Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-02-13


State
SEC. / BE it enacted By the Senate anil
House IF Representatives. of the United
States, IN Congress assembled. That there
is hereby granted TO each State in the Uu-
ion quantity of Public Lands, sufficient,
with that heretofore granted tothem respec-
lively, (if any to make the number OF r.
ores granted TO each State equal, according
to its population by the census Of 1850, with
that State, to which, according to its popu-
laton by said census, the largest amount of
Public Lands has already been granted, ex-
elusive Of land granted as swamp or school
lands.
SEc. ,. BE IL further enacted, That the
States may severally select the lands here
10y granted to them, from any lands not To-
Gated belonging to the United States ex-
cept that no State shall select lands within
the limits Of any other State. Aud States
in which there are Public Lands shall Sc
Iect their lands, or so much thereof as may
be, from lands in their own States respect
lively, and the balance only (if any from
other Pu,lic Lands.
! SIC. 3. BE it further enacted, That the
number of acres Of land to which each
State shall be entitled under this act shall
be ascertained aud determined by the Com
missioner OF Public Lands, according to the
provisions of the first section, and approx
ed by the Presidents and when 50 deter
mined and approved shall be final.
/ SEC. T. BE it further enacted, That
each State may select and locate its lands
under the provisions of this act, by its a.
gent or agents appointed by The State for
/ that purpose and return thereof, describ-
/ ing said lands, shall be duly made to the
General Land Office in Washington and,
# made IN conformity to this act, shall be
approved aud recorded after which the IL
tie of each State to the lands So selected
and returned by It's agent or agents shall be
deemed perfect
SEC. 5. Be It further enacted, That this
act shall take effect Immediately.
The original cost and continued expense
attending the ownership of the public lands,
presents startling aggregate to those States
which have not shared them, but ohich haze
paid al least three quarters OF this immense
cost. The statements presented are in gem
eral obtained officially from the Bureau of
the General Land Office.
Original cost of Public Lands, not includ-
ing War Of Revolution Indian aud 9TH
er Wars and expenses, and not more
than half The expense Of the Mexican
War.
TO exlinguish Indian titles, pay
annutles, interest, expenses
of Agents and Treaty Com
missoners, &c &c. $40 900 900
1 Paid for Louisiana, 5000 900
I Paid for California, New-Mex-
leo, &c, IS, 1000 go
To be paid to Texas, 10000, coo
/ Expended in Mexican War, 90 900, 900
Total, $4,000, 600
This amount might of course be sweled
up almost indefinitely by obtaining accurate
accounts of expenses of surveys, incidental
expenses attending all of our great acqusi-
tons of domain, Florida Creek aud Cher
okee wars and numberless other items.-
But the above considerable item would near
ly pay all our honest national debts But
the expense is never ending; the appropr-
atoms of last session on account of Public
Lands are as follows
For Surveys, (of which Louis
lana gets over SOS ,000) S249,762 &c
Indian Annuities on account
of Lands, 2,2i6,2li -
Land Offices. Receivers &c, 10, e25 00
Special Indian Agents, 1888 0e
Surveyor General of North
west Territory, 5000 0C
Contingent expenses, Commits
sioner, &c, I40,s6S Is
Removal of Seminole Indians
aud other expenses IN Flor
ida, 200, Geo OF
Indian Treaty negotiations in
Oregon, SC, $4,000 o.
Total annual expenditure, 1905, 243 O.
OF this amount, more than equal tn
whole expense of the Post Office Depart
ment. at least three quarters is paid by tn
States which ge; no Lands. Lei Us see mh'
get the Land
States 10 sOhieh Lands hare been granted.
stte, Acres Gmnled.
Ohio. 2,2ll 90,
Indiana, 3,267 46
a.