The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-04-18

granted to the State, that the proceeds
Of its sale may be applied TO that object. On
the 18th of January, 1914, another joint re-
solution passed the Legislature OF the same
State, containing a renewal Of the same ap-
plication; and all the memorials on the sub
liect which have been referred to your COM
mittee conclude with the same prayer.
The V~incennes land district appears to
have been first created on the 26th of March,
1904; to have been enlarged and establish
ed as it now is, March3 1905; (see Land
Laws, l04 to 1885, and the sales within it
seem soon after TO have commenced. Since
1905, no Indian title to lands within its pre-
sent limits appears to have existed; the last
purchase from the Indians having beenmade
during that year.
The quantity of public lands originally
comprised within the existing lines of the
district computed at 4, 627, 1929 acres
On the 30th of June, 1928, there remained
unsold, within it, 3,4O6,445 acres; 1,22ls
2S4 acres having been previously disposed
of. (See Senate Document No. 90, I'd ses-
sion Goth Congress.) On the Both of June,
1910, the total quantity within the district
remaining unsold, and subject 10 private en-
try, was 1905, l36 acres. (See Senate Doc
ument No. 81, I'd session Goth Congress.) y
And on the 3lst of December, 1S43, when
a vast population had spread itself, long be-
fore, over the whole country, and its institu-
tons had acquired permanency and fixed
ness of character, there still remained sub
iect to private entry within the Vincennes
district, 1,527,270,S3 acres, (part of the
original 4, 2 7,729.2S acres,) which was not
and could not be sold. And THIS is the
land which the memorialists pray may be
transferred to the State, that the proceeds
of its sale may be applied towards the accom-
p~lishment of this great work. (See letter
from COMMISSIONER General Land Office,
February Z, lS44)
The first consideration that occurs upon
this view of the facts is, whether the unsold
landin question can be rendered available
in the hands of the State; for the purposes
required? If in such a country, and in the
midst of such a people, all efforts to sell these
lands have hitherto proved SO fruitless, It
may be a fair presumption that they possess
but very little intrinsic worth. If, after of
fering them for sale during every day for the
whole ofthe last thirty-fve years or more,
they are still left "on hand" because no pur-
chasers could be found, what hope can ra-
%tionally be entertained that, if now turned
over to the control of State authorities they
could be made any more available? And
yet unless such ground of hope exist, the
Senate, regardful of its own honor, would
not probably give It's c~ountenaneo to tire
project. To hold out false and delusive
- 1.I:I.x 4Io .oD-.-.z-c- e H.
raj contribution towards the accomplishment
of a work confessedly of a national impor-
lance, when the thing contributed is subStan-
italy worthless, would but lily comport with
that elevated policy and munifcent liberali-
ty which should characterize all the acts of
this Government, ESPECIALLY in its inter-
course with the respective States of the
Union.
In this aspect of the matter, your commit
tee feel very sensibly the embarrassment in
which it is involved. The PAST is certain 4;
the future can at best be seen only through
the dim lights of reasonable conjecture. In
f their efforts, however, to arrive at just con-
illusions on the subject, they have not deem
ed it useless to examine such Treasury re-
ports, having relation to it, as they have
knowledge of, and could consult.
By a resolution Of the Senate of the 2Sth
t of April, 1928, the officers of the several
land Offices were required to make report of
the quantity ofland, in their respective dis
tricts, which remained unsold on the Both of
, June, 1928, after having been offered at the
minimum price what proportion of the land
: so unsold on that day consisted ofsirst rates
: land, and what was 'unft for cultivation -
? together with their estimates, respectively,
sold land. On the 18th of January, lS41.
5 the Secretary of the Treasury was required
to lay before the Senate the information so
obtained, together with a statement of the
quantity remaining unsold ON the said Both
t of June, 1928, but which had been since
r sold, &c. By the report of the Secretary.
made in conformity with the order of the
: Senate, (see Senate Doc. No. 90, I'd sess
: 18th Cong it appears that, of the 1906,
AS acres so remaining unsold on the Both
s of June, 1928, in the Vincennes district, l.,
703, 223 acres were reported to be of the
s first and second rate qualities, Zone moiety
b of each quality J and 1,7O3,223 acres were
n reported to be of the third rate, or "unft fol-
: cultivation"
d IT nevertheless appears, by the same re-
n port, that of the same 3,406,445 acres, l.,
I 790,326.SS had been sold, and $2,23S,41s
n had been received therefor from purchasers
d thus exhibiting the extraordinary proposition
e that 81, l03 acres of that land, which had
been officially reported as of "the third rate
S quality, or unfit for cultivation" had been
sold at full price. Does it not follow, then
irresistibly, from this state of facts, that the
e land officers of the V%incennes district viola.