OSHKOSH COURIER

September 30, 1857

The Selected Land Swindle!

ASTOUNDING DISCLOSURES!

Brush and Bashford by the Ears!

BASHFORD’S BROTHER IMPLICATED!

Foxy Conduct of the Governor!

EXTREME SIMPLICITY OF BRUSH!

He inadvertently lets several Cats out of the Bag!

In last Friday’s Democrat appears a rather funny communication from A.K. Brush, the law partner of Governor Bashford, concerning the late sale of swamp and selected lands in Waupaca and Shawano counties, which we append below:

MR. EDITOR – SIR: I attended the land sales in Waupaca County and bid in several hundred acres of land. I had no knowledge that any but swamp lands were to be sold, I did not bid on any lands in towns 24 and 25, in range 14 east, where, after the sales, I was informed the selected land was situated. I had several conversations with the Governor about attending the land sales in Shawano and Waupaca counties, but heard nothing about the selected lands. It never entered my mind that the Commissioners were selling any but swamp lands until the sale land closed, when Mr. Millard informed me of the fact. As the Governor’s brother is interested with me in the land I bought, I am somewhat surprised that the Governor, if he knew the selected lands were to be sold, did not inform me. I did not attend the land sale in Shawano County.

I have made this statement for the purpose of showing what I, as one of the Governor’s friends, had to do with the sale of the selected lands mentioned in the Milwaukee papers.

A.K. BRUSH.

The State had been permitted by the general government to select some 36,000 acres of land, in lieu of the same quantity of swamp lands which had been sold to individuals during the interval between the passage of the Act of Congress granting the swamp lands to the State, and the perfecting of the plats. These lands were selected in the Counties of Waupaca and Shawano, and were very valuable, some of them being covered with pine timber. A writer in the Milwaukee News states that these lands were worth from five to fifteen dollars an acre. It has been charged that these 36,000 acres were ordered to be sold by the Governor on very short notice, and that only a few persons, and those the confidential friends of the Governor, were informed on the subject. The consequence has been that the lands were sold for less than one half what they should have brought, and that thereby the School Fund is minus not less than $150,000.

We think that the Governor has treated his illustrious law partner in a very shabby manner, and we don’t wonder that individual feels indignant, and "surprised". Brush says that he, in conjunction with the "Governor’s brother", bid in several hundred acres of land at this sale and that he did not know until after the sale that the selected lands had been sold, and he is not only surprised, but evidently very much disgusted with the Governor for having kept him in the dark on the subject.

But after all Brush need not be "surprised", for when he comes to reflect a little, he will see that the Governor has only netted with his usual discretion, in not admitting him to the inside of the ring. So long as the "Governor’s brother" was duly posted up, there was no necessity for initiating Brush into the secret; and so long as Brush shares and shares alike with the "Governor’s brother" in the profits of the "several hundred acres" which they purchased together we don’t see as Brush need care much because the Governor shoes to keep shady in the "several conversations" he had with him. That Brush should be mortified because of the Governors evident want of confidence in his capacity to keep a secret, is natural enough; but that is no excuse for his belching out on the Governor in a public print. - His is merely a private grief after all, and his regard for the Shanghai party, and the great cause of humanity ought to have prevented him from doing anything so calculated to attract public attention to the corruptions and plunderings of the Republican officials now in power. It was very indiscreet in Brush to write, and very stupid in the Democrat to publish such a communication; but as we intimated the other day, that sheet is not an accountable institution. It has a happy knack of breaking its own head every time it attempts to handle the political flail. We advise Brush not to keep his light hid under a bushel, but to give the world another exhibition of his astuteness. - Write another communication, and post us up as to what you don’t know on the subject of railroad corruption bonds. If the Governor, or the "Governor’s brother" have been mean enough not to entrust you with any of their secrets, give ‘em fits in the Democrat. A sympathizing and grinning public is anxious to hear from you again.