Mississippi palladium. [volume] (Holly Springs, Miss.) 1851-1852, 1852-01-22

Job Work.
Il Cash viii be expected for al Jeb Wesk. -
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better for the State 10 sell them at iow
/ prices, and to derive the benefits accru-
ing fsom thsir settlement and cui,iva-
ton. as well as the taxes which would
iiayf 70 be paid upon them, than 10 hold
them at prices which may net be OBJ
rained for many years to come. Ii
these lands Were disposed OF in the way
herein indicated, the State nigh, real
ize nearly or quite million oi dollars
/ irom this source, which would be OF
lincalculable advantage TO the country,
/ if judicionsly applied TO the constrnc-
ton OF railroads. Another source of
revenue 10 the State consists in the
large amount OF swamp lands granted
I by the general government, by an nct
of Congress. approved the 2Sth of Sep
tember, 1850, for the purpose OF con-
Istructing necessary lesees and drains
10 reei.;nl the sEatnp and overiiowed
I lands Ming IN sfis- <s::ase. a.s,i-ineluded
Rin the above q ant. 1t is believed that
when the Ievees shall have been ccnl-
pleted, that this land viii become sex-
ceedingl> valuable, and that it would
require but a small PORTION of the lands
for that purpose. The great imr or
taace attached 10 this grant, by Gov.
Quitman, induced han, oil the Sd of
February, 1851. in the absence OF any
authority by law, TO make regular APP
pointments, TO say to John Rayburn,
Esq, of Panola county, that if he
would look solely to the Legislature
for the confirmation of his acts in the
premises and for compensation for his
services, he could proceed to locate the
lands in question. On the Eth of
February, Gov. Guion appointed Mr..
z. Bryan upon similar terms and con-
ditions. These gentlemen have been
engaged in locating since that time, and
have transmitted TO this department an
elaborate report of their progress. |
would therefore recommend that suit
able compensation be allowed them for
their services.
The Register of the Land Office at
this place, in pursuance to instructions
from the proper department at WASH
ington, has submitted a report contain
ing list of the overfiowed lands in
the Jackson Land District, which /
herewith transmit These lands have
not yet been examined aud located full
ly by the agents appointed Tor that
purpose; but, from their location, and
the known fertility of the soil. il may
be fairly estimated that if iudicieusiy
disposed OF, they will yield to the State
a large amount of available means for
internal improvements. after deiraving
the expenses OF making the levees and
bringing them into market. The benz
efits calculated 10 accrue TO the State
from a judicious management of this
grant, viii, | am sure, induce you
TO deliberately examine the sbu-
ject and adopt whatever course
your wisdom may dictate that will
be most likely to carry out the OBJ
jects of the grant. The leveeing, or
assisting to do SO, of the Mississippi, is
a matter that will claim your early at
tention. That work eflectually done,
and the choicest body of land perhaps
in the world for the production of Cur
great staple, would be reclaimed and
open to our people, thereby swelling
our exports, increasing our revenue,
and adding immensely TO the wealth
and resources of the tate. rs well as
that OF individuals.
Another matter worthy of serious
consideration, is the proper mode of
of the lands forfeited to the
State for the non-payment of taxes.
In the 18th section OF the act Of the
9th of March, 1850, the Legislature
made provision for the disposition of
these lands by authorizing any person
to redeem them after a given period;
but such authority was coupled with
conditions believed to be calculated TO
defeat the very object of the act; the
purchaser could take neither more nor
less than half section, when in many
instances not so much was owned by
the State in one body, when, in other
cases, to have disposed OF half Sec
ton might have rendered the residue
OF the tract valueless. L would rec
onmend the passage of a law in lieu
thereof, authorizing these lands to be
disposed of at very moderate prices 10
be fixed BY law, to any person whatev-
er who might be inclined TO purchase
them, and in the same quantities in
which they were acquired by the State
1t is believed that this course would
enable the State to dispose of lands
forfeited for non-payment of taxes, on
terms, subject the lands again
TO taxation, and thereby materially in
crease her revenue, which might also
be applied to purposes of internal inn
provement.
The amount of money that can be
realized. from the 10000 acres of do
mated land, the swamp lands, and the
lands forfeited to the State for the nom
payment OF taxes, if disposed of in the
manner above intimated, or in any 9TH
er practicable manner, would be suffi-
cient 10 carry on an extensive system
of internal Improvement for many
years TO come. Bat should they prove
to answer the wants OF. the
State, resort might be had to another
source for carrying on these improve