The New York herald., 1850-12-06
No. Of Acres 10
irhich each State
ty0R entitled nm

mus II Will De perceived that the grants made
by this act have been nearly closed in several of
the States, and special efisrts now making 10
CON plete those in all the other States. In some,
particularly in Florida, this consummatiOn has
been prevented by the difficulty in completing the
location OF "private claims" as il was impossible
in many portions of country in which selections
have been made by the State, TO Distinguish public
Iom private lands, till those claims were located,
and, OF course, until that time no definite action
could be had in the Estate selections" A like
difficulty has been experienced ia bringing the
business connected with claims in Florida, under
the "Armed Occupation Act,' to a termination.
As most of the "prvaie claims have been To-
Gated, as already mentioned, the 90 State cleo
tlons, and cases arising under the EARNED Occu-
patton Ac," will be disposed of as rapidly as
possible,
The several grants to the State of Indiana, for
the construction of the Wabash and Erie Canal,
amounting 10 about 10000 acres, have all been
selected the lads certified to the State, and
closed upon The books of this Office.
The same may be said respecting the grant TO
Wisconsin, for the improvement of the Wisconsin
and Fox rivers, and the connection of those
by canal, made by the act of Sth August, 1916,
except that portion west of Fox river, within the
recent session, by the Menominies, which has not
yet been surveyed.
Among the most important matters that will
doubtless engage the attention of Congress, in
nection with the extension of the land system
over our newly acquired territory, will be that of
making provision by law for the prompt adjudi-
land of all valid foreign tides which should be re-
speced, aud recognized under treaty.
The first requiring attention are those IN Oregon
and California. In the former, the claims, II Is
presumed, are comparatively limited in number,
which come within the purview of the treaty of
9Th August, 1876 between the United States and
Great Britain, and the rights which our govern
ment by treaty has agreed to respect may, il is sug
gested, be Disseminated, and settled by the joint
action and cooperation of the Surveyor General
and the Register and Receiver, acting as Board of
Commissioners, whose jurisdiction should extend
to all cases contemplated by the treaty, except such
may have been provided for by the act of Con-
Rress, approved 9th September, 1850, TO create
the Office of Surveyor General of the Public Lands
in Oregon, and TO provide for the survey, and 10
make donations to settlers. The decision of those
officers should be subject to the final determna-
ton of the appellate authority. as hereinafter sug
gested respecting the adjudication OF claims in the
| State OF California.
! In that State the claims are much more nume-
! rous, and are of very different character from
those in Oregon, being generally of larger area,
sCme, indeed, OF an immense extent, and resting
upon nceptive and other titles, In various stages
Of maturity, as derived from the governments of
Old Spain and Mexico, and great portion Of which
are unaided by any actual surveyunder the govern
ments from which they were derived. To settle
these claims, II is recommended that legislation be
had analogous TO the plan pre- sened in bill intro
duced into the Senate at the last session, which
looked to the appointment OF Board of Comms-
sioners, with power TO visit different places in Cali
forhia, under the order of the President, and 10
take testimony of all the facts relating the valid
ity, nvalldity, of the respective claims and TO
report the same, with their opinion, to the depart
ment, subject TO the revision If tribunal consist
ing Of the Secretary OF the Interior, Attorney Gc.
neral, and Commissioner OF the General Land Of'
fce, who shall have power TO render final decision
of confirmation, a. against the United States sur.
yey and patent. They should also have power to
reject all claims which, in their opinion, are not
valid under the treaty, but in case OF any such re-
jections, the claimants should have the right 10 ap
peal from sech decision, and bring the case by Pc
tton and q transcript OF all the evidence and pro.
oeednes before the District or Circuit Court of the
United States, for the proper district IN CalIfor-
MIA, who shall thereupon enter up decree, or de-
cision, from which an appeal mey be taken by
either party to the Supreme Court OF the United
States, whose decision thereupon shall be inal and
conclusive.
In the eventof confirmation of n claim by such
court, survey 10 be made, and patent to issue
in other cases, but when the decision shall he
against the claim. the lands ipSO facfO 20 be treated
as public LANDS OF The United Stites, and disposed
Of accordingly. by the adoption Of such a mea-
cure IL Is b, leved that the ends of justice will be
subserved, the whole matter will be brought 10 a
final decision and adjustment within a reasonable
period and ali claims that are valid. and shoulu be
respected. will be recognized, aud separated from
the public ldnds, which can then be disposed Of
without danger of conflict wth the bona fds int.
rests Of private individuals.
by the treaty Of 1882, the Chickasaws ceded 10
our government certain lands IN the northern part
ot Mississippi and Alabama with a stipulation that
they were TO be sold by the United States, aud the
net proceeds paid over to them. That cession, as
heretofore reported, has all been duly surveyed,
plated, and found TO contain
07lsbso 27.loo asrss
But of this area individual In
diaR reterNations, which have
been recognized, cover. ... 242iG5e SO 100 acres
Leaving subject 20 tsle.... 2g6 sJ6 al 100 acres
or this quantity there have
been sold UP 20 9Oth septem-
Der last. ............... 3g97 5sS gT.l0o acres
Leaving untold at that date 20D 3l7 4tiOO aorss
Beside the sale If "pubhc ands," there htys
been disposed ~ ny the lsud officers, Ia the Ces
sion, 81 Ot5 6 leo acres uf Orphan reservations,
under thr Sh article 1.-THE treaty of 1884.
The quantity Ct lands sold, "public" and or
phan," and ihe gross amount received for the re
sleative classts 10 each year. and in the aggte
gate, up 10 the end uf the third quarter OF 1850,
exhibited m the following aDlei-
EAIysrv rftr csAstv CFsst1y rRov rIr o,urycEgEgr
UrtUAu0ss tP r1 t.lf atrrrvHr1, is'0.
rtriAc IA>rs uHFftAy lawns.