Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-12-21
WHOLE NO. 4O3.

lUiS
A modification Of the existing laws in rc-
spect to The prices of the public lands, night
also have a favorable inhncnc" on the legis-
ilaiion of Congress. IN relation to another
branch Of the subject. MANY who have not
the ability In buy at present prices, settle Oh
those lands, with the hope Of nrqn,rng from
their cultivation the means of purchasing un-
der pre-. .cmption laws, from time to time pms
sed hv Congress- For this encroachnent on
the rights of The United States. they excnss
themselves under the plea of their own me-
ccsSitirs; The fact that they dlspnssoss no.
body, and only enter upon The waste domain
that they give additional value 10 the public
lands in their vicinity. and their intention ul-
timatcly Ia pay the Government price. Sv
much weigh, has from time to time been at
;ached 10 these considerations, that Congress
have passed laws giving actual settlers on The
public lands right nf pre-rmpton to tho
tracts occupied by them NJ the minimum
iprice. These laws have in al instances been
retrospective IN their opern'ion but IN n few
years after their passage, crowds or nrw set
tiers have been found on the public lands, for
similar rcnsons. aud under like expectations,
who have been lndnged with the same privi-
lcge. This course ofleGislatlon tends To i'm
pair prbc respect for the laws Of the coun-
Try Either the Laws To prevent rir''si"T
upon the public lands should he cxrcu'e'l, ar,
if that should be imrract cable or lncxprdl"nt,
they should be modified or repealed. IL the
public lands arc Ia be considered ne open TO
be occupied by any, they should, Ivy law, be-
thrown open to all. That which Is iniendcdy
in all instances, To be legalized, shon!d Mt
once be made legal. that those VII" are dis
posed to conform 10 the laws may enjoy mt
I. ..,l al, hn VT
Bat il j. not believed 20 be- the Disposition Of
Congress to open the public lands 10 occu-'
pancv without regular entries aud payment
of the Governments price. MS such a csnrse
must tend to worse evils than the credit sys--
TEN, which it was found necessary 'o abolish.
II would seem. therefore. To be the part Of
wisdom and sound policy 10 remove, as far az
practicable, the causes which oduce intru-
sinns upon th" public lands, and then take
efficient steps 10 prevent them in future
w ould any single MEASURE be so effective ,n
removing all plausible grounds for these in
trusions rs the graduation OF price already
suggested A short period of industry and
eronomy in any pnrt Of our country would
enable the poorest citizen to accumulate the
means to buy him n home at the lower prices-
! ard leave him without apology for settling on
/ lands not his own. Ifhe did not, under such
circumstances, he would cullst no sympathy
! in his favor: md the laws would be readily
oxccr'ed, without doing violence to pubic
opinion. =.
A large portion Of our citizens have seated
themselves on the public lands. without an-
thoritv. since the passage Of the last pre- e-epP-
tion law, and now ask the enactment OF an
other. to enable them to retain the lands oc-
cupicd, upon payment Of the minimum CO.
vcrnmont price. They osk that which has
been repeatedly granted before. lfthe future
may he judged of by the past. little harm can
be done to the interests of the Treasury nv
Welding to their request. Upon critical
examination. it is found that the lands sold at
the public sales since the introduction OF cash
payments in 1920, have produccd,on m aver
arc the nett revpnue Of only SIX cents an
acre more than the minimum Government
price. There is no reason to suppose thar
future sales will be more productive. The
Government, therefore, has no adequate pc
cnninrv interest to induce it to drive these
people from the lands they occupy, for the
purpose Of selling them TO others.
Entertaining these views. ! recommend tn"
passage Of pre-emption law for their bene-
ft, in connection with the preparatory steps
towards the graduation Of the price of the
publc lands and further aud more effectua1
provisions To prevent intrnsions hereatt"r.-
Indulgence TO those who have settled OH
these lands with expectations that past legIs"
lation would be made q rule for the future.
and at tho same time removing the most
plausible ground on which n'rusions IRE ex-
cuscd, and adopting more efficient means to
prevent them hereafter, appears to me the
mos, judicious disposition which can be made
of this difficult subject. The limitations and
restrictions TO guard against nbnses IN the
execution of pre-. .emption law, will necessn-
rily attract the careful attention Of Congress;
out under no circumstances is II consi dereo
exoedient to authorize floating claims IN any
shape. They have been heretofore, and
doubtless would be- hereafter. most prolific
sources Of fraud and oppression, and lnstead
of operating to confer the favor of the Co.
yernment on Industrious settlers. are often
used only to minister to spirit OF cupld'ty
at the expense Of the most meritorious OF that
enss.
The accompanying report Of the Secretary
Of War will bring to your view the state OF
the Army, and all the various subjects conf
ded to the superintc cndence Of TINT officer.
The principal part of tbs Army has been
concentrated in Florida. With view, and IN
the expectation. Of bringing the war IN that
Territory to 4 speedy close. The necessity
of strippinp the posts nn the maratin,e ana IN
land frontiers Of their entire garrisons, for
the purpose of assembling in the field an ar,
nv Of I.ss than four thousand men, would
seem 10 indicate the necessity Of increasing
our regular forces; and the superior clhcien-
CIV as well rs greatly diminished expense OF
That description Of troops, recommend this
measure M one Of economy ns well NJ Of cx-
pcdiency. refer to the report fnr the rcn-
son, which have indnced tho Secretary 81
War TO urge tho reorganization and enlarge
mcut ofthe staff Of the Army, and oftbe ssd-
nance corps. in which fully concur.