Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1846-01-10


mineral lands of the United States is be.
Ilieyed 10 be radically defective,--More
than a million of acres Of public lands,
supposed to contain lead and other miner
ais. have been reserved from sale, and
numerous leases upon them have been
granted to individuals upon stipulated
rent. The system OF granting leases has
proved TO be not only Improbable to the
government, but unsatisfactory to the Cit
liens who have gone upon the lands, and
must, if continued, lay the foundation OF
much future difficulty between the gov.
eminent and the leases. According TO
the official records, the amount OF rents
received by the government for the years,
l841, 1912, 1843, and 1914, was $6,354,-
IA, while the expenses OF the system du-
ring the same period, including salaries
Of superintendent, agents, clerks, and
incidental expenses, were twenty.six
thousand one hundred and eleven dollars
and eleven cents--the income being less
than one fourth of the expenses. To this
pecunary loss may be added the injury
sustained by the public in consequence
oil the destruction of timber, and the
careless and wastelul manner of working
the mines. The system has given rise to
much litigation between the United States
and individual citizens producing lrrlta-
ton and excitement in the mineral region,
and involving the government in heavy
additional expenditures. 1t is believed
that similar losses and embarrassment
will continue to occur, while the present
system of leasing these lands remains
unchanged. These lands are under the
superintendence and care Of the War De-
partment, with the ordinary duties OF
which they have no proper or natural
connexion. | recommend the repeal OF
the presen, system, and these lands be pla-
ced under the superintendent and man
agement of the General Land Office, as
other pubic lands, and be brought into
market and sold upon such terms as Con-
gress IN their wisdom may prescribe, re-
serving to the government an equitable
per centage Of the gross amount oil NM
eral 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 Con-
, nrass
} refer you to the accompanying re.
} port OF the Secretary of War, for infor.
: nation respecting the present situation
of the army, and its operations during
the past year; the state of our delepces;
the condition Of the public works; and our
relations 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
Those prominent objects OF national inter.
lest
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 delachments, occupying posts re-
mote from each other. The prompt and
expeditious manner in which an army,
mbracng more than half our peace es-
adjustment, was drawn together on an
emergency as sudden, reflects great cred
it on the officers who were entrusted with
the exec ution Of these orders, as well as
upon the disci pine Of the army itself.
To be in strength to protect and defend
the people and territory OF Texas, in
the event Mexico should commence hos
tiites, or invade her territories with
large army, which she threatened, au-
thorised the general assigned TO the COM
mand of the army Of occupation, to make
acquisitions for additional forces from sew
eral of the States nearest the Texan ter
rtory, and which could most expeditiously
furnish them, if, in his opinion, larger
force than that under command, and the
AUXILIARY aid which, under the clrcum-
stances, he was authorised to receive from
Texas, should be required. The contn'
gency upon which the exercise OF this
authority depended, has not occurred
The circumstances under which two COM
NAMES of State artillery from the city
Of New Orleans we're sent into Texas and
mustered into service Of the lifted States,
are fully stated in the report of the Sec
retary of War. recommend to Congress
that provision be- made for the payment Of
these troops, as we'll as small number OF
Texan volunteers, whom the command
ing general thought necessary to receive
or muster into service.
During the last summer, the first reg-
ment oc dragons made extensive excur-
sions through the Indian country on our
borders, part of them advancing nearly
10 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. tho
exhibition Of this military force among the
indian tribes in those regions, aud the
held with them by the comman-