The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-09

domain; if 50, il is clothed with constitutional
power TO do all that your committee recommend. :
If such disposal of the mineral lands should not
be made your committee recommends Con,
gross should deem it more advisable 10 sell said
lands then would recommend that they DC SOLD
in tracts not exceeding forty acres; and If any
tract is known to be peculiarly rich in mineral de-
posts, that II be sold in still smaller poruons
Your committee cannot leave this important sub
ect without suggesting another feature in the sale
Of these lands, which would give confidence TO the
purchaser, save him from pecuniary loss, and also
protect the Government from damage. The Tea
ture is this Divide the amount to be paid by the
purchaser into annual instalments, running eight
or ten years. with the right to forfeit whenever the
purchaser chooses and To be forfeited and the land
TO revert to the United States whenever any one OF
the nstalmens is not punctually paid il the lands
are worth the sum which the purchaser has agreed
TO pay for them he will be both willing and able 70
pay the stipulated sum annually-if they are not,
he can relinqush his claim, and be released from
his obligation.
Should this plan be adopted, the poor laboring
man would be able TO purchase, and most OF these
lands would be held by actual settlers and laborers,
and not by distant capitalists II is believed ALSO
that if this method be adopted, the lands will sell
for more Ethan they will bring on any other system
1t is no objection against this plan that some Of tne
lands will be forfeited through failure No lands
will be forfeited unless the purchaser has agreed 70
pay more than their worth; and even then Govern
ment has received one more payments upon the
land, of which it again becomes the possessor MOI
| ia it an unimportant consideration here that Gov
eminent will, by this MEANS obtain most effect.
i've survey of every part Of the mineral regions o.
our State, without the expense of maintaining
geological corps"
| The Committee recommend the adoption of the
following as substitute for the first resolution:
| Resolved That our Senators be and they are
hereby instructed, and our Representatives re-
quested, to urge by their votes and influence the
passage of such laws by Congress as will best Ell
feet the objects and views embraced in the fore
going preamble; and recommend the adoption Q
i the other resolutions except the last, which II
the in relation the civil fund therein referred
| TO- That resolution presents subject OF great IN
terest to the people of this State, and one which re
quires a more thorough investigation than the com
mittee has been able to give it; but from the wan
of time and the proper official data, on which {
base report suitable to the importance OF the sub
ect, they have nothing but rumor and report to &C
lon-reports and rumors, however, of which nom
| has doubt, and but few have any doubts OF tn
rights Of the State to this fund
| 1t is understood that another committee ha
| charge of the same subject; they would therefore
recommend that this committee be discharged from
the further consideration of this part Of the subject
| and that it be reported to the committee alread,
| having that subject under consideration, and, ]
deemed advisable the two committees be associated
| together on this subject