Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-12-27
oUARrEaMAsrEn GESnRAL's orrIcr.

QUARrERNAsrER Generals OFFICE.
Washington City. Dee. II. 1896.
SIR: In answer to resolution Of the House OF
Representatives. of the 18th instant, REFEREED by
your order, to this Department, requesting infor-
nation " whether any, and, If any, what, mea-
have been taken, to carry into effect the act
Of Congress OF the 81 of March, 1926, directing
road to be made from Little Rock 10 Cantonment
Gibson, Ia the territory of Arkansas" l have the
honor to report: That, in compliance with the
provisions of the first section of that act Commits
sioners were appointed, and survey OF the route
OF the road referred to made, under the orders
Of the Engineer Department, during the last year;
that, In March, lS26, the superintentlency OF the
road was, by your order, transferred to this De-
pariincnt; that order sent from the Adj,i-
tant Generals Office 10 the Commanding Officer
al Cantonm,ent Gibson, insructing him to detach
force from his command 60 perform the work, and
arrangements were made by this Department to
supply the necessary funds and tools; but in con-
sequence of the troops being employed in copstruc-
ting quarters and defences, stated in my annual
report, the work had not been commenced at the
last date.
have the honor TO be- Sir, your obedient ant
TIL. 5. JESUP,
g. NJ General
Hon. JAMES BARBOUR.
This message was also ordered to lie on the la
bic.
On mc'lOn oil MI. Csmpoei, " was
ReSo!ccd, That the sundry reports made to this
House at the las, session by the Secretary Of Waf
in relation to desertions from the Army of the
United States, be referred 10 the Committee on
Mill airy Affairs, with Instructions to inquire into
the expectancy of adopting some further legal
provision which may effectually restrain
desertion.
PUBLIC LAND PURCHASERS.
MIR. Cook submitted the following:
H..
be instructed TO inquire into the expediency of au
thorizng the legal holders of certificates of the
purchasers OF public lands under the credit system
and on which complete payment has not been
made, to surrender their certificates of purchase TO
the u. States, and receive in lieu thereof cer,ifi
Gates, or scrip, for the amount of money thew NAV
have paid on the certificates so surrendered and os
making such substituted certificates or scrip. re-
ceivable only in payment for lands here ofore or
hereafter TO be sold
On offering this resolution. Mr.. Cook said. he
hoped he should be pardoned by the House il he
accompanied 1t by few words of explanation and
remark. lie was the more induced 10 do this. he
cause the present being the short session, be was
DESTROYS the subject should he taken I'd as earv "a
practicable. To this end, he felt confident il was
only necessary that its Importance should be IN
derstood and appreciated. 1t would be recollected
generally, that, from report of the Secretary of
debt tIom the purchasers of public lands, to the
alarming amount of twenty two millions of dollar.
Ihe sensation produced by the annunciston of this
TACT was felt not only in this House. but broupbopt
the nation; and the result the total abolition of
the system before pursued, of dsposing OF the Duh
Tic domain ON credit. Before a single wear had
elapsed The aprehensions which had been created
WERE In very considerable degree, realized; and
the great and general change which shortly tool
place the Stat f,f the I'M ~, H..
trade and money, very speedily made it manifest
That these landed debtors would be able to
The consequence was, the presentation to Congress-
OF petitions, not only from those States where the
public lands are situated, but from contiguous
States In fact, what may be denominated with
truth " universal prayer was sent I'D TO this
House, that Congress would devise a remedy for
30 dangerous and pernicious state of things. So
general an expression of the public will was no,
di'regarded, ard Congress in consequence nasssd
what Is ianiiarly known as the relief Io,c bv the
provisions OF which the purchaser was allowed IN
relinqush to the United States so much of the land
he had engaged as he was unable to nav for and
to make payment for the residue. The operation
OF this law soon reduced the land debt from TWEEN
ty-two millions 10 ten millions. The whole amonn,
VI land that was paid Tor by the did no, pro-
duce more han Ssi,S00,000, although 81 ner
cent. was allowed for cash Payments In 1900
this debt was brought down TO about seven mil
iiohs since which period it has suffered scarcely
any further reduction. The time in which ma vmen,
must be completed by those who purchased under
the credit system nov approaches. and it would he
taken into consideration by the l. Use. that those
persons consisted of the earliest set,i in the will
derness-nen who had brayed all il, dangers and
hardsmps, and after having subdued by their toll
obtained only naked subsistence, and had no
means TO furnish themselves with pecuniarv re-.
sources. These hardy sons OF the fores, wetepow
threatened by the Irresistible operation of law and
would soon he called either TO give TN the land for
which they had labored so hardly, or paw the mn
ney for (which they were unable TO do Tb;s
was the hard alternative before them. unless tho
Government, in its benignity, should devise p,an
tor their relief. The resolution he had offered aim
ed at pointing out the features of a plan which
would ehectusDy relieve them. He submitted il
TO the candid and serious consideration of the House
II permits persons thus situated TO surrender the
tiica!e they have received from Government. and
receive in lieu thereof evidence of debt, TO be in
'he nature OF scrip, Tor the they have respec
lively paid in. With this scrip, they shall be al
lowed to pay for as much land a. it v i'll buy. They
would thos receive back part OF their land again.
and be free from the debt
lie considered the accomplishment Of such re-
sun an OBJECT OF important public policy The
debt was calculated TO have, and in fact had
already produced, an injurious effect both ON The
interests OF Government and On the morals of the
People On this subject he spoke, with regret.
rom personal observation. II bore with peculiar
INJURY on purchasers OF small tracts VINO could not
pay aud would be compelled 70 forfeit the greater
part, 1t not the whole
III might be proI osed 10 allow them farther time;
out io's would only procrastnate the evil not re-
move IT, The debt would still press like an incubus
on Their Industry and enterprise; and when the
al nut gta g Al