American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-12-03

render it impossible for the settler to compete
with them in the market By putting down
all competition, these combinations Of capital
isis and spectators are usually enabled TO pur-
chase the lands, including the improvements
OF the settlers, al the minimum price of the
government, and either turn them out Of their
homes, or eKtort from them, according TO their
ability to pay, double or quadluple the amount
paid for them to the government. 1t is TO the
enterprise and perseverance of the hardy
pioneers of the West, VINO penetrate the Wild
erness with their families, suffer the dangers,
thc'prvations and hardships attending the sell
Element of a new country, and prepare the way
for the body of emigrants who, in the course Of
few years, usually follow them, that VIC are,
in great degree, indebted for the rapid oXten
sion and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of our country.
Experience has proved that no portion of our
population are more patriotic than the hardy
and brave men Of the frontier, or moro ready
to obey the call Of their country, and to defend
her rights and her homer, whenever and by
whatever enemy assaed, They should be
protected from tho graspng Spectator, and
secured, at the minimum price of the public
lands, in the humble homes which they have
improved by their labor. With this end in
view, all vexatious or unnecessary restrictions
imposed upon them by the existing pre-emp-
ton laws should BIS repealed or modified. 1t is
the true policy of the government to afford ia
clities to it's citizens to become the owners Of
small portions ofour vast public domain at low
and moderate rates.
The present system of managing the miner
al lands of the United States is believed to be
radically defective. More than a million of
acres of the public lands, supposed to contain
lanH nd tbor la h,u
from sale, and numerous leases upon them
have been granted to individuals upon a stipu-
lated rent, The system of granting leases has
proved to be not only Improbable to the go
vernmcnt, but unsatisfactory to the citizens
who have gone upon the lands, and must, if
continued, lay the foundation of much future
difficulty between the government and the les
secs. According TO the Official records, the
amount Of rents received by the government
for the years 1871, 1912, 1913, and 1874, was
Sc, 354 "A, while the expenses of the system
during the same period, including salaries of
superintendent, agents, clerks, and incidental
expenses, were S26, Ill 1.-THE income being
less than one-tourlh of the expenses. To this
pecuniary loss may be added the injury sus-
tanned by the public in consequence Of the de-
struction of timber, and the careless and waste
tul manner of working the mines. The sys-
tenn has given rise to much litigation between
the United States and individual citizens, pro-
ducing irritation and excitement in the miner
al region, and involving the government in
heavy additional expenditures. 1t is believed
that similar losses and ombarrassments will
continue TO occur, while the present system of
leasing these lands remains unchanged. These
lands are now under the superintendent and
care OF the War Department, with the ordina-
ry duties OF which they have no proper or ma
tural connection. | recommend the repeal of
the present system, and that these lands be
placed under the superintendent, and man.
agement Of the General Land Office, as other
public lands, and be brought into market and
sold upon such terms as Congress in their wis
dom may prescribe, reserVng TO the govern
ment an equitable per ccntage of the gross
amount Of mineral product, and that the pre-
emption principle be extended to resident mi
ners and settlers upon them, at the minimum
price which may be established by Congress.
refer you to the accompanying report ofthe
Secretary of War, for information respecting
the present situation of the army, and its ope-
rations during the past year; the state of our
dcfences; the condition of the public works;
and our relations with the various Indian tribes |
L
your attention to the suggestions contained in |
that report, in relation TO these prominent OBJ
jects of national interest
When orders were given during the past
summer for concentrating military force on
the western frontier of Texas, our troops were
widely dispersed, and in small dctachments, oc-
cupying posts remote from each other. The
prompt and expeditions manner in which an
army, embracing more than half our peace es-
Enlistment, was drawn together on an emer-
gency so sudden, reflects great credit on the Of
ticers who were intrusted with the execution of
these orders, as well as upon the discipline of
the army itself. To be in strength to protect
and defend the people and territory of Texas,
in the event Mexico should commence HOSTILE |
ties, or invade her territories with large ar
my, which she threatened, authorized the
general assigned to the command of the army
OF occupation to make reQuistions for add |
tional forces from several of the States nearest
the Texan territory, and which could most ex-
pedltiously furnish them, if, in his opinion,
larger force than that under his command, and
the auxiliary aid which, under like circumstan-
ces, he was authorized to receive from Texas,
should be required. The contingency upon
which the exercise of this authority depended,
has not occurred. The circumstances under
which two companies of State artillery from
the city of New Orleans were sent into Texas,
and mustered into the service of the United
States, are fully stated in the report of the Sc
cretary of War. recommend to Congress
that provision be made for the payment of these
troops, as well as small number of Texan vol
unteers, whom the commanding general
thought il necessary to receive or muster into
our service.
During the last summer, the first regiment of
dragons made extensive excursions through
the Indian country on our borders, a part of
them advancing nearly to the possessions ofthe
Hudsons Bay Company in the north and part
as fla as the South Pass Of the Rocky noun
tains, and the head waters of the tributary
streams Of the Colorado Of the West The ex-
hbtion ofthis military force among the Indian