The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-18

the Atlantic coast, its rivers, ham orr, nets, and
| reeks-it contained not dollar on appropriation
for the benefit of our State and Oregon, with
| coast trade of two thousand miles II effsctuaIly
| precluded action on the Mint bill, the navy ward
and hospital appropriations, all of which were lost
| fer want of time, even 10 read the amendments
| necessary TO cover these objects.
When the civil and diplomatic appropriation
bill cane up for consideration, few hours before
The session expired, the chairman OF the Committee
on Finance was constantly warning the Sen ate that
il would be lost if more amendments were proposed.
And when the naval bill came before the Senate,
appropYiating ten millions of dollars, the chairman
OF the Committee on Naval Affairs was on his feet
ready 10 offer amendment apprOpriatng 800. 900
to commence a navy yard on the waters OF the bay
Of San Francisco; but, in apprehension that the
bill would be lost, amendments were peremptOrlly
stopped, and the bill not even read before its tnaI
passage But for these unpropitous circumstances.
the great measures adverted to would have passed
the Senate, and. il IS believed, at the last session,
would have become laws of the land
The thorough examination and discussion Of
the however, and the general admission, ia and
out OF Congress, as to their importance and neces-
sy has cleared the way for early and efficient le-
gislation at the next session. Besides the laws al
luded 10, which have been enacted for lighthouses,
aosng A., ynS dacL AGENCIES -, coast survey ana
United States judicial system, California, the last
session, succeeded in obtaining reduction Of
postage on letters from forty cents to six cents pre-
paid, and ten cents unpaid; semi monthly mail
from Panama to California and Oregon; authority to
make an efficient contract to carry the mail across
the lsthmus; and, BY treaty just ratified with
Mexico, has secured a right of transit over the
lsthmus of Tehuantepec Besides all these, she
has obtained appropriation for the extension over
her Of the admirable public land system of the
United States, for the appointment of Surveyor
General, and also law for the final adjudication OF
all the land titles within her limits. These enact
ments are OF the highest importance to the State.
The last tive will relieve hei from the present
extraordinary and anomalous condition in which
she IL placed IN regard to the lands within her
limits.
The public land system, which will be put inmo-
ton, will prepare the national domain for donation
and purchase in convenient parcels. The surveys
will divide the tracts into areas of from $40 acres,
down TO the minute forty acre subdyision and place
it in the power OF every citizen to secure fee SIM
pie title, IN the form OF patent, in his favor from
the United States government for the land he may
select as his home; whilst, on the other hand, the
mary provisions and requirements, will bring to .
proper test, and forever settle within, few years,
every private Iand title in California.
The undersigned having passed the greater per-
ton Of his life in States Of the Union in which
there were numerous French, Spanish, and British
titles, is living witness of the difficulties, distress,
and litigation, supernduced by slow, partial, i'm
perfect, and incOnclusve system OF settling these
c aims. They have been held in suspense over tho
public lande, not merely for the average Of human
life but In numerous cases, for two and three times
that period, and have kept valuable and important
regions of country in an unsettled condition; thus
checking the prosperity OF the State, and leading
to public and individual embarrassment. Within
very few days, three of these large grants each Of
something iike half century since their origin,
have teen brought to final Judicial test, and for
ever annulled and barred BY a decision of the SUI
preme Court Of the United States. One OF these,
more than fifty years old, was for upwards Of one
million of arpens of land. II had, like hundreds
and thousands of others, dragged It's weary way
before boards of commissioners, and committees in
Congress- and was left in its dubious condition until
brought (under recent law of Congress), before
the judicial tribunals Of the country, where its cha
racter was fairly examined, and finally and forever
determined. Taking heed of such evils by which
the undersigned felt ii to be of the highest cOnso
quence 10 our State TO urge the adoption of a
more etectual system tor the speedy settlement of
Titles.
The exposition of his reasons and of The princi-
pies which controlled him in urgiRg the adoption Of
the present system, for the settlement OF land
spe eches before the Senate Of the United States,
to which are appended extracts from two impor-
tant decisions oiaIhe Supreme Court, with a sketch
Upon by our This I measure. o with
supplemental enactment, which II is proposed to
introduce at the next session Of Congress, will, II is
believed, ratify and establish every good title ia
California, and annul every bad one. In their
present loose, uncertain, and imperfect condition.
they would, without the aid Of aB act of Congress,
be utterly insufficient 10 vindcate, under treaty.
The right OF claimants to any particular tracts OF land
against a title the government might grant; but,
under the recent legislation, all good claims will
be withdrawn from this condition, and perfected
into complete titles in the form of pateats from the
United States; whilst alt fictitious, worthless, and
invalid claims, viii be forever anEulled, AMI the
land covered thereby, surveyed and.donated, or
sod out to our citizens The security OF tile thus
effected, every man in California will feel like GO
ing TO work in earnest, ard renewed Inducements
VIII be held out Tor emigration from The older por-
tons OF the Union. We shall have farmers, me-
chsnics, and business men, in every department Of
life coming IN among US, not merely in pursuit of
valuable Minerals, hut Of the exhaustless agricu-
tural wealth Of the country Property will cease,
in great measure, 10 be subject TO the iiuctua-
tons inseparable from uncertainty OF tenure, and
will command steadily advancing prices. The
enterprise and energy Of our people will found new
cities, enlarge eXistlng ones, establish new COM
mercial depots, develope the resources, and extend
the trade ard commerce OF the State, and soon
will vindicate the claims of California to the frat
rsuk among the members Of the cCnfederacy, and
of the other States Of the world, in ali that aaorns
civilization and contributes to human happiness.
WIN. M GwIN.
WASHINGTON C,ry, March IL, 1851,