The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-01-02
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.


November 2s lSi9.
Sin In submitting report Of this branch Of the public
service il will be inappropriate 10 rccuI TO the origin
Of title public domain, and TO the wise and ad
mirabe system devised for is disposal The public lands
belonging 10 the general government are situated
lst Within the limits of the United States as defined by
the treaty Of i7ss which terminated the reyoin.onaIy war
Michigan, Wisconsin, and that part Of east Of the
Msssspp river all Of which have been iormed oa. o. ne
on. The United States, by New York i7si by Virginia
IN l7s Massaohusetts IN 7so and Coanec.cn. IN i.so
sssipp and Alabama north OF the thirty first degree ofnoh
atitude as conveyed to the United States by Georgia IN
M Within the Territories OF Orleans and Louisiana.
acquired from the French republic X The seay s n Msss
sPPi south Of ae sIs degree o. north ,ns whole
sas s poaa i sss q he
Indian tsrrito the district OF country called Ncbraska
the orty second and south o the forty ninth degree
north Which lies and a saan
4h In New Mexico and California, Acquired from the
republic of Mexico by the treaty OF ls4S.
Within the limits recognised by these treaties and ces-
sons public lands embrace estimated area, IN round
numbers, oi fifteen hundred and eighty -four mions Of
isposed Of over hundred and ortys millions and
a Tese s q n ass
bodies detached tracts found in the States and Ter
setchna from The Atlantic ocean on The east 70 the Pacific
the and from the British on the north
eR aade Ss lime Of McKee,
ia to the Colorado and thence by line the latter
be souhsrnmosi poh point Of the port Of San Diego
After the eventu struggle which resulted In our national
sal 81 the bubble lands ataced early attention commit
for that purpose appointed by the Continental Con-
er and Reas who, on the Th Of May 1 reported
IAN ordinance for ascertainng the mode OIL locating and
M S'
Thomas Jefferson, Of Virginia, then delegate
This ordinance required the public lands to be divided
into hsndreds of ten geographical miles square, and
each 10 be numbered from TO l00 commencing in the
northwestern and counting from west to east and
has .1bavaed sSsI should &c frs. offered public sale
This ordinance was considered, debated and amended
v1rna in ans eeo1aea y Mr. Monroe the size of
ships reduced six miles square was further dis
cussed until the 10th oil May, 1855, when II was finally
Our land system thus founded has gradually grown up
to It's present perfection having been modified from llme
Tins system, the work Of our republican fathers sim
pie theory and practice certain and admirable In
us results is now operating upon he ogsn1ed ard n Gus
s,s Of the United States as found IN 'ss States q Eno
sppi Louisiana, Michigan Iowa, Wisconsin, Florida, and
in ,hs hsr,'o a 81 h soa,h with sse sas Of
Iowa. and bounded the north by the 18Th degree OF at
nde which divides = from a canada os,sa m sale. are
curaey surveyed by practical surveyors 10 ranges OF
81 mules o ghes oos e nse
section generally Containing hundred iory acres
Th subdivision Is made by lines crossing each other al
ghtanges and RAINING TO the cardinal points OF the com
The sections are numbered from 10 &c. beginning the
northeast Of the township and counting alternately
from west, and from west 70 east and are again
divided into quarters Prior TO 1870 no person could pnr
given for the division and sale OF the sections into
they divided sxteenhs, or fory-acre lots The
privilege Of having them thus minueiy subdivided was by
NJ
designated by monuments established by the surveyors
in the field.
claimed by the President for SALE and offered at public
auction at not less than dollar and cents per
acre and such thereafter remain unsod subject 10
be purchased at private sale at that rate.
As only small portion Of the lands thus offered Is dis
posed o the public sales, own citizens as well as
smigap from all parts OF the world, have at all times an
opportunity Of selecting and purchasing al private sale,
rich and fertile tracts possessing every requisite ior desia
BILE farms
The security of titles emana,ng under this system ha.
greatly contributed the npid settlement OF the pubic
lands The position Of all tracts shown by the surveys
the ground, in strict conformity with legislative dlrrc.
ton when the monuments by which they are
indicated perish under the consuming innence Of Tune,
they can ia be identified, and their boundsres deter.
10 the brief by the number Of ot
position in the section, with the number Of The sec
ton township and range, witt as fully and certainly con
yey The ie could be done by the most critical detail Of
boundaries and labored description Of courses and dis.
tances This fully shown by the ac that although this
system has been extended hundreds OF millions OF
acres, including every variety OF soil aud climate and
Inc world litigation boundaries has been nconsid
eabe as 70 place the superiority Of this national system IN
striking contrast with those OF the elder States OF the con.
ederacy Indeed where there has been litigation, u has
been mainly caused by snd and not by defect IN the
| plan OF operations :,
In reviewing this subject in all It's details, the mind Is
fociby with sagacity and foresight oi the
great public who organized nsItuions and who,
In this all their public acts have LEFT mpershabe
monu OF profound wisdom, pure patriotism, and en-
lYndrr tbis sysem the wilderness Of the West in less
thrn half century been transformed into fruitful farms
and filed with ourlshng cities and settlers from the orgi.
oal Stae and from all OF Europe have there secured
homes for their families aud rich rewards for their indus.
Try. -, - ,..-lf. ,ut.
copsin iowa and Minnesota, cline congensi TO their ten
pera amens and soil fruitful beyond their most sanguine
Europe with comparatively tle labor, soon gather
them in prousion every necessary and cono o.
life from rich lands OF Ohio Indiana, Illinois, and MIS-
sou while others from theTn ces can select home
In Arkansas, Mississippi Alabama, LOUISIANA OF orda
rich in valuable productions OF the earth Nor are
such natural advantages the only benefits enjoyed by oui
frontier settlers, government having always exercised
/ 4 prudent md paiernal over their Interests.
That the benefit Of education might be extended 70 then
and posefty the sixteenth section IN each township
or one thirtysixn part or the public lands has been sci
apart for the support OF Schools be sides munthcen dena
mons being from time time made by Congress for col
leges seminares, seats Of government county seats and
internal Improvements.
poses is however frequently frustrated by the 10th section
iaing upon swamps vaueless tracts and thereore
that the proper authorities IN such cases. be
substitute other lands IL may also be worthy
OF the consideration Of Congress- whether ~ would not bt
proper even to enlarge the school grant by additional
| alolment in each township.
A. a further inducement TO settlement and TO protect ts
enepr sing from TIE cupdiy OF those disposed