No. 33. Monthly abstract of locations on public lands "subject to private entry," made for the month ending March 31, 1857, at the land office at Plattsburg, Missouri, on military land warrant certificates, issued pursuant to the first section of the act of Congress, entitled "An act in addition to certain acts granting bounty land to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in the military service of the United States," approved March 3, 1855. We certify that the foregoing is a true abstract of the locations consummated at this office up to date. ..... Reuben Middleton...... George S. Woodward... Thomas E. Bassett..... ....do Abner Pierson... Greenbury M. Watkins. Mar. 24, 1857......do.......................... do.. James H. Birch, jr... ..do.. Edward B. Waples. Joseph O. Shebby and LAND OFFICE AT PLATTSBURG, Mo., March 31, 1857. JAS. H. BIRCH, Register. Register's and receiver's No. Number of the f warrant. GENERAL LAND OFFICE, May 21, 1858. SIR: I return herewith the inclosed memorial, referring to and calling for papers in the Birch case, which, in said memorial, are described as follows: 1st. "That much of a communication inclosed to the President in his (Birch's) letter of the 24th October, 1857, which is devoted to reviewing and exposing the report of the Secretary of the Interior." No such communication of that date is or ever has been on the files of this office, * nor, indeed, any communication on our files from Birch to the President, of which copies have not been communicated in answer to the Senate resolution. 2d. "The telegram ordering all the papers, letters, &c., in the case to be sent to the department.' Herewith is inclosed a copy (A) of the telegraph, and copy (B) of the reply. 3d. "The letter of James H. Birch, jr., inclosing the application of Redan and White, on appeal from the register and receiver, to which the letter sent in, dated October 12, 1856, is an answer, is deemed material-that letter dated 2d or 3d of September, 1856. By referring to transcript No. 2 of the letter of the 12th October, 1856, from this office, it will appear that in said case of Redan and White the "warrant and other papers were then returned to Plattsburg, and Birch, jr.'s, letter doubtless among them, it not being found on our files. Its contents are fully set out on the face of said reply of 12th October, 1856, in possession of the committee. The case of Redan and White is nowhere referred to in the Senate resolutions or memorial-is one of a multitude of individual cases which had existence before Birch's fraudulent allowance of entries was made; and so it will appear that the imputation in the inclosed Birch memorial of any papers called for in the resolution being suppressed" is only a part of the tissue of falsity, prevarication, and double dealing which has marked the lawless proceeding by which the Birches have, in defiance of law and instructions, attempted to monopolize and seize upon, for themselves, large bodies of the public lands, in fraud of the rights of honest citizens. With great respect, your obedient servant, Hon. C. E. STUART, THOMAS A. HENDRICKS, Commissioner. Chairman Committee on Public Lands, Senate, U. S. * I am authorized by the Secretary of the Interior to say that a communication of about the date mentioned, from Birch, sr., to the President, was handed to him by the President, which was of such scurrilous character that he would not allow it go on the files of his department, and that he does not know where it is, or anything further about it. |