Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-12-11

the mint OF the United states at New York. Two
tnirds OF the revenue derived from customs being
collected at that point. the demand for specie 60
pay the duties will be large. and branch mint.
where foreign coin and 5uliien cnnld be immedi-
teiy converted into American coin, would greatly
faclitaete the transaction Of the pu lie business
enlarge the circulation of gold and silver, and be
at the same time, safe depository of the public,
| money,
! The importance Of graduating and reducing the
PRICE OF such Of the public lands as have been
| long offered in the market. at the maximum rate
| au.horized oy existing iszss, and femsfa unsoid
i"ouces me again to recommend the subject to
your favorable consideration. Many millions OF
acres OF these lands have been offered in the mar.
ket ior more than thirty years, and larger quaint.
ties LOT moro than ten OF twenty years; and being
OF an inferior qua lty, they must remain unsalea.
bic for an indefinite period, unless the Dr;ce =,
which they may be purchased shall be reduced
10 place price upon them above their real val.
ue is not only to prevent their sale, and ,her.bv
deprive the Treasury OF any income from tina,
source, bat is unjust to the States in which they
lie, because it retards their growth and increase of
population, and because they have no power to
| evy tax upon them as upon other lands within
their Limits, held b, other proprietors than the
United States for the support of their ocal govern.
mcnt.
The beneficial effect of the graduation p,in-
cipal have been realized by some Of the States
owning the lands within their limits, in which
it has been adopted. They have been demon
strated also by the United States acting az
the trustee of tho Chickasaw tribe of Indians
in the sale of their lands lying within the
States of Mississippi and Alabama. The
Chickasaw lands, " hich would not command
in the market the minimum price established
by the laws of the United States for the sale
of their lands, were, in pursuance Of the trea-
ty of 1884 with that tribe, subsequently, offer
| ed for sale at graduated and reduced rates
| for limited periods. The result was, that
large quantities Of these lands were purchased,
| which would otherwise have remained un.
sold. The lands were disposed of at their
| real value, and many persons oflImited means
were enabled to purchase small tracts, upon
which they have settled with their families.
That similar results would be produced by
the adoption of the graduation policy by the
United States, in all the States in which they
are the owners oflarge bodies of lands which
have been long in the market, cannot be
doubted. 1t cannot be sonnd policy to with
hold large quantities of the public lands from
the use and occupation Of our citizens, by fix
ing upon them prices which experience has
stown they will not command. On the con-
trary, it is wise policy to afford facilities to
our citizens 10 become the owners, at low
and moderate rates, OF freeholds of their own,
instead of being the tenants and dependents
of others. Ii it be apprehended that these
lands, if reduced in price, would be secured
in large quantities by spectators or capital
lists. the sales may be restricted, in limited
quantities, to actual settlers or persons pur.
chasing for purposes of cultivation.
In my last annual message | submitted for
the consideration Of Congress the present
system of managing the mineral lands of the
United States, and recommended that they
should be brought into market and sold, upon
| such terms and under such restrictions as
Congress might prescribe. By the act of the
eleventh Of July last, "the reserved lead
mines and contiguous lands in the States of
| Illinois and Arkansas, and Territories of Wis
consin and Iowa." were authorized to be
sold. The act is confined, in, its operation,
| to ''lead mines and contiguous lands."
A large portion of the pnblc lands contain
copper and other ores is represented to be
very valuable, and recommend that provis-
ions be made authorizing the sale of these
lands, upon such terms and conditions as from
their supposed value may, in the judgment of
Congress, be deemed advisable, having due
regard to the interes of such of our citizens as
may be located upon them.
! 1t will be important, during your present ses-
sion to establish territorial government and to
extend the jurisdiction and laws of the United
States over the Territory of Oregon. Our laws
regulating trade and intercourse with the Indian
tribes east ofthe Rocky mountain should be ex-
| - Id. ~. &
of executing them and preserving friendly rea.
tons with the Indian tribes within our limits an
additional number of Indian agencies will be re-
quired and should be authorized by law. The
establishment of custom houses. and of post off,
ces and post roads, and provision for the trans
portation of the mail on such routes as the pub
lie convenience will suggest: require legislative
authority. 1t will be proper, also, to establish
surveyor generals Office in that Territory, and to
make the necessary provision for surveying the
public lands, and bringing them into market. AS
our citizens who now reside in that distant re-
gion have been subjected to many hardships, pri-
vations, and sacrifices in their emigration, and BY
their improvementshave enhanced the value ofthe
public lands in the neighborhood of their settle
me hts, it is recommended that liberal grants be
made to them of such portions of those lands as
they may occupy, and that similar grants or rights
thither within limited period, to be prescribed by
| law.
| The report of the Secretary of War contains de-
tailed information relative to the several branch
es of the public service connected with that de.
partment. The operations of the army have been
of satisfactory and highly gratifying character.
recommend TO your early and favorable con-
sideraton the measures proposed by the Secretary
Of War for speedily filling 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 compensation to be made to
the agents employed II the several States and
Territories to pay the revolutionary and other pen
sioners the amounts allowed them by law. Your
attention is invited 10 the recommendations of the
Secretary of War on this subject. These agents
incur heavy responsibilities and perform ilnpor-
tant duties and no reason exists why they should
not be placed on the same footing as to compen-
sation, with other disbursing officers:
Our relations with the various Indian tribes con.
tinue to be of pacific character. The unhappy
dissensions which have existed among the Chero.
KEGS for many years past have been healed
Since my last annual message important treaties
have been negotiated with some of the tribes, by
which the Indian title to large tracts of valuable
land, within the limits of the States and Terrific
ries has been extlngushed, and arrangement.
t made for removing them to the country west o
the Mississippi. Between three and four thou
sand, of different tribes, have been removed TO thu
country provided for them by treaty stipulations