The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-04

position is sngulay fortified by another view of the sub.
lec taken from the valuable tables before referred TO-
From these appears that the whole amount received
from the sale OF the public lands IN Louisiana 0S6
Ssi which, for the ory-sx years nearly that the uned
States have had possession OF that country would be an
average OF Sss7i3 per annum or just about equal to the
usua annual expenses OF The land system In LOUISIANA
ana 10 hs we add the expenses incurred BY the gov
eminent ior the adjustment OF land claims in that
State under the act OF 1874 which were not included in
The above estimates because they were paid out Of the
oi me EXPENSES OF the Judiciary OF the
certainty but winch know, from having been district
attorney Tor part OF the tme were yery
and have moi ye, all been paid there great to
doubt whether the government has received dollar for
lands sold in the State beyond the expenses incurred But
any doubt exists on that subject there be none At
all in the mind OF any person who will take the trouble
investigate the matter have, that for the future
there be of receipts expenditures. but
the contrary, the balance against the government will
But why, il may be asked, the land is Of so little
value, and il IS likely to be an expense TO the United
States, do you desire that It should be ceded to the
State The question is proper one. and yet II may be
easily answered The expenses the State for surveys
and resurveys and for the adjustment OF the large amount
OF private land claims yet undecided in that State, may
and probably will be much less to The State than to the
United Stales. resurvey OF the erroneous surveys
might be dispensed with BY the State, and for land Of lit
lie vanesuch marsh or deep overfowed land. Of
which there still remains unsurveyed 10 695 ,24 acresa
cheaper mode OF surveying might be adopted and the
vey OF much OF il might ne dispensed with altogether Be-
sides these lands which will no sell at the present minimum
price, would OF them sell at lower rate, which the
State would adopt but which the United States
are not likely 10 do Again though the proceeds Of THESE
lands to the State may not be much and may be very in
adequate furnish the protect her against in
undalon, still they will afford some aid.
but even If they should not bring dollar into the
treasury of the State, her interests would be greatly pro-
moled hy possessing them for other reasons. There
many private land claims in that State based on titles do
rived from The Spanish government which were guar,
aned by the treaty OF cesson but which have never yet
been recognised confirmed by the general government
1t is not the habit OF Louisiana to complain lightly OF the
national government bul cerlasy she has just cause Tor
complaint on this subject She has now been forty.
SIX years part OF the United States, and thirty
eight years State in the Union, and yet large por
ton of these private land claims remain her
borders while in most OF the other new States similarly
situated and much younger than she is, they have most
of them been long since disposed Of From the valuable
reports from the land officer before referred to, appears
that the quantity of unconfrmed land claims in the diff
ferent States, where any exist is: In Alabama 3S,7Sl
acres in Mississippi 10000 acres; in Arkansas 3,0l4.
0o acres in Louisiana 4,72ll3O acres-more than one
half in the last Sate and none al all in Missouri and
Florida though both younger States, and one OF them
acquired BY the same treaty and the other long after
one-third, have been confirmed. To show how these
claims have been treated may mention that there arc
two OF them in the quarter OF the State where reside,
Bastrop and Mason Rouge claims, comprising together
more than million OF acres Reports OF boards OF COM
missioners and committees of both houses OF Congress
have been made in their favor and patent issued for
league square OF one Of them, and sometimes bills Tor
their confirmation have passed or the other house OF
Congress, but both repeated decisions of the dis
uitt CIRCUITS courts OI Obitcu HdV0 Oceu
rendered in their favor and none against them and one
in OF these claims at last decided by the Su
preme Court of the United States in March, ls49 by .
majority of OF the court against the claim many
others yet pending, TO be bought before that tn
buna when il there should happen to be change OF
ofe member Of the court the decision might be different
from the one FIRST rendered II the land ceded TO
the State all these questions could be satisfactorily and
speedily settled a. home for The bill imposes this duty
the State ALL too admit that the public lands in the
States ought TO be disposed OF possible; that
the holding of them by the general government ID IN
anomaly and in derogalon OF legitimate State authority
and ought not to be continued day longer than is neces
sary
find myself fully sustained in this position by the
report from the Committee Public Lands of the Senate.
that deem 1t necessary to say nc. more on II than TO
quote their reasonngs and conclusions The report
states
The fully that there is large guam.
y OF land which, from It's being low, swampy, and unpro-
dnctve subject inundaiion, other causes,
only unnying for settlement, but often injurious TO the
health comfort of the ghboring selers Much Of this
may be ditched and drained secured by embankmen
from overflow and thus be rendered desirable Tor cuitva-
proprietor the so cannot make; and certainty de-
slrsbc the lands should fall into other hands lnstsad
prces depending upon least very uncertain.
more reasonable for the 10 divest Itself
entirely of this class lands and confer them on the States
which they lie. With view in part to this object the
committee have reported o. a, The pessh. session o.
i've limits returned as swamp lands These as originally
ported announced in the Twelve land States twenty
millions and although many have been heretofore
sold grained to the Sates The qpaniiy yet remaining
In several OF tue
aed the necessity OF adopting some general system
claim them has long been urged upon Congress. On the
lower Mississippi the health of the community and the
safety OF their properly require IT. and Congess has already
granted the ovehowed lands the States In which they e
aid the work Many OF these lands, when reclaimed.
become fertile and valuable but in the hands OF the govern
they portance Apportioned among ndi-
viduas in small quantities. they would be OF no sufio'enf
the only afs depository Of the te-hsynE the power
adopt suoh in regard to their sae, Improve
and reclamation, Just regard to the best Interest
OF all concerned may dictate .n
This portion Of the public domain not valuable Tor set
and therefore sought by purchasers, Be
tanned by the only to the dcrmen OF oshsrs
and accords with the relations existing between
land States and the citizens thereof the one part and
the general the ohcr cede these lands TO
former, than dispose OF them for nominal amounts TO
The duty of the general government 70
and the benefit Of ssters and
for the increase of the sales OF the public domain, re-
cogned by appropriations for that pufpose and
there is the table o the Senate bill for AdditonA knn
to Others received larger grants proportion TO
their These bills, together with othsrs tnai
have passed the Senate, granting alternate sections io
cic works. WILL II they become laws, cede 70 tpe
lsrge ponon OF the land OF which the price Wo"o y. "
duced under the graduation bill .-.-,.... p
The principles which, in the opinion oil ne cohmuse,
should govern tho action of Congress on ths hPoTuht
SUBJECT lew and simple and may be mus sseu
All lands which cannot well administered BY the gev-
ernnent or which require labor expense 70 maze them
useful, which, from want OF eriiy or any oannos
should not command the minimum pricc nxed ~ NV,
should 10 respective States in which hey are
ocd OF by them, and tho proceeds, IL any.
be applied to useful purposes.
Grants aid in constructing the Improvements
should from time time, be made Tho States, ss the
the and the dictates Of sound policy may
require
think, then, Mr. President, ! have succeeded In