The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-09-19
DORSEY AS A REPUBLICAN LEADER.
His Exploits as a Politician and Dealer in
Western Land Grants.


Their most shocking performances occurred
under the administrations of Grant and Hayes;
and, by way of example, refer you to the
case of the Una de Cato grant, which was
claimed by Stephen w. Dorsey. its area was
100000 acres, a very large part OF which is the
finest land in New Mexico. Under favorable
opinion of the encouragement as TO its validi-
ty it was reserved from settlement under the
act of congress OF 1854 and remains so reserved
to-day. In the year 1877 investigations were
set on foot respecting the validity OF this grant,
which were exceedingly offensive to Mr.. Dor
sey. and resulted in completely demonstrating
its forgery early in the year 1879. He there
upon determined TO appropriate the lands un-
der the homestead and prescription laws. But
this he could not legally do. One surveyor
general had declared the grant valid, and an
other had pronounced IL forgery while con-
gress alone could determine the question, and
the land was absolutely reserved in the mean
time. In this dilemma the commissioner
of the general land oihce, who was touched by
Mr.. Dorsey's misfortune, ordered the land 10
be surveyed and opened to settlement, al
though he knew he had no power TO do SO.
Mr. Dorsey, who was already in possession of
many thousands of acres of the choicest lands
in the tract, at once sent out his squads of
henchmen Who by perjury and subornation
of perjury availed themselves of the forms of
the presumption and homestead laws in acquir-
ing pretended titles, which were conveyed 10
him in pursuance of arrangements previously
agreed upon. No record of this unauthorized
action of the commissioner is now TO be found
in the land Office. What was done was done
sneakingly and in the dark, and moth
ing is known OF the transac-
ton but the fact of its occurrence, and
the intimate relations then existing between
Mr. Dorsey and the commissioner and his chief
of surveys. OF course, he and his associates
i'm this business, have no title TO the lands thus
acquired, and their entries should be cancelled,
not only because the land was reserved from
sale by act of congress, but because the entries
were fraudulently made, as has been already
shown in many cases by investigations not yet
completed.
These are remarkable facts, but there is no
mystery about them. Mr.. Dorsey was then
power in republican politics. He had neared
the summit of his remarkable ascendency. 1t
was the following year, 1880 that his genius, as
secretary of the republican national committee,
lighted the way to a national victory for his
party for which he was subsequently BAN
quoted and lionized as "the Napoleon who car
RED Indiana" When such man wanted the
republican officials OF the land department to
bic HIM to appropriate large body of public
lands in furtherance Of his rapacity they did
not dare say no, and the robbery was accom-
plished. He well knew, and so did the CON-
missioner of the general land office and the sec
rotary of the interior, that this action was
totally unauthorized aud that the lands thus
acquired by him and his allies. under an illegal
order, rightfuily belonged to the United States
In these statements am supported by the rec
ords of the government, and no lawyer will at
tempt to controvcrt them.
This is but one case, among many, of land
stealing in New Mexico under republican rule