Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1837-12-13

COlf CtlilA iES RAOtAS a. AtANS -
tiyated farms, owned by their occu-
pants. That policy is not best promo
ted by sending emigration up the al
most interminable streams Of the west,
10 occupy, in groups, the best spots Of
land, leaving immense wastes behind
them, andenlarging the frontier beyond
the mean ofthe Government to afford
it adequate protection; but in encour-
aging it to occupy, with reasonable
denseness, the territory over which 1t
advances, and finds its best defence IN
The compact front which it presents to
the Indian tribes. Many of you will
bring to the consideration Of the sub
lect the local knowledge and great
er experience, and all will be DESTROYS
Of making an early and final disposition
Of every disturbing question in regard
to this important interest. If these
suggestions shall in any degree contri-
butte to the accomplishment of so i'm
portant a result, it will afford me sim
cere satisfaction.
In some sections ofthe country, most
| of the public lands have been sold, and
The registers and receivers have very
little to do. 1t is a subject worthy of IN
quiry whether, in many gases, two or
more districts may not be consolidated
and the number of persons employed
in this business considerably reduced.
Indeed, the time will come, when it will
be the true policy of the General Gov
eminent, as to some OF the States, to
transfer to them, for a reasonable equl-
valent, all the refuse and unsold lands,
and to withdraw the machinery Of the
Federal land Offices altogether. All
who take Il comprehensive view of our
Federal system, and believe that one OF
its chief excellencies consists IN inter-
fering as little as possible with the in
ternal concerns of the States, look for.
ward with great interest to this result.
A modification of the existing laws
in respect to the price Of public lands,
might also have a favorable influence
on the legislation of Congress, in rela-
ton 10 another branch of the subject.
Many who have not the ability to pur.
chase at the present prices, settle on
those lands, with the hope Of acquiring
from their cultivation the means of
purchasing under presumption laws,
from time to time passed by Congress.
For this encroachment on the rights OF
the United States, they excuse them
selves under the plea Of their own ne
cessities !; the fact, that they dlspossess
nobody, and only enter upon the waste
domain that they give additional val
ue to the public lands in their vicinity,
and their intention, ultimately, to pay
the Goyernmontprice. So much weight
has from time to time been attached to
these considerations, that Congress
have passed laws giving actual settlers
on the public lands a right OF pre-emp-
ton to tho tracts occupied by them at
the minimum price. These laws have
their operation; but in a few years aE-
ter heir passages, crowds OF new set
tiers have been found on the public
lands, for similar reasons, and under
like expectations, who have been in
dulged with the same privileges. This
course of legislation tends to impair
public respect for the laws of the u
try. Either the laws to prevent intru-
sion upon the public lands should be
executed, or, if that should be lmprac-
ticable and in~expedient, they shouldbe
modified or repealed. If the public
lands are to be considered as open TO
be occupied by any, they should, by
law, be thrown open to all. That
| which is intended, in all instances, to
be le~galized, should at once be made
legal, that those who are disposed to
conform to the law, may enjoy equal
privileges with those who are not. But
it is not believed to be the disposition
Of Congress to open the public lands to
occupancy without regular entries and
payment Of the Government price, as
such a course must tend to worse evils
than the credit system, which it was
found necessary to abolish. 1t would
seem, therefore,, 10 be tbe part OF WIS
dom and sound policy to remove, as
far aspracticable, the causes which pro-
duce intrusions upon the public lands,
and then take efficient steps to prevent
them in future. Would any single
measure be so effective in removing ali
plausible grounds for those intrusions
as the graduation Of price already sug-
gested ? A short period ofindustry and
economy in any part of our country
would enable the poorest citizen TO
accumulate the means to buy him a
home at the lowest prices and leave
hum without apology for settling on
lands not his own. If he did not, un.
der such circumstances, he would en-
list no sympathy in his favor and the
law would be readily executed, without
damn yiOlopno 20 n,blir n~piniop