofllce
business with tho Veterans. He has
soft place in his heart Tor HIS old COM
rades. lie divides the land with them
evenly and symmotrically, and in his
liberalisy would even divide RESPONSE
bility with tho land board. In land
matters there was scarcely over ho-
fore exhibited 80 much amiablo regard
for the State's interest"
Now, Mr.. Editor, you must DO the
very kind OF person the poet had in his
"mlnd's eye when he wrote:
"sk,nsd by touch 10 deepen scandals
tnts,
with ali the kind mendacily OF hints;
While mingllng truth with ialsehood-
eneers with smiles,
Athread of cGndor aud n wob OF wiles.n
The first sentence OF the editorial Is
literally true. But you evidently in
tended al opposite meaning. This
comes under the hoad of "Sneers and
Smiles" Tho second sentence may
be termed the "kind mendacity Of
hints" From this sentence down to
the sentence where you say "Colonol
Swlsher did land.oflico business"
may be- clgssed 80 thread OF oandor
and web OF wilas." | SEQ my name
mentioned in the above space, but 1
care nothing for your praise or SLAM
der, "for nn armed so strong In hon.
esty that they pass by mo like tho idle
wind which respect noi."
You say "no ono doubts that Colonel
SWisher did land-ofiice business with
the veterans etc. II you intended 10
convey tho IDEA that aid not contract
to locate their certificates as cheap or
cheaper than any other person would
have done, that | have robbed them In
any way, thon you como undor the
head OF
"FALsEHooD WITHOUT A MIN0LING OF
TRUTH"
/ have nlalo iG my aim through llio
TO try ana do unto othors as l would
have them do unto me. This is a hard
road to travel, but | have tho salts
faction of knowing that VI
to to-day, | have nevor willfully
wronged, cheRtod or deirauded any
man, woman or child, State or cor
porstion. Tho veterans arc the last
persons in tho world whom 1 woulC
think Of swindllng, for feel mysul
under the deepest obligations TO then
for giving mo their certificates Tor looa
ton. Had they not done 80 woult
not have thought Of investigating tn,
title of Texas TO Greer county, Tor
would have had no incentive.
] am sorry thoy havo met the sam
fate l have, by our own Legislature
casting shRdoWs on our titles and pre-
venting sales.
l state 1t openly and above board
although IL may look q little egotistl
cal in me, that but for my individual
exertions, Texas would by to-day hay,
given up all
CLAIMS no GREER COUNTY,
and tho title would have boen iirml,
nxed In tho United States. This cai
prove beyond controversy. can alsC
prove beyond controversy that befor,
and after went TO Washington, OBJ.
tained such evidence ~ will prove II
any court of justice, or other homes
tribunal, that tho United States doe
nOt pOSSesh mo huduOW ol ClNim I,
Greer county. Those proois have II
my possession, and can exhibit then
whom necessary. /, therefore, CLAIM
that individually have added TO TIL
public domain tho territory ombracot
In Greer county, amounting TO $4,000
acres, without tho hid OF any on
save tho glorious old veterans an,
widows Of Veterans who gave m
thoir certificates TO locate; Rhoadl
Fisher, at that limo chief clerk In tn
general land office, for giving mo- tn
Idea, and Colonel George w. Brack
enridge, OF San Antonio, and Maio
John Il. Breckenridge, OF Austin, 10
furnishing ne all times oil tho mono,
NEEDED. Having devoted 20 years o
tho prime 81 my lifo TO the service o
tho State, Ia various positions, prinol
pally nnaEcial, aud having cave
thousands and thousands OF dollar
for the S.ita, over and above my rnlg
ries, II should not 10 considered won
dorlul thai / should como 10 consido
myself a Kind of guardian OF Oh