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Show SEN. TILLMAN HAS ME ANOTHER EXPLANATION i . HE IS CERTAIN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS IN ERROR. Wi:at He Told Bonaparte as to the Character and Value of the Land in Oregon. Washington. Jan. 13. Senator Till-j man late last night replied to Mr. Bonaparte's statement about his interview inter-view with the attorney general in regard re-gard to the Oregon land grants. Senator Tillman declared he is willing will-ing to place his oath alongside that of the attorney general as to what he said at tlfat time. He said he told Mr. Ronaparte he desired to secure some of the land for himself if possible. He said that it was his publle duty to at- I tempt to secure a cancellation of the ' land patents, if possible; his private ' right thereafter to secure some of the land, if he chose. "I have hastily read the statement Issued by the attorney general," said Mr. Tillman and so far as I gather its imiort there is no conflict of veracity between us, but rather one of memory. "Rut I feel very sure I mentioned the valuable character of the land and that my Interest in the matter had been first aroused because I wanted to purchase it and told him so. As to tho attorney general's statement about my private" Interests whether 'actual or in expectation,' he Is technically correct, I while actually incorrect, my private Interests at that time being confined solely to the desire that I might get some of the land, if the government should cancel the patents, but that was so distant and problematical that it ! amounted to nothing. "It was my public policy to secure the cancellation of the patents, If possible, pos-sible, after which it was my private right to buy some of it if I choose. As there were 2.100.000 acres in tho two grants in q-iestion and I only wanted 1.440, the relative interests arc easy to see. "The attorney general, Inthe opening open-ing part of hl3 statement, give.? the list of parties and corporations against whom suit has been brought, but I fail to see anything about any suit being instituted to recover the land granted to the state of Oregon to aid in tho construction of a military wagon road from the navigable waters of Coos Bay to Roseburg. These lands were the ones in which I, was interested and they were incorporated, both in the resolution which he drew and in tho joint resolution which became the law. "Has. or has not, the attorney general gener-al obeyed the act of congress, as I inquired in-quired in my speech, Monday, and', if not, why not?" |