AND WHERE TO FIND ONE. 147 



levees and drains to reclaim these swamps and over 

 flowed lands, Congress, by act of March 3, 1849, 

 granted to that State &quot; the whole of those swamps 

 and overflowed lands which may be, or are found 

 unfit for cultivation.&quot; The Government, in the 

 spirit of enlarged public policy, conceded this class 

 of inundated lands to aid in the construction of per 

 manent levees, with a view to secure private prop 

 erty, and also as a sanitary measure. To this suc 

 ceeded the law of 1850, extending a similar grant 

 to Arkansas ; but the last section of the act en 

 larged the .grant, so as to embrace &quot; each of the 

 other States of the Union in which such swamp and 

 overflowed lands may be situated.&quot; When this 

 measure had its origin, and before it became general, 

 the grant was estimated as embracing 5,000,000 

 acres. But in September, 1863, it was ascertained 

 that the enormous quantity of 57,923,737 acres had 

 been selected. 



How such extraordinary flexibility was imparted 

 to a law having a definite object, is shown by the 

 subjoined explanation from the Washington Union: 



&quot; It is currently reported that extensive frauds have been 

 attempted in regard to the selection of swamp lands under 

 the act of September 28, 1850. That act granted to the 

 States the swamp and overflowed lands, unfit thereby for 

 cultivation, which were at that time unsold. Some of the 

 States selected swamp lands in accordance with the 

 field notes of the Surveyor-General ; other States appointed 

 agents to select these lands, the agents furnishing lists to 

 the General Land-office, which lists, having been examined 

 by the Surveyor-General, were reported for approval or 



