The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1841-12-30

|
terest So eager the public to obtain the inior
nation contained in the report, that, OF the lew co
s.prnted by order of the House, is now impossf
Die TO obtain an extra copy for business purposes
there being but single copy in this Department. Il
IS believed that the printing of the report, with The
maps, Illustrations &c, will cost by no means a,
much as was by some anticipated, and IS respecul
| y submitted TO the consideration of Congress, whe
Their the expense of the work will bear any compar
son 10 the benefits which would result TO the country
by IT'S publication, whether regarded contribution
10 the cause oil science or an auxiliary to the Gov
ernment IN the proper disposition of that vast nine
raj region, which has heretofore been the least pro-
ductlye portion Of the national domain. | therefore
earnestly recommend the re-prntng of the report a.
corrected, with the maps illustrations, &c., under the
direction of this Office and that 500 extra copies be
| furnished for the use of this Department
1he-resolution referred to required the submission
OF plan for the disposal of the publc mineral lands
which has not yet been done. The fact of all re-
strlctions in regard to that description of lands in
State having been removed will, il is apprehended
present no small if not usuperabe obstacle TO the
adoption OF any new plan OF universal application Tor
| the disposal of this properly.
| lnasmuch as no restriction of law is imposed, to
the disposal i'll the of ordinary lands, OF the
vast bodies of land on which copper, zinc and iron
ores exist, amidst the extensive regions wherein the
lead abounds (and recent newspaper accounts alude
to the existence of newly discovered mines OF lin, TO
great extent in fora, to the sales of which legal
- ",
lead is found SO extensively TO abound, an exclusive
restriction should be made TO operate on that kind Of
mineral and il is respectfully submitted TO your
sideration, and that of the National Legislature,
whether it is not the proper policy of this Govern
ment to throw all the mineral lands into market in
mode similar to that prescribed by the law of 1923
Tor those IN Missouri probably at an increased mini
mum, thereby inviting the attention, and exciting
the competition of capitalists generally throughout
the ned States.
t., L.. ~. -
ton is earnestly invited in view OF The following
facts:
First. That the Government has actually realized
little or nothing in all It's efforts under the restric
tive policy in regard TO these lands.
Second. That II is impossible without actual and
frequently very tedious and expensive experiments
to ascertain to what ertent the veins of lead exist,
and that valuable mines have been found in lands
after they have been sold, when their existence had
not been suspected prior to the actual experiments
prosecuted by The aid of labor and capital.
Third ! he throwing these lands nto market, with
the information in regard to their character and
ue, now in the power OF the Govern ment furnish
will, in all prob ability, invite wholesome compet-
ton among purchasers at their sale. 1t will any
rate secure the investment of individual capital and
enterprise in the great object OF clipping and rem
derlDg productive portion of The public domain, hi
therto vaueiess TO the Government ; thereby adding.
greatly TO the aggregate wealth and resources of the
country.
gTess ofhe foregoing suggestion Of policy for the de-
termination of the Nexed questions which, for
many years have attended the subject of the mineral
lands OF the United States, taI Lad ore
ceTneJ, cannot fail TO invite special attention the
interests of that hardy and cnlersing class of our
fellow citizens, the miners in Iowa and Wisconsin,
or elsewhere whose enterprise perseverance, and ca
pita have, to so great an extent, developed this i'm
por,an item of national resource.
i his Class OF ciizenr II Is understood have enter
q 81 IN not N he oh
of Unauthorized settlers, but under permits from The
General Government, and have opcTat, d on limited,
portions OF the public domain, not exceeding two
hundred yards square. Hence many of them, in
certain locations, are, it Is believed, Occupying To-
gether the entire surface of quarter section Of land,
and in The enactment of any general provisions in
relation to the lead lands 1t is with great Difference
submitted, whether The provisions If such legislation
ought not in equity To have special reference to The
Interests Of the Individuals found thus lawfully en-
gagged in such mining operations.
Whatever may be hesdccsion of Congress in
gard 10 the disposition Of these lands connected
with this subject, feel inlpriled further 10 suggest
the impoan of providing for the appointment of a
National GeoIogist whose duty il shall be, under the
direction OF Congress and the Executive, TO make
such examinations of The public domain in the North
wts and esewE ere, In connection with the public
surveys may be de, med necessary; and TO furnish
TO this Department all such detailed information as il
best calculated to aid the Government in its manage
ment and sale, When it is considered that the ser
vices ofa competent agent can probably be secured at
compensation, not exceeding the Government price
oftwo or thee section otland, annually; and when
the advantages, Which would re, ult TO The country
from such services, also taken into the account
it is deemed suieiluous do more than present the
subject TO the consideration OF the National Legsla-
tuTe
POLISH EXlLEs.
BY an act of Congress, approved 39th June, 1894,
there granted to two hundred and thirtyve eres
from Poland to the United States under the order
of the Emperor of Austria thrtysx sections of land
to be selected by them, under the direction of the
Secretary Of the Treasury, in any three adjacent
townships of the public lands, which had been or
might thereafter be surveyed situated the linn
its of the State of Illinois, the then Territory of Nj
chigan. Thislaw has never been executed, and with
the lapse of each year its execution has been found
and more lmpractcable. The pruclpal diff
Guilty seems to have grown out Of the fact that the
amount of land granted to each individual does not
conform To the amount included III any legal subd-
vision established by our public surveys. There have
been other difficulties however, in the location of
these lands such conflicts with the claims of other
settlers, Sc; difficulties greatly aggravated by the
fact that they the Poles) generally ignorant of
our language, and it is almost impossible to make
them comprehend the true nature OF these obstacles
Many Of them are now dead; some have obtained
temporary employment Others have left the country
and most Of them are poor deem ii my duty to ask
the attention of Congress to the subject, and ii it is
the design OF the Government to carry out its first
benevolent intentions towards the remnant of this
lied race, respectfully suggest that il could be best
accomplished by authorizing the issuing of scrip to
each individual entitled by the original grant With
the right to locate it upon any of the public lands
subject to private entry, with such restrictive pro-
visions in regard to the transfer of the scrip and the
sale of the land as are deemed proper This course,
it is believed, will be the best for the Government,
and the best for the exile. II viii, by settling them
among our own people, encourage them to acquire
knowledge Of language habits and institutions,
and destroy that spirit Of nationality, which would
result from sort of colonial state spirit which has
already invited resistance from the people in the
ncghborhood where they attempted to torn their
settlement
LIVE OAK LANDS.
An elaborate compilation has nearly been com