Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-01-03

led farms owned py tneN occupnnt5' NAV polscy
IL not best promoted by sending emigration up the
almost interminable streams OF the west, TO occu.
py in groups tho best spots OF land, leaving
immense wastes behind them, and cnlargng the
frontier beyon this means of the Government to
afford adequate protection but In encouraging
il TO occupy, with reasonable denseness, the ter
ritory over which it advances, and find its best
defence in the compact front which it presents to
the Indian tribes. Many ofyou will bring to the
consideration of tho subject tho advantages of To-
cal know re and greater experience, and all will
be DESTROYS Of making All carly and final dispo.
stion of every disturbing question in regard TO
this important interest. If these suggestions
shall in any degree contribute to the ACCOMPLISH
ment of so important result, it will afford me
sincere satisfaction.
In some sections of the 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 inquiry whether, in many cases, two
or moro districts mag not be consolidated, and
the number Of persons employed in this business
consid ,rably reduced. Indeed, the time will |
come when it will be the true policy of the Gen.
eral Government, as to some OF the States, to !
transfer to them, for reasonable equivalent, all
the refuse and unsold lands, and to withdraw the
machinery of the federal land Offices altogether.
All who take comprehensive view of our feder-
al system, and believe that one of its greatest OK
cellencies consists in interfering little pos
sible with the internal concers of the States, look
forward with great interest to this result
A modification of the existing laws, in respecr
to the prices tho public lands, might also have
a favorable influence on the legislation of Con-
grcss, in relation to another branch of the sub
ject Many who have not the ability to buy at
present prices, settle on those lands, with the
hope of acquiring, from their cultivation, tho
means OF purchasing under presumption laws,
from time to time, passed by Congress. For this
ENFORCEMENT en- the rights of the United States,
they excuse themselves under the plea of their
own necessities; the fact that they dispossess
nobody, and only enter upon the waste domain
they give additional value to the public lands in
their vicinity, and their Intention is ultimately to
pay the Government price. So much weight has
from time 10 time been attached to these con-
siderations. that Congress have passed laws Civ
ing actual settlers on the public lands right of
presumption to tho tracts occupied by them at
the minimum price. These laws have in oil in
stances been retrospective in their opinion but
in few years after their passage, crowds ofnew
settlers have been found on the public lands for
similar reasons, and under like expectations, who
have been INDUCED in the Same privilege
This course of legislation tends to impair public
respect for the laws of the country. Either the
laws to prevent intrusion upon the public lands
should be executed, or, if that should be imprac-
ticable or inexpedient, they should be modified
or repealed. If the public lands are to be consld-
cred as open to be occupied by any, they should
by law, DO thrown open to all. That which is
intended, in all instances, to be legalized, should
at once BIO made legal, that those who are dispo-
sed to conform to the laws may enjoy at least
equal privileges with those who are not. But i.
is uot 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 neces-
sary to abolish. 1t would seem therefore, to be
the part of wisdom and sound policy to remove,
as far as practicable, the causes which produce
intrusions upon the public lands, and then take
efficient steps to prevent them in future. Would
any single measure DO so effective in removing
all plausible grounds for these intrusions as the
graduation of price already suggestedl A short
period ofindustry and economy in any part OF our
country would enable the poorest citizen to accu-
mulate the means to buy him home at the low
or prices, and leave him without apology for set
Ting on lands not his own. If he did not, under
| such circumstances, he would enlist no sympathy
in his favor, and the laws would be readily execu-
| ted, without doing violence to public opinion.
A largo portion of our citizens have seated
themselves ON tho public lands, without authori-
| ty since the passage ofthe last pre-emption law,
| and now ask the enactment Of another, to enable
| them to retain the la"ds occupied, upon payment
that which has repeatedly been granted before.
If the future may be judged by the past, little
harm can be done to the interests of the Treasury
| by yielding to their request. Upon critical ex-
animation, it is found that the lands sold at pub
lie sales since the introduction of cash payments
in 1890, have Produced on an average, the nett
| revenue of only six cents an acre more than the
| minimum Government price. There is no rea-
son to suppose that future sales will be more
| productive. The Government, therefore, has no
adequate pecuniary 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 the
passage of pre-omption law for their benefit in
connection with the preparatory step towards
the graduation of the price of the public lands,
| and further and more effsctual provision TO pre-
vent Intrusion hereafter Indulgence to those
who have settled on these lands, with expccta-
ton that past Legislation would be made rule
| for the future, and at the same time removing the
| most plausible ground which intrusions are
excused, and adopting more efficient means
to prevent them hereafter, appears to me the
most judicious disposition that can be made of
this most difficult subject. The limitations and
restrictions TO guard against abuses in the exc
| cution of presumption law, will necessarily at
tract the careful attention of Congress; but under
| no circumstances is it considered expedient to
| thorize floating claims in any shape.-They have
been heretofore, and doubt tess would be hereaf
ter, most prolific sources of fraud and oppression
and instead of operating to confer the favor of
the Government on industrious settlers, and Of
ten used only to minister to q spirit of cupidity,
at the expense Of the most meritorious of that
| class.
The accompanying report of the Secretary of
War, will bring to your view the state of the
| Army, and all the various subjects confided to
| the superintendence of that officer.
The principal part of the army has been con-
centratcd in Florida, with view, and in the ex-
pcctation of bringing the war in that territory
TO a speedy close. The necessity Of stripping the
posts on the maratime and inland frontiers of
their entire garrisons, for the purpose of assem-
bling in tho field army oflcss than four thousand
men, would seem 10 indicate the necessity of in
creasing our regular forces; and the superior eff.
cheney as well as greatly diminished expense of
that description of troops, recommend this meas.
ure as one of economy as we'll rs Of expcdiency.
l refer to the report for the reasons which have
induced tho Secretary Of War to urge the reor-
ganizaton and enlargement Of the staff ofthe Ar.
my and Of the ordnance corps, which fully
| concur.
1t is not, however, compatible with the inter-
csts Of the people to maintain, in time of peace
regular force adequate to tho defence of our
extensive frontiers. In periods Of danger and
alarm, we must rely principally upon we'll or.
ganizcd militia, and some arrangemcment that
will render this description of force more efficient
has long been subject of anxious solicitude. II
was recommended to the first Congress by Gen.
cral Washington, and has been since frequently