Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-01-06
$lO6,5l6 SO
Total

Total $l06,5l6 So
The total amount received on sales
of the last and previous years for
all classes of lands, is 1886 25
Agreeably to the direction of the Legisla-
ture, as expressed in "Joint Resolution rela-
tive to.the selections of public land" approved
in March last, made selection for the State of
$500 43-l00 acres of land in the Upper PENN
sula. The choice was made with the best knowl-
edge that | could obtain as to the value of the
particular locations for mineral wealth; and no.
LITIGATION of the selections was, during the same
m )nth, forwarded to the Commissioner of the
General Land Office at Washington. Similar
selections of Internnl improvement lands have
heretofore received the confirmation of the Sec
rotary of the U. States. In this instance such
confirmation has not yet been announced. The
unfinished state of the surveys in the Northern
Peninsula, the unsettled policy of the govern
ments In reference to the mineral lands, and a
change in the office of Commissioner, have prob
ably been the occasion of delay in this matter.
The question whether such confirmation be
necessary to perfect the title of the State to land
selected according to the grant of Congress and
the laws of this State do not deem it proper
here to discuss as cannot doubt that the spec
dy action of the proper department will soon
give the usual sanction to the selections.
Deducting the quantity of the above mention
ed selections from the INDICATED portions of the
| 100000 acre grant for internal improvement
purposes there remain to be located only ,575
| l6-lO0 acres.
In the present state of legislation, the salt
spring lands cannot be sold without authority
given by act of Congress. A proper applica-
ton for that purpose would probably secure the
consent of that body.
In my last annual message, called the at
tention of the Legislature to the character of
the leases, executed by the Secretary of War,
of the mineral lands in this State, and to the in
justice OF the leasing system. The opinion then
expressed that the leases were made without
authority has since been sanctioned by thehigh-
est functionares of the General Government
1t is the utmost impo rtance to avoid in time
the evils which must necessarily attend this I'M
usual disposition of the public domain. Antic-
ipating the wrong which would thereby be en-
tailed upon the State without profit to the pub
lie treasury and the eInbarassments of confic-
ting interests which would necessarily arise be-
tween the State and the United States govern
ment if the citizens of the former are to be the
tenants OF the latter, the protest of Michigan a
gainst the system has already been made by the
Legislature. In the disposal of this portion oil
the public lands, it is believed that the true in
| { rests of the General Government and of the
State are Identical. Sales in fee, at moderate
prices, and to actual seetters will best subserve
| the general welfare. 1t will invite a popula-
ton of free holders, unfold the resources of the
country, enlarge the field of enterprise and profit
and strengthen the arm ofthe government.
| A statute was passed at the last session oil
! the Legislature providing for the organization
of four counties in the mineral region, and es-
tablishing therein as ajudicial district tempo
rary authority for certain purposes. This law
is found imperf ect in its provisions, land requires
! revision. The organization of townships with
in the territory seems Indispensable, and the
advantages of Judicial Tribunals, and civil Off
| GERS, should be extended to that portion of the
State. BY the present law the island known as
| Isle Royal is not comprised within the limits OF
any of the counties, neither are the contiguous
| waters of Lake Superior, which are within the
bounds of the State, embraced within their ju-
| risdictivnal limits.
There are remaining during the present win
ter, in the mineral country, according to infor-
nation entitled to confidence, at least one thou
sand men engaged principally in mining. The
operations of this character during the year, have
confined the general confidence in the belief
| that the region inquestion is one of the richest
in the world in valuable ores, and it cannot be
doubted that it will at no distant period become
the theatre of extensive mining operations, the
source of much wealth. and the residence of a
numerous population These new interests
now rapidly increasing in portion of the State
but recently deemed remote and unimportant,
commend themselves to the guardian care OF
the Legislature.
Tho attention of theI legislature has freouent-
ly been called to the Importance of a communl-
cation around the Falls of Ste Marie between
the Lower Lake and Lake Superior. Expendi-
lures in surveys and labor upon Canal for that
purpose were some years since, made by this
State, but further prosecution of the enterprise
was prevented by an authority of the U. States
officers Notwithstanding the National char
acter of the work, Congress has hitherto neg
Iootod for ia truct ion