The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1845-12-16

them out of their homes, or extort from them
according to their ability to pay, double o
quadruplc, the amount paid for them to th'
government. Ii is to the enterprise and per
severence of the hardy pioneers of the West
who penetrate the wilderness with their ia
miles, suffer the dangers, the privations, and
hardships attending the settlement OF new
country, and prepare the way for the body
of emigrants who in the course of few
years, usually follow them, that we are, in
a great degree, indebted for the rapid exten-
sion and aggrandizement of our country.
Experience has proved that no portion of
our population are more patfioic than the
hardy and brave men of the frontier, or
more ready to obey the call of our country,
and 10 defend her rights and her honor, when
ever and by whatever enemy assailed. They
should be protected from the grasping spe-
culator, 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, ell vexations of un-
necessary restrictions imposed upon them by
the existing preemption laws, should be re-
pealed or modified. 1t is the true policy of
the government to afford facilities to its cit
izens to become the owners of small portions
of our vast public domain at low and moder-
ate rates.
The present system Of managing the mineral lands of the
United Snes, is believed to be radically defective More
than million of acres ofthe public lands supposed
tain lead and other minerals have been reserved from SALE
and leases upon them have been granted TO nd
viduals upon stipulated rent The system OF granting eas
has proved be not only Improbable to the government
bur unsatisfactory 10 the citizens who have gone upon tic
lands, and must if continued lay the foundation of mich
future difficulty between the government and the essees-
According to the official records the Of rents recriv
ed by the government for the years, Ie4I 1872 1S43 and
1874 $G5I "a, while the expenses of the system dur
Ing the PERIOD including salaries of fsperntendents
agents. clerks and incidental expenses, twenty
thousand one hundred and eleven dollars and eleven cents
the income being less than fourth of the expenses
To this pecuniary loss may be added the injury
sustained by the public in consequence OF the de-
structon of timber, and the careless and was.eful
manner of working the mines. The system has
1iven rise 70 much litigation between the United
States and the individual citizens, producing
irritation and excitement in the mineral region,
and involving the government in heavy additional
expenditures 1t is believed that similar losses
and embalrassmerts will continue to occur while
the present system of leasing these lands remains
unchanged. These lands are now under the
superintendent and ca re of the War Department,
with the ordinary duties of which they have no
proper or natural connexion. l recommend the
repeal of the present system, and that these lands
be placed under the superintendance and manage
ment of the General Land Office, as other lands,
and be brought into market and sold upon such
terms as Congress in their wisdom may prescribe,
reserving to the government an equitable per CEN
tage of the gross amount Of mineral product, and
that the pre-emptlon principle be extended to |
resident miners and settlers upon them, at the
minimum price which may be established by
Congress.
o.c.. ,o,, 90 a.. .ooo....n,;.o. x..a.. .r Il
Secretary of War, for information respecting the |
present situation of the army, and its operations
during the present year, the state of our defences,
the condition of the public works; and our rela-
tions with the various Indian tribes within our
limits or upon our borders Invite your attention
to the suggestions contained in that report, in
relation to these prominent objects cT national
interest.
When orders were given during the past sum.
mer for concentrating military force OH the wes-
tern frontier of Texas, troops were widely dis.
persed, and in small deachments, occupying
posts remote from each other. The prompt and
expeditions manner in which an army, embracing
more than half our peace establishments was
drawn together on an emergency, sudden, |
reflects great credit on the officers wiz were in
trusted 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 hostlltles, or invade her territories |
with large army, which she threatened,
authorized the general assigned to the command
of the army OF occupation to make acquisitions for
additional forces from several of the States near
est the Texan territory, and which could most
expeditously furnish them, if, in his opinion, a
larger force than that under his command, and
the auxiliary aid which, under like circumstances,
he was authorized to receive from Texas, should
be required. The contingency on which the exer-
else of this authority depended has not occurred.
The circumstances under which two companies
of State artillery from the city Of New Orleans
Were sent to Texas, and mustered into the service
of the United States, fully stated in the report
of the Secretary of War. | recommend to Con-
gress that provision be made for the payment of
these troops, as well as small number Of Texan
volunteers, whom the commanding general
thought 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, part of them adj
vancing nearly to the possessions of the Hudson's
Bay Company in the north, and part as far as the
South Pass of the Rocky mountains, and the head
waters of the tributary streams of the Colorado of
the West. The exhibition of this military force
among the Indian tribes in those distant regions,
and the councils held with them by the command
ers of the expeditions, it is believed, will have a
sanitary lhHuence IN restraining them rom hosli-
ties among themselves, and maintaining friendly
relations between them and the United States.
An interesting account of one of these excursions
accompanies the report Of the department. Breyet
Capt. Fremont, of the corps of typographical en-
gineers, has been employed since l842 in explor-
ing the country west of the Mississippi and
beyond the Rocky mountains. Two expeditions
have already ueen brought to close, and the re-
ports Q. that scientific and enterprising officer
have furnished much interesting and valuable in
He is now engaged in third expedi-
vice will be completed in season to enable me to
CT mmunicae theresult to Congress at the present
session.
Onr re ntions with the Indnn tribes nre of fnunrnhe