The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-01-30
Report OF thc Comm is~ionrr Of the General
I,aud Office

/ PIE ~ ult h'lcu ot't'ts ana possesses '''S
wear peculiar importance. 1t is a concise,
practical, and wei written document
containing usually important suggestions
and recommendations of changes and
notifications in the present land system
of the L. s., and is highly credl,ahle 10
its author, distinguishing him as it does,
for the qualities of sound sense, fore
thought, aud comprehenslvoness oil
views.
The public lands Of the United States,
as al present surveyed aud dlslricled, lie
m ten states aud two territories, namely ::
Ohio. Indiana. Illinois, Missouri, Alaba,
ma, Mississippi, Louisiana, Michigan,
Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, and Wiscon-
sin territories.
The amount of sales during the lst, ID
and 3d quarters OF the present year in all
the States and Territories was l,266,3S9
dollars. of which the largest amount APP
pear to have been sold in Illinois, Wis
cousin, Missouri, and Iowa. The pub
money has been paid over by the Re
ceiyers with commendable promptitude &
fidelity, and the business of the office
conducted with great efficiency.
The whole amount Of lauI advertised
to be sold in 1915, was $685., 5Si
acres.
The amount of surveyed land, not
We, advertised for sale, is 1897, Gl5
acres.
The mineral lands receive consilera-
ton. The practice OF the government
heretofore has been 10 reserve from sale
all lands upon which actual discoveries Of
ore. mines, or diggings were found, and
the war department appointed agents 10
attend to selecting the reserves. The
reservations were made upon very vague
and unreliable bases; such rs, the lists Of
mineral agents founded on their imperfect
information, and the suppositions of sur
vcyors and biologists. 1t happens from
this course that large portion of the
lands reserved were not mineral. hut the
best lands in the district Tor agricultural
purposes, whilst lands not reserved, con.
tanning mineral, were selling from day
IT, day; and when the agents became
aware of the aforementioned fact. they
cons dercd it their duty To institute suits
TO recover back the mines. thus produc.
ing iu,Grminable litigation and confusion
throughout the mineral region, To the
great loss of the government, for it is
shown by the report that the sum here
loiore received from them has not only
paid the expenses Of the government IN
the employment OF agents 10 superlnlond
the collection of Ihe lead rent, but has
fallen far short OF eilecting that object.
The report shows the odiousncss OF the
system, by which upwards OF .OOO,0
al acres Of rich lands (the minimum value
OF which Is ! I. millions ofdollars) Is thus
uncertainty and unproiitabIy withheld
from sale 10 the grea, dermcnt Of that
country, and recommends that the miner
al reglong be made open to public sale
and private entry under the same terms
and conditions as other public lands.
Important notifications in the presen,
pre-emplon laws are suggested, extend
ing the benefits of the principle to all SET
Tiers 0" "nswreyed public land, after
The cxtnguishment Of the Indian tide
extending also the benefits Of the system
TO certain cases which by law are now
excluded, though equally if not more
meritorious than the case provided for
RICH! to enter such adjoining
land as may be necessary for fuel, fencing
and similar purposes, and lastly, recon-
incubation that the poor settler, if no de-
sire" it. may be permitted to enter a tract
of as small quantity as 40 acres. The
general extension of the prescription
principle TO all settlers is mentioned 10 be
but an act Of justice. Those that lead
the way into the wilderness are debarrcd
of the privileges Of the law, by those
perhaps TO whom they acted as pioneers
who followed them. and settled upon the
lands they had been occupying, deriving
their right merely from the circumstance
Of being the first settler after surrey.
There can be no objection to the pre-.
empilon system on the ground that il d.
revenue, and the adoption Of
greater liberty as suggested, in the april. |
cation Of tho principle, would have the
most beneficial effect upon the moral and
social condition of the first settlers, with. |
out the slightest detriment to the public
interests.
The commissioner then proceeds TO
treat of subject which forms the mos,
important feature 10 his report, viz a
graduated reduction in the price of public
lands. After showing the great impor.
lance OF the subject, and tina. the prcsen,
is propitous time for its consideration
and settlement. he proceeds to recon-
mend such graduated system. as will
satisfy the reasonable demands Of those
states IN which the public lands arc silua-
ted, without doing the slightest injustice
TO any other section of the country.
IL is assumed that the primary objec,