The Yazoo City Whig. [volume] (Yazoo, Miss.) 1844-1851, 1847-01-01


the disbursements aFc d be made ii points
many hundred miles distant, in some cases,
from any depository, and a large portion Of
them in foreign country. The modiica>
tons suggested in the report Of the Secretary
OF the Treasury are recommended to your
favorable consideration. Nt
In connection with this subject invite
your attention to thelimporlance Of establish.
ing branch of the mint ofthe United States
at New York. TwO-thiTds Of the revenue
derived from customs being collected at that
point, the demand for specie 10 pay the du-
ties will be large; and branch mint, where
foreign coin and bullion could be immedi.
ately converted into American coin, would |
greatly facilitate transactions of the public |
business, enlarge the circulation OF gold and
silver, be at the same time, safe deposito.
~ Of the public money.
The Importance Of graduating and redu. |
ing the price of such Of the public lands, as
have been long offered in the market, at the
minimum rate authorized by existing laws,
and remaining unsold, induces me again to
recommend the subject 10 your favorable
consideration.
Many millions Of acres o: these lands have
been offered in the market for more than
thirty years, and larger quantities for moi e
ten or twenty years, and being Of an inferior
quality, they must remain unsaleable for an
Indefinite period, unless the price at which
they may be purchased shall be reduced.
To place price upon them above their re-
al value, is not only TO prevent their sale,
and thereby deprive the treasury OF any in
como from that source, but is uninst TO the
States in which they lie, because il retards
their growth and increase Of population and
because they have no power to levy a tax
upon them as upon other lands within their
limits, held by other propFietOFs than the
United States, for the support Of their local
government.
The beneficial effects Of the graduation
principle have been realized by some Of the
States owning the lands within their limits,
in which il has been adopted. They have
been demonstrated also by the United States
acting as the trustee Of the Chickasaw tribe
of Indians, in the sale Of their lands lying
within the States Of Mississippi and Ala
bama. The Chickasaw lands, which 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 treaty of 1884 with that
tribe, subsequently offered for sale at grad
ated and reduced rates for limited periods
The result was that large quantities Of these
, lands were purchased, which would other.
J wise have remained uDsold.
That similar results would be produced
by the adoption Of that graduation policy by
the United States in all States in which they
. are the owners Of large bodies Of lands
which have been long in the market, cannot
) be doubted. IL cannot be a sound policy ia
, withhold large quantities of the public lands
from the use and occupation of our citizens
/ by fixing upon them prices which expert
ence has shown they will not command. On
: the contrary, 1t is a wise policy TO afford
facilities TO our citizens 10 become the own.
} ers, at low and moderate rates, Of freeholds
of their own, instead Of being the tenants
and dependents Of others. IL it be appre,
hended that these lands, If reduced in price,
would be secured in large quantities by
speCulations or capitalists, the sales may be
t restricted, in limited quantities, TO actual
settlers, OF persons purchasing for purposes
of cultivation.
In my last message, submitted for the
> consideration of Congress the present sys.
/ 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 7th Of July last, 'sthe reserved lead
. mines and contiguous lands 10 the states OF
. Illinois and Arkansas, and territories oil
2 Wisconsin and Iowa" were authorized TO be
sold. The act is continued in its operation
) to ''lead mines and contiguous lands"
2 A large portion Of the public lands con.
. tanning copper and other ores, is represents
!. ed to be very valuable, and | recommend
that provision be made authorizing the sale
!. Of these lands, upon such terms and condl
tons as their supposed value may, in the
!. judgment Of Congress be deemed advisable
!. having due regard to the interests Of such
!. Of our citizens as may be located upon them
1t will be important, during your present
session to establish territorial government
and TO extend the jurisdiction and laws oil
1 the United States over the territory Of Ore.
I gon. Our Jaws regulating trade and inter
course with the Indian tribes east Of the
E Rocky Mountains should be extended lC
/: the Pacific ocean; and for the purpose of ex'
/ ecuting them and preserving friendly Tela
lions with the Indian tribes within our linn
its, an additional number Of Indian agencies
will be required, and should be authorized
, by law. The establishment Of custom.
j houses, and Of post Offices and post roads
and provision for the transportation Of the
mail on such routes as the public convent.
ence will suggest require legislative author.
lily.
II will be proper, also, TO establish a sur>
veyor generals Office in that Territory, and
TO make the necessary provision for survey
ing the public lands, and bringing them into
market. As our citizens who now reside in
that distant region have been subjected to
| many hardahina nrinalinne and aanr;f,cen IL