The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-25
From the Republic, si.,ch i.
uDoliasasn OF the PubIie Dom.iu

lUuChUK haf ~,
in reference to the timber Of the public domain, We
oed Yesterday al The department for a copy OF liz ~
muncaon and The reply OF Mr.. Stuart, with which :.
have heen obigingiy furnished. Mr. Stuafts r4ply "
The Ieltef oI Tie senator's from Visions,
will be found below
II will be that the honorable senator. have son I
planned 10 the department that the marsha al has been IN
ing logs and lumber belonging TO actual settlers and h
desire to know II - the design OF the governmsa
subysrt all the bene hcent ends of the pre- emp,oo .y~
Now we submit that II they had really en,ertsined a.
prehe nsons OF the existence oil sach design on The N.Y.
OF the government, il their duty call the s,so,
of The county TO the fact in their places in The Sea.
and not satisfy themselves With writing a letter 10 H.
Secretary of the Interior on the eve of the adournms
Of Congress- Were they unwilling thai The facts shou
the case should be made manites, to The counlry M
they know that the marshal not interfering with ~
proper OF the lumber and logs BY actual settlers M
was only arresting wholesale spoailon of the pubE
lands by persons from distance, strangers merel, sm
porary visiters timber stealing expeditions! II ne
was not the nature OF their information; il they w,,
really in possession OF facts which led them 10 .uuu
that the Executive was acting an injurious oppfessv,
part toward the actual settlers. il ID difficult 10 imasio
any for their neglect to move il the most di,
and efficient manner for the redress OF the grievance Of
their constituents.
II would seem that the honorable senators csnno, h.
leve the allegations OF their letter. cannot be in po
session Of any evidence 10 sustain them, they womb
not have failed 10 cause the proper investigation 10 BE-
made in the proper way We are not surprised Their.
cation to the Secretary just in 10 run away from
the answer and to evade immediate call Tor the ca.
which they rely to substantiae their broad and sweep
ing accusation. Indeed, we are constrained to beie,,
that they must know perfectly well there is no ind
foundation for their protest. and no reason whatever ID
lead them to credit the charge which they make axaau
the Executive Blu: they know also that they have =
lected topic for their communication which ,hey
can play the denagogue to the top of their bent and V,
should not be much surprised il they should really IT.
tempt 10 show the robbers of the actual settlers that
they are much abused individuals Such would em,hs
intention be gathered from their extraordinary letter
the Secretary Of the lnleror which for n
puaton cannot easily be matched, we apprehend in The
correspondence of the department
Letter from the Secretary Of the Interior TO the Senate,
from Wisconsin.
DEPARTMENT THE INTERIOR
Washington, March is, 1851
GENTLEMEN l have the honor TO acknowledge Ii.
receipt OF your letter of the l4th instant which seems
from this city, at the close Of the session Of Congress
For fear of incorporating the purp0r and genenl
tone of that letter, take the liberty Of quoting
full before reply to it,
"On the late Menominee purchase, in the State Of Wiz
consin. there settled and residing twenty
thousand people The government has established There
several post Offices The State has organized
within that district, embracing it, several counties
These settlers ready willing and purchase
the land which they reside but II s yet surveyed
and has been brought into market They
couraged make their settlements by the known and bng
established policy of the government rega ds pemp
ton rights hoping that when the land should be SURVEYED
they would be treated other settlers have always
treated and allowed TO acquire the title TO their homes and
Improvements, being In the mean time permitted 70 avail
themselves of the usual privileges OF the settler regards
timber that they might live and improve their homes aud
farms Bnt what has been and is their establishment find
that after making their settlements locations ii has sud
denly become the pracce- not the pocy-of the govern
them OF from aud deprive them OF all timber
ana s, 10, hs mo,
built not a fence made, or a bridge constructed;
without which. short, they live upon bu,
must abandon the land 10 The great Inconvenience q
themselves the dement of he Ste well tbs gene
government. The marshal Of the S,ate-and pesum.
by direction from your departmenthas been and IS
tinualy seizng every log and plank maiucturd
BY these settlers for the purposes OF their i'm aud
the povement of the roads, bridges Nc, Of the couu'r
and the seters themselves being baassed, pepen
and annoyed by suits Tor taking timber for these par
Against all this the undersigned senators from the Sum
Of Wisconsin, would and do respectfully yet earnestly and
firmly, protest being unnecessary injurious and opps.
have been treated Tor the last twenty and the
dergned unwilling TO remain silent while this unpe
be the design OF the to thwari ubven Ill
the beneceD ends of the ption system, the under
signed desire TO know it, and that the country may knov
IL, But If not, then they would respectfully ask that
you order the marshal OF Wisconsin the Annoyance
and embauassments complained oil"
feel that it is due 10 the administration and to The
country that your letter should have prompt and |
trust a satisfactory answer.
beg leave to assure you that you have entirely mis-
conceived the policy OF the government, il you suppcs
that il has been dictated by any purpose to 'thwar
subvert all the benehcent ends oil the pre- empion ~
tenn, or TO harass perplex, and annoy the settlers on M
public domain in your State. No such purpose exUa
and no instructions, either designed iendng produce
such results. have emanated from this department On
the contrary, has been the constant aim OF the admin
talon 10 afford to the hardy pioneers every facility which
can be gwen, consistently with the law for the setk
ment and Improvement OF the country With equal con-
hdence affirm tina, there has been disposition on he
no nj IN Mt ortnoi EnftlA
using the timber on the public lands for the erection Of
public private improvements Its object. in all The IN
.truc,ions which have issued from this department has
been merely to preserve il from spollaon and waste
and think, If You will take the trouble TO inform your
selves accurately on the subject. you will find that 10
policy has been beneficial to The occupants and adsers
only to the interests of lumber merchants and specua
tors.
Timber is essential to the permanent settlement Of The
country, and II is therefore proper subject oil protection
by the government.
There two systems which may be pursued 10 rs.
gard 10 H. One to preserve il for the benefit Of The &C
tua settlers and To allow them 10 take from the anos
which they propose permanently TO occupy so much as
may be necessary for their own public improve
menls but at the same to prohibit SPECTATORS having no
interest IN the county, and design make permanent
settlements in H. from roaming through the national 90
main and stripping u OF ITS lumber Tie othef Is 70 give
full liberty 10 every greedy sivenurer 10 cut and destroy
wherever and TO whatever extent lie may hnk proper,
and thereby 10 leave insufficient supply ior the actual
settlers The FIRST has been the policy OF The adminsra
ton. any officer has acted otherwise than sceord
with il, he has acted only without Instructions
but contrary to the wishes OF this department II an
TO understand your letter asking that this system sha
be abandoned aud The opposite one adopted, am con
strained TO say the department aocede TO loa
wishes But to AVOID all MISUNDERSTANDING The suo,
ject IN future by any officer Of The government wa
cause specific instructions to be issued TO The maba OF
Wisconsin 10 permit actual settlers 10 take reasonable
amount OF timber for their own use or Tor public I'M
proVemens. but to prosecute, with the utmos, Tiso'
those who depredate on the public DOMAIN Tor The pu'
poses OF speculatipn #...as