Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-26

away for various purposes, l26O000O, leaving in the
possession of the Government, on the lst of January
1910, 22G000000, larger portion Of which is survey.
ed, plated, and in the MARKET showing that the pro
gress Of extingushng the titles of the Indians has
far onlrun the demands of the country for Govern
ment lands, great rs it has been In fact, the
reality far exceeds the statement, strong that
is Tor, of the eighty lone millions of sold
upwards Of thirty-eight millions sold in the
years 1888, 8 and z, during the great expansion
OF the currency and rage for speculation in an.s, OF
winch but small portion, perhaps not third was for
settemen and OF the residue greater part twen
millions, Still for sale in the hands of large purchasers
Making proper allowance for the speculative operations
OF those years. the actual sale Of the public lands fol
settlement during the period of fifty years, which has
elapsed from the beginning o; the Government, would
not probably exceed sixty millions Of acres about
fourth as much us that TO which the Indian title now
ex,ingusled.
But numbers can give but very imperfect concep-
ton othe vast extent Of the region which the Indian
title is extnguIshcd and of Which the Government is
the sole and exclusive proprietor. To form correct
dea OF It's great magnitude, will be necessary 10
pare It 10 portions ol the Union, the extent OF w.ch
familiar to ALL To enable me to do that a friend has
furnished me with statement, from which il appear.
that if all the land now unsold, and TO which the In
dian title is eS,nguished, was grouped together, il
would be equal in extent to all New England H. York
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, vir
ginia and third Of North Carolina. But this falls
lar short of the vast extent Of the region through
ont which it lies dspersed-a region eguallng all the
old Atlantic States taking in all Florida, The States
of Alabama and Mississippi, and half Of Tennessee
Into this vast and unoccupied domain, people
with multitude of foreigners, are pouring year.
" in one ncessant tide by thousands on thousands
seeking homes, with the means of pur.
chasing, who select the best lands: others Will! in.
sufficient means, who select their place, and setl L.
with the hope Of purchasing in short time; and i
large class without means, who settle spots, without
my fixed intention but 10 remain 50 long they arr
unds,uFacd, generally tracts OF inferior quality hav-
ing The advantage Of spring, with small portion "i
fertile land sufficient Tor their limited cultivation
but not sufficient to induce purchaser 10 take it 4;
The Government price This class OF settlers had great
" increased, if am correctly informed, within the las,
ten fifteen years, and rapidly and still incrcas
ing, especially in the West and South Western States.
where the proportion Of good 10 inferior land is COM
para'iyey snail, and must continue 10 increase with
accelerated rapidy, so long the present land sys-
TEN remains il is
Those who have had an opportunity Of Witnessing
the effect If such occupancy the minds OF The set
tiers, viii no, be at loss 10 anticipate the consequen
which must follow unless arrested. Occupation
long and uudis.uracd accompanied by Improvement,
however limited, cannot fail 10 be associated with the
idea Of property, III tie soil Il is that in fact, which
constitutes the primitive right IN land. This viii be
felt in common by al the occupants similarly situated
will be to create esprit de corps, accompanied
by mutual respect for each others rights, which would
not fail 10 make il dangerous for any 10 disturb the
rights Of another. This feeling will not be long in
showing itself towards the cmgrant intruder, as he
would be considered, coming in with the view oil
purchase He wouid find i. not little hazardous
to enter and purchase spot held By u mere occu-
PAM: squat;cr, if you will, aud onst him of his
possession. In short time, who regards his
peace and safety, will attempt it; and then, the feeling,
winch hesan with the poorer class, will extend rapidly
upwards To the wealthy, until, finally, none will
look any other title but occupancy and Improvement,
and ali The rich and poor will become squatte!s with
common interest to maintain and defend each other,
when the public lands will be lost and TO be any
longer source Of revenue, il nothing he done 10 stop
it, For the truth olhe PICTURE appeal 10 the Senators
from the States especially from those, particular
" the Western and Southwestern. We have thus
presented the difficult question: what TO be done 10 re-
medy il:
II, is perfectly natural that the first impression should
be- 10 keen ont ntruders on the public lands The
lands belong the people OF the Union common pro-
pcty and would contrary 10 reason and justice,
that any one sonld b. permitted 10 enter and appro
pirate the Of that himself, without paying ios il,
which belongs TO all and accordingly find not
small portion Of the Senate, who insist keeping out
and cxpeng all intrudcrs the proper remedy. Bat IL
this like many others, must look beyond mere
abstract right. What so plausible would, when
tried prove lnpracticablc We need other prootlan
the fact, that no Administration has ever undertaken
10 what il now would be. How is It 10 BE-
done: BY The marshnls and their deputies: Can they
eype from their homes the vast host Of occupants on
the public lands all hardy aud bold men, familiar with
the of the most deadly OF weapons: Would you en-
poy the army: II would be found almost mpotent
The civil authority If The whole military employ
ed in this 10 the ncglec, all other service, there would
be more than FIVE hundred and fifty square miles tor
each officer and soldier, surprising your establishment
10 be full No. possible 10 employ the military
in so odious service in this free country, you would
have 10 double Your force, at cost greater than the
annual income from the land and the work would be
ever beginning and never ending. II you drive them
away and destroy their improvements, as soon as the
force was withdrawn they would return 10 their posses
SION had experience while Secretary at War, OF
The difficulty of expellng and keeping off ntrndcrs; and
found that the message which brought intelligence OF
the Withdrawal of tie force was Immediately followed
y that which brought information that the !nlruders
had returned.
But the Senator from Kentucky, [Sr. Clayl deems
all this as merely imaginary, and asserts that ln,rnders
may readily be kept "t the pubic lands wIll no,
attempt 10 reply 10 his for this opinion. lie aud
his political friends Will soon be III power, wItha Chief
of their own selection and in whose frnness and encr
oy thcy express high confidence in SIX weeks the
time will come round which brings him into power, and
we shall see what will follow. Without pretending to
the spirit of prophecy, feel ! hazard nothing IN pre-
dieting, that what is deemed easy 10 be done when
out of power, will be pronounced impractlcabe when
in The Senator would have too much prudence to
rive the advice but if not, the President elect will,
conjecture have too much discretion 10 act On II.
ii. however, should be mistaken, and the attempt
should re made expe the occupants from the public
lands hazard nothing i'll predicting that the Adml-
ns,ration will 20 Of power with ten times the ma
iority with which il in, great that was. The
bi.tcrest enemy could not give more fatal advice.
II, then, this powerful tide If emigration, which IS
flowing in on The pubic lands cannot be arrested, what
ought or can be DONE 10 prevent the loss o! the pubic
domain by tie action Of the already explained:
This is the difficult question In answer say, We must
do as we are often compelled 10 do in our progress
through life accommodate ourselves to circumstances;
10 mitigate evils cannot overcome and retard or les
sen those we cannot prevent. Such are the laws to
which beings Of limited powers and control over
events, must necessarily yield.
Without then, undertaking the impossible task of
arres,ing the tide Of emigration, or expelng the set
tiers, would advise the adoption of the most ndieous
and eificicn. Of converting them into free
holders with the least sacrifice consistent with effect
ing that object The first step towards this shall be to
unite the interest Of this Government with that OF the
States within which the lands le as to combine the
power and influence Of the two for their preservation
Without IT, nothing be done. If they should no.
toi