Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1846-12-29

tribe Of Indians in the sale Of their lands
wing within the States Of Mississippi and
Alabama. The Chickasaw lands which
would moi command in the marke. the min
mum price established by the laws of the
United States for the sale of their lands
were, inipursuance ofthe treaty Of 1924
with tEa. tribe, subsequently offered for
sale at graduated and reduced rates at linn
tied periods. The result was, that large
quantities of these lands were purchased.
which would otherwise have remained
unsold.
The lands were disposed Of at their real
value, aud many persons of limited means
were enabled TO purchase small tracts,
upon which they have settled with their
families. That similar results would be
PR duced by the adoption Of the gradua
'ioa policy of the United States, in I'll the
States in which they are the owners OF
large bodies of lands which have been
long in the market cannot be doubted. II
cannot be sound policy to withhold large
quantities of the public lands from the use
and occupation Of our citizens, by fixing
upon them prices which experience has
shown they will not command. On the
contrary. It is wise policy to afford ia
ciiitles To our citizens to become the OW n.
ers. at low and moderate rates, of free.
holds of their own. instead Of being ten
ants and dependents of others If it be
apprehended that these lands If reduced
10 price, would he secured in large guam
titles by spectators and capitalists, the
sales might be restricted, in limited guam
titles, to actual settlers or persons purchas-
ing for cultivation.
Ia my last annual message submitted
for consideration of Congress the present
system of managing the mineral lands of
the U. s, and recommended that they
should be brought into market and sold,
upon snch terms aud under such restric.
tons as Congress might prescribe. By
the act of the l1th of July last, ''the re
served lead mines AID contiguous lands in
the States of Illinois and Arkansas, and
Territories of Wisconsin and Iowa." were
authorized to he sold. The act is confined
in its operation, to lead mines and cont.
giOUs lands"
A large portion of the public land con.
tanning copper and other ores. is repre-.
scented to he very valuable. and recon.
mended that provision be made authorizing
the sale OF these lands, upon such terms &
conditions as theiI supposed value may, in
the Judgment of Congress. be deemed ad
visable, having due regard to the interests
of such IF our citizens as may be located
upon them.
1t will be important, during your pres
ent session. to establish territorial gov.
eminent, and to extend the jurisdiction and
laws of the United States over the Terri.
tory Of Oregon. Our laws regulating
trade and intercourse with the Indian
tribes east of the Rocky Mountains shou d
he extended to the Pacific Ocean and
for the purpose Of executing them and
preserving friendly relations within our
limits. an additional number of Indian
agencies will be required, and should be
authorized by law. The establishment OF
custom. houses, and of post offices, and
post roads, and provision for the transpor-
tation of the mail on such routes as the
public convenience will suggest, require
Legislative authority. 1t will be proper.
also, to establish surveyor generals of.
flee in that Territory. AMI To make the
necessary provision for the surveying the
public lands and bringing them into mar
ket. As our citizens who now reside in
that distant region have been subjected to
many hardshiPs, privations and sacrifices
IN their emigration, and by their improves
ments have enhanced the value of the
public lands in the neighborhood of their
settlements, 1t is recommended that liber.
al grants be made to them of such portions
OF these lands as they may occupy, and
that similar grants or rights ofpre. emp.
ton be made TO all who may emigr te
thither within limited period, to be
prescribed by law.
The report of the Secretary of War
contains detailed information relative TO
the several branches of the public service
connected with that department. The
operations of the army have been of
satisfactory and highly gratifying charac.
ter.
| recommend to your early and Eavora
BILE consideration the measures proposed
by the Secretary of War for speedily Gil.
ing up the rank and file of the regular
army, for its greater efficiency IN the field.
and for raising an additional force to serve
during the war with Mexico.
Embarrassment is likely TO arise for
want of legal provision authorizing com
pensation to be made to the agents en-
ployed in the several States and Ierritn-
ries to pay the revolutionary and other
pensioners the amounts allowed them by
law. Your attention is invited to the
recommendations Of the s .cretary Of War
on this subject. These agents incur
heavy responsibilitie and perform impor.
tant duties. and no reason exists why they
should not be placed on the same footing.