Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1839-03-07
WAsHINGTON, January 9.

Mr., Word from the Committee on PublicI
Lands, made the following REPORT: The
committee on the public lands, 10 which we re-
terred a memorial Of the Legislature Of the
State Of Mississippi, praying the confirmation
of certain purchases of the public land in Mis-
sssippi, under the act of the 18th June, 1884,
have had the same under consideration, and
submit the following report:
The memorial represents, that the registers
land receivers of the various land offices in the
State Of Mississippi, passed upon, and allowed
applications to purchase lands in said State un-
der the pre-emption law Of 1884 that the mon
ley for the purchase was paid, and certificates,
in due form, were issued by the proper officers
for the purchases SO made; that these certih-
Gates were considered as good and sufficiently
ilence Of an ultimate indeieasible title; and
that the lands, thus purchased, have been sold
in some instances, several times, and each has
been effected at an advanced price upon the
preceding sale; that some of the original pur-
chasers have died, and others have moved from
the State and that the present occupants have
made extensive improvements on the lands, al
tended with great expense, and in numerous ca
ses, acting under the belief that the sales were
valid and the titles Sood, the present occupants
have purchased adjoining lands to complete
their settlements. The memorial further rep
resents, that the proper departments OF the
Federal Government have recently returned
many Of the certificates of sale TO the land Off
ces in MlssissippL with instructions TO the reg
listers and receivers 10 cancel the sales and re-
fund the purchase money, if from testimony to
be taken by them, they shall be Of opinion the
= purchasers onot come within the provisions Of
] the act of19th June, 1891 The memorial al
so represents, that the canceling ofthese corti
Gcates, and annulling the sales, would give rise
to much litigation between the present occu
pants and the original purchasers, and lead &c
great difficulty and contention amongst the cit
E izons Of Mississippi; that the loss by the Gov
/ eminent, Grany.) by confirming the sales, woulc
NJ be trining, compared with the loss of the labor
=, AMI money OF the citizen, by annulling thu
$ sales
- The committee, in the investigation of Thu
$, subject, applied 70 the Commissioners of tn,
- General Land Office for information in relation
0 to the sales sought to be confirmed; and from
C letter addressed to a member oflhG committee
III by the Commissioner, it appears that all TIT
l. purchasers under the act of 18Th June, 1884
= in the Jackson, Washington, and Augusta dis
lrcts, have been examined, and that but ON
u purchase in these districts has been cancelled
+ that in the Chocchuma district, the cases fifty
!. nine in numbcr0 have not been examined, OF
+ account OF reservations, &c. under the treaty
c of Dancing Rabbit Creek; that all the cases il
the Columbus district have been examined, ant
n that Miriy.oae have been cancelled: one 70
want of possession on the 10Th June, 1884; on
Ion account orthe msconccption Of their author
5 ity on the part Of the registers and receivers
! and the remaining twenty-nne cases becaus
there was neither cultivation in 1888, nor pos
. session on the 10Th June 1884; and that Iarg
y number of cases in Augusta and Columbus dis
e tricts have been suspended on account Of a dc
r feet in the testimony
Q From the facts set forth in the memorial an
f. the letter from the Commissioner of the Gene
f raj Land Office, your committee can porcely
, no substantial reason why the purchases mad
in good faith, where no fraud or msrcpresen
@ italon has been used, and where there are no