The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-12-12
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

The report commences with n summary of the
varied and important duties devolyed on the De-
partment; alludes to the vagueness Of the act Of
Congress which created it, and recommends fur
Their legislation to define with precision its duties
and powers, and also to remedy the incongruity
in the law in reference to its designation
Ii recommends the creation Of the Office of So
lictor Of the Department to decide questions Of
law upon appeals; his action to be subject, how
ever in all cases to the revision of the Secretary.
The estimate of expenditures for the next fiscal
year exceed that for the present 81 72S,670 63.
The causes of this excess the Secretary fully ex-
plains The endeavor has been to cover the whole
amount of the probable expenditure for the fiscal
year so that there may he no necessity in future
for estimating for deficiencies, unless upon some
unforeseen contingency.
The whole number of persons now on the
pensionrolls of the United States is ,75S. But
Of these many are probably dead. The whole
number who have drawn pensions during the first
and second quarters Of the calendar year is
1909 The number Of deaths reported within
the last year is SAG.
The bcnefciarcs under the laws designed to
provide for the soldiers of the Revolution and
their widows, are rapidly passing away. But the
number of pensioners under other acts has been
considerably augmented in consequence of the
war with Mexico The whole amount expended
Sl,l00000.
The whole number of land warrants issued for
services in the Revolutionary war is II SIS in
the war of 1912, 2S,97S; number Of claims for
land warrants and scrip in lieu thereof, for SER
vices in the Mexican war, 81 705. The number
of claims already presented under the Bounty
Land law of September last, up to the 9Th Of No
vember, was 0,4ls, and the number is increasing
rapidly. IL is estimated that the whole number
of claimants will be about 10000 1t will thus
he seen that this is by far the most important
Bounty Land law that has ever been passed. All
necessary arrangements have been made to insure
its prompt and Efficient execution. Forms and
instructions have been prepared, and assurance
given that every proper facility will be afforded
for the establishment of Just demands under the
law. Plates have been ordered to he engraved
for printing the warrants and every precaution
has been adopted to guard against fraud and for
gerry. These plates will soon be completed, and
there need be no delay in commencing the issue
of the warrants The warrants, having been de-
cided to be not assignahle, cannot be made avail
able to the holders until they have been located
and patented AS this process will require consid-
cradle time, it is proper, in order to insure the en-
joyment Of the bounty by those for whom it was in
tended, that no unnecessary delay should he en-
countcred. Toavoid this evil the Secretary recon-
mends that provision be made for the employment
Of two or more efficient clerks and such tempo
rary assistance rs may be required, from time to
time, 10 investigate the claims Of applicants
The report Of the Commissioner Of the General
Land Office exhibits some very interesting facts
The surveys Of the public lands have been pushed
forward with commcndable activity. The aggre-
gate amount Of land sold, located by warrants
and otherwise disposed of in the LIST, 81, and part
Of the 81 quarters of 1850, is 2,Sl5 ,36642 acres
The public lands have been rich source Of rev.
enue to the Government, averaging about one and
a quarter millions of dollars per annum for the
last fifty years over and above all costs and ex-
penses. Among the most prominent subjects
claiming the attention Of Congress, Is the neces-
slty OF extending our land system over our pos
sessions on the Pacific. The appointment of a
commission IL recommended to adudiclte conflict
ing land claims in California
With regard to the mineral lands the Secre.
tary recommends that they be divided into small
tracts and sold ia fee simple to the highest bidder
at public auction. The extent Of the lots should
depend on the apparent richness Of the mines; but
they should be small enough to afford persons in
moderate circumstances an opportunity Of becom-
ing bidders.
Our relations with the Indians will demand the
prompt attention Of Congress. The annexation
Of Texas and the treaty with Mexico have added
about one hundred and twenty -four thousand
persons to our Indian population--many Of them
fierce in their disposition, and predatory in their
habits Agents have been appointed for the In
dian tribes Of California and Oregon and two
special agents have been commissioned to co6pe-
rate with the resident agent in Texas in conciist-
ing the Indians of that State. Three commits
sioners have heen appointed under the same act,
to accompany the Mexican Boundary Commits
sion, for the purpose of obtaining information in
t,t ko frtk Ga, aata
and, il possible, to establish friendl yzstla,ions
with them II is to be regretted that no authority
was conferred by law for the establishment Of
resident agents in New Mexico. The Indians Of
that country are the most savage within our
boundaries IL Is essential for the fulhlment OF
our treaty stipulstons, ms we'll rs for the protec-
ton Of our own citizens, that agents should be