Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-03-20
washington Correspondence.
WAsHrNeros CRY, Feb. &c,

tries of lands at The Mineral Poin, land Office,
have deemed it proper 10 give you few
items Of information which may tend to alay
tina. solieiude.
1t will be recol.ected by some of the CHI.
zens of Grant county who entered their lands
by pre- emption 10 The fall Of 1884. that 10.
1897 Mr. Brown. who was then Commission.
or Of he General Land Office, decided that
patents could not be issued 10 any Of the pur'
chasers under The pre- emptlon law Of 1884, for
The reason that The proof Of the right Of pre-
empiien, as forwarded by the Register, was
not sufficient 10 warrant the department in is
suing them. 10 1888 made journey to this
city. and while here replied fully to the OBJ
ice. ions made by the General Land Office,
where my letter is now on file. Subsequent
~, as learn, The matter was laid before The
Secretary OF the Treasury. who decided that
The pat 1ts TO The prescriptions should issue;
and it is 10 be- hoped that ere this the decis.
ion is carried out.
II will also be recoleced by the old settlers
that few days previous 10 offering at public
sale The lands ives, Of the fourth principal me-
ridian, the Superintendent Of the lead mines at
Galeos, sent 10 the Register and Receiver
schedule, designating some forty or afty sec.
iions Of land which he recommended for res
ervaliou for the use of miners aud shelters
and that the land officers replied TO him that
they did not deem themselves authorized by
the Law, the proclamation Of The President.
nor bv their Instructions TO reserve the lands
embraced by his schedule. The corespon-
dence between the Superintendent and the
land officers was forwarded 10 the General
Land Office, and The sales at auction proceed.
ed-ihe land officers offering al public sale The
tracts embraced by the schedule Of The Super
n,euden,. Some Of the lands were sold at
public sale. and afterwards al private entry
bat about the 10Th Of December following, a
communication was received from The Com.
missioner of the General Land Office. dated
in November, and which was written before
the correspondence between The Superinien.
den, and land officers had reached Washing
ton, informing the Register and Receiver that
the President had directed The tracts desig"a-
ted by The Superintendent in his said schedule,
10 be reserved from sale.
Now. in regard 10 the lands, so designated
by tho Superintendent. and which had been
sold previoas 10 the receip, Of the communica-
ton from he Commissioner above alluded TO-,
the General Land Office had arrived at the
conclusion. that the tracts which had been en-
tered before The schedule OF the Superlnend-
en-, had reached The land officers at Mineral
Point, had been legally or properly sold. and
,ha, the sales made subsequently were void
A similar conclusion, bu, If possible. more err
roneous. had been ad opted, touching the lands
recommended for reservation by the Superin.
,enden, cas-, Of the fourth principal meridian.
10 regard TO these last, il happened that the
land officers a, Mineral Point Were not direct
cd "a Ss,,hhold them from safe omit the fall Of
lS3S--lhree years after they had notified the
department here Of the course they had deem
ed j, their duty TO adopt as TO those tracts, and
after some thirty or forty thousand acres had
been sold The gentlemen 10 the General
Laad office having arrived at these conclusions
il is not Surprising iha, the Secretary OF The
Treasury. who has no, any leisure to examine
into The sobjecl,should aaop,'heir suggestions
and permit the advertising (by the proclama
lion Of The President. Of November last Of
the sale Of numerous tracts which were enter
ed some ten years ego
Bn, avn happy 10 inform You that the Sec
rotary on being Informed of The confusion snd
injustice tina, such procedure would pro
doce. gave prompt assurance ,ha, i6s sales
should be suspended aud the matter reccrsid
cred. |. is quite probable that measures viii
soon be adopted 10 ascertain the designation o
all those tracts (embraced by the schedules o.
the superintendent which eon,aieed no dis
} eoveries Of lead ore at The time Of entry. and
that patents will be issued to the purchasers
! WHILE in respec, TO those tracts which actual
" contained diggngs a, the time OF purchase
the patents will be withheld for further eonsid
efslion and action.
Nine years ago | suggested an easy ant
simple course TO the General Land Office. hy
which every diiheul,y would long since hav'
{ been se0led. and every miner and purcsshsi
get his Just dues--my Suggestions will b
found 10 a bill which was reported ia the Sen
ate and received two readings. when It's furShei
progress was impeded, as ! am informed. BY
an in,imatioa from some OF the Inmates of ID,
General Land Office, thai my bill was bot
part Of plan for 40 exseasive speculation ii
mineral lands. These suspicious ssn,emsr
had been alarmed by she letters OF some Of ms
personal enemies n Wisconsin who represent