Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-12-07

Making an aggregate Of. Ss4, 705 0G
The General Bounty Land Law of September
2ath, 1850.
The number Of claims already presented under this
prehensye law up to the 9th Of November, 1850, was
94ls, and the number is increasing rapidly scarcey
mail arriving which does not swell the list.
The whole number Of persons who if living would be
titled to the benefit Of that law would exceed half million
The Commissioner supposes from the best data within his
reach that oneLaf Dead leaving person entitled to
agne il will be found to approximate accuracyhe whole
number of claimants will be about tDo hundred and y
thousand .s..e sr.a
II will thus be seen that the Of 2sth September $780,
far the most important bounty land law that has ever
been passed. whether consider the number OF beneciares
under its provisions the extent OF the domain granted
Deeply impressed with the responsibility incident to the
administration Of trust Of such magnitude, have sought to
make the necessary arrangements to ensure its prompt and
efficient execution. Forms have been prepared, with ample
instructions guide applicants in presenting their claims
and given that every proper facility will be at
orded for the establishment of just demands under the law
Plates have been ordered to be engraved for printing the
warrants and every precauton has been adopted to guard
against fraud and forgery These plates will be COM
pleed and there need then he delay in commencing the
issue Of wanants regret to say, however, that the law
contains provision for the employment and compensation
of the clerical force necessary for its own execution
Under the Of the law, as have been constrained to
constue them the warrants not assgnab The holders
of them cannot therefore, make them available until they have
been located and patented This process will necessarily
qure considerable time, and it is therefore peculiarly pro-
per- order the enjoyment Of the bounty BY those
for whom intended that unnecessary delay should
be encountered To avoid this evil, the Commissioner
commend that provision be made for the employment Of two
efficient clerks with salary Of 81, 700 each, competent TO
investigate the claims Of applicants This recommendation
except in regard the amount Of salary which
say large) my cordial approval and the only doubt
have Is whether will be sufficient To guard against all
contingencies would respectfully urge the propriety Of
A.
prove insufficient keep pace with the business employ
in addition, and such temporary assistants may
be required from time to time Unless the Department has
the means Of adudcang the claims fast they pre-
sented and Of issuing the warrants when they allowed
dissatisfaction and suspicious Of favortism will inevitably
arise.
should Congress concur in these views Of the subject
shall esteem less privilege than duty that their
benecen policy carried Gu. with all practicable despatch
and economy
The report Of the Commissioner Of the General Land Office
exhibits very interesting facts The surveys Of the pub
lie lands been pressed forward with commendabe acv
y and having been completed in several States the archives
connected with them have been delivered the State author
tiles required by law
Acres
The sales Of public lands in the year ls49
amount to-. l329, 9O2 n
Area located in that year in satisfaction Of Mex
lean bounty land ........ 3,405, $50 90
State selections under the act of 4th Septem-
ber lS4l ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 259,S06 so
improvements of rivers Sc. 1875, 246 81
Choc,aw certificates Observation-Disclosures. SO, 935 33
Total acres thus disposed Of. ..... 8, ls4, 4l0 81
During the three quarters of 1850 there have
been ssd. 500, Os2 80
Located by Mexican bounty land warrants du.
ring the lst and ID and part of the Sd quar-
tiers 500, 100 90
State selections under the act Of ls4l 379, sos SO
Chociaw certificates OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. DC, 800 50
Aggregate thus disposed Of in the LIST, I'd, and
part Of the Sd quarters of 1850. .. ISIS, 366 AZ
It'll shown BY the Commissioners report that the public
lands have been rich Of the Government
averaging about and quarter millions Of dollars per
for the last fifty years over and above all costs and
penes. ID gratifying to find that the business Of the land
Office actively progressing The Of all the recev
Of public moneya haye bean adiused the ah Sepe