The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1827-12-13

yearly surplus Of reNenue viii accrue, which may be-
applied the wisdom OF Congress, under the eNcr-
else OF their constitutional powers NAV devise for the
further establishment and Improvement Of the public
roads by adding still more to the facilities in the
transportation of the mails or the indications Of the
prosperous condition ofOur country can be more
pleasing than those presented by the multiplying rela
tons Of personal and intimate intercourse between the
citizens of the union dwelling at the renotest dstan-
ces from each other.
Among the subjects which have heretofore occupied
the soctude and attention ofCOngrcss, the manage
ment and disposal of that portion Of the property of
the nation which consists Of the public lands. The
acquisition of them, made at the expense Of the whole
Union only in treasure but in blood marks right
of property in them equally extensive. BY the report
and statements from the General Land Office, now
communicated appears, that under the present Gov
eminent Of the United States, a sum little short of
thTtyhree millions ofdolars, has been paid from the
cnmmon Treasury, for that portion of this property
which has been purchased from France and Spain,
and for the extinction of the aboriginal titles. The
amount OF lands acquired is near two hundred and
SIXTY millions of acres of which, on the first of Jam
1926, about one hundred and thiry-nine millions of
acres had been surveyed, and little than nine
teen millions of acres had been sold. The amount
paid into the Treasury by the purchasers of the lands
sold, is not yet equal to the paid for the whole,
but leaves small balance TO be refunded the pro-
ceeds of the sales of the lands have long been pledged
to the creditors of the nation; pledge from which
we have reason TO hope that they will very few
years be redeemed. The system upon which this
great National interest has been conducted was the
result OF long, anxious, and persevering deliberations
matured and modified by the progress of our popuIa-
ton and the lessons of experienced has hitherto been
emnentiy successful. More than nine tenths of the
lands still remain the property of the Union
the appropriation and disposal Of which are sacred
trusts i'll the hands of Congress. OF the lands sold,
considerable part conveyed under extended
credits which, in the vicssitudes and fluctuations in
the value ofIands, and OF their produce became op-
pressvey burdensome to the purchasers. 1t can ne
yer be the interest Oh the policy of the nation wiring
Tho of
try and enterprise, by holding them to the rigorous
import OF disastrous engagements. In March, 1921,
debt of twenty-five millions of dolars due by pur-
chasers of the public lands, had accumulated which
they were unable to pay. An Act of Congress- of the
I'd of March, 1921, came TO their relief and has been
succeeded by others; the latest being the act of Nav
4th 1926, the Induigent provision (which expired on
the 4th o. July last. The effect of these laws has
been to reduce the debt from the Pun chasers to re-
manning balance of about four millions three hundred
thousand dollars due; more than three ths of which
are tor lands within the state of Alabama. | recon-
mend to Congress the revival and continuance, for
further term of the benfcent accommodations to the
public debtors, of that statute and submit to their con-
slderaon in the same spirit of equity, the remission,
under proper determinations, of the forfeures ofpar
ua payments on account OF purchases of the public
lands, so far to allow Of their application to other
payments.
There are various other subjects of deep nterestto
the whole Union, which have heretofore been recon-
mended to the consideration of Congress- we'll by
my predecessors, under the impression of the dt-
ties dcvolvins upon me, by myself Among these
the debt rather oustce than gratitude to the surv
wing warriors of the Revolutionary War the extern
sion Of the judicial Administration the Federal Gov
eminent to those extensive and important members Of
the Union. which, having risen into existence since
the organization of the present Judiciary establish
ment, now constitute at least third Of its territory,
power and population the formation of more effec-
tive and uniform system of government Of the Militia
and the amelioraton in some form modification, of
the diversified and often oppressive codes relating to
insolvency. Amidst the multiplicity of topics of great
national concernment which may recommend them
selves to the calm and patriotic deliberations of the
Legislature, it may suffice say that, these and all
other measures which may receive their sanction,my
hearty cooperation will be given, conformabIy to the
duties enjoned upon me, and under the sense of all
the obligations prescribed by the Constitution.
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.
THcs1in pt0n, Dec. f. 1897.