New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-08

shsted "a speedily II can properly be done DNy e.
pesience however, e,Inces the neces5 Tor the coht
nance of this power over the public lands until they are
all disposed OF, and the only proper end economies az
rsngement that seems eHpedient ana pracncaDe y !"
place il in this Office This would obvate AL ihcon'sh'
fence that can arse from abOshing the ohces OF the
Surveyors General under the act OF 1910, aud secure
AZ nominal expense all the Advantages that couid az
crue from their continuance under such crcumsidhc
beg leave TO call your attention 70 the Interesting re-
ports of the several Surveyors General herewith SUD
mifted showing sUccntly the extent OF the oPerao
tat branch Of the service during the pat year e
ent condition Of their district and the sur yeys
for the ensuing season. Their Office laborsn VIZ De p
ceived have been rendered extremely oneIous - VIC
selection Of the swamp and overHo"ed s i az. an
sminatiOns in relation 70 erroneous slu S.o,sI
veys The work. however Is prOgreasins 80
and strenuous efforts have been made 70 DfHS " ~
close speedily as ii can be done WIN "u' -
the public inteIct ,-....., :, d;A.~o,+o NJ
eces ,Ic ,css.v arise for consolidating dsticts pro
yded for bv the OF l2sh June, ~ ana lor Ienio
wing the Land Offices 20 A. 10 be more 70 tne
unsold portions OF the district SCidc VI 'u' AoOcH'
Ia,ys contain rrovi.i authorship tue Presdent TO re-
move The Land Oces from urne to rn-, a. me neces1
tes and convenience OF the public may require; and as
tbere IL the sarne necessity IN al Ike cases for the exer
else of his power ! recommend that general provs
Ion Of law be made to thntetecf.
The adjustment ofthc grant Of swamp and overhowed
huds made By the acts Of % Mar b 1870, and 2>A sap
te,nlsr 1870 has progTessed slowly notwithstanding
ores DILIGENCE and activity IN the force engaged IT,
The selection Of the land embraced by these grant was
iptrusted the SurveyOrsGenersl d theseyera states
where those Offices existed and totne Begstrar and Re
eeyers of the Land Districts in those states where the
Office o. Surveyor neral had been abolished The se2
son for this that the 9uIv yoI neral had
access to ell the field noes and the land oihcer- 70 All
the descriptive notes, whereas, except OF lew OF tnc
Ststes there not complete cts OF ether on the 1cs
of this Office. II wen understood that many oil t1e
lands had been surveyed in very dry ea-Ons or Wnen
the ground frozen and hence the ned, or dcscrp
i've notes would not indicate al that were OF the char
meter embraced by the grant. In cases Of tins Ad the
officers were authorized TO receive ana act on sucn re
sponsbe and reliable testimony "a should DC produced
by the authorities of the tacs. No reports nave yet
been received from the officers, though urged repeat
edly hasten their action thet the grant may closed
Much difficulty has also been experienced because OF
the numerous conflicts that have grown out OF the grant
The sur pension of the aaie and dispJ-a OF all the public
domain not contemplated by these laws, and could
not be made unless specially directed By Congress and
hence numerous entries and locations have been made
of lands claimed by the States under these lave. The
grant took eject frem the date OF the acts nakingi H.
ard therefore, ia numerous ca CT conict OF utc arse
which have to be adjudicatod by the Department 10
relieve this difficulty, ms far NJ prachcane suggestthst
where fuch lands have been purchased, authority be
granted for paying to the state
on a rtlnqusbnent by the Governor or other oncer
appointed v him for that purpose, a all the l1gnt o! the
state in ard such lands end where those lands were
located by warrants scrip TO authorize the State to
locste like amount elsewhere, upon siiniar rehn
punishment.
iustng these grants is very all the lists returned
have TO be carefully compared with The tract books All
selections where the land was disposed OF previous 70
the passage OF the laws anuled AMI those since sus-
peDded-all the selections tncn posted lists Of them
are prepared and sent TO the land officers, and also 10
the Governor with diagrams exhibiting the lands en-
braced by tie lists aud the requc Oh the Governor
the patents are then issued As oil this work must be
done i'm connection with the current business OF the
Office and but few can be employed on it the progress
must be necessarily slow.
1t is proper here to state that doubts have recently
been suggested whether tls the United States 20
the lands selected under the act OF tn September I'll
and for schools and other purposes ~ dlVested, ny
mere certificate 10 the State that The selections Of such
lands have been approved by the Executive In some
oil the laws the language entirely full on tins point but
the uniform usage OF the office has been TO regard those
certificates conveying the fec To prevent any CUES
ton arising this point however, il would be well for
Congress pass declaring that al! sucn ccrtc :.
lions which have been, may hereafter be made shall
be regarded conveying the fee, suyec 70 all wand IN
terferng rights and that where such certificates were
heretofore issued this Office shall have the power OF
auihenticaiing them by the use Of our seal
The necessity for regulating, by act 81 Congress the
survey of the lands IN California, d now extremely w
gent ,
The only provisions Of law in relation TO the Office Of
the Survey OrGenera OF this State nre in the acts max
ing appropriation for the civil and diplomatic expense.
OF the Government for the fiscal years ending Both June,
1852 and 1853
The former merely confirms on item for suryoy
ing the public lands and private claims IN California IN
conformity with the provisions OF the act OF Congress,
authorizing similar surveys, OF $4,000 to he expended
under the direction OF the Department OF the Interior,
OF which sum is to be paid the componsation OF a
Surveyor General Whose salary shall not exceed s LOO
per unnum provided that this rate Of compensation
shall continue for the OF two and no longer :
and the latter (satu,es 81 large PIP 90 I'D merely makes
further appropriations Tor the same service without ~
iectiDg that rTuylso.
According to a decision Of the First Comptroller OF
the Treasury the compensation allowed the Sur'evot
General by the former act cannot be- PAM aer he 5Jn
June next without the repeal by Congress oil that Prov
so and hence the Indispensable necessity oi action 10y
Congress the subject at the present session Ihcoh
iect no doubt OF Congress- in thus Limiting the period
during which this compensation should be paid was 10
ascertain whether the rate thus fixed was lust ENpc
rencc has fully shown til IN proportion 10 the expense
oivng Ills 10y omeans proporuOnhtc totAc compensa
ZION paid the same grade OF officers cast OF the Rocky
mountains and is lar from being commensurate with
the arduOus and important duties dcVOlNtd on that OH
GER and which he has so ably and faithfully performed
The same remark can he made IN relation to the sala
~ ($2 500 per annum) allowed the Surveyor General OF
Oregon by the act of the nth september 1850 This
compenss ton view of the high rates OF living IN that
territory will scarcely provide for the necessary wants
Of that officer and his family and wholly inadequate 70
the services rendered by hun.
The propricty OF extending the United States land
system o, or the territories Of Nebrakn Utah ami New
Mexico is also respectfully submitted Those terrific
RES are gradually being settled by hardy, enterprisin.
and industrious population. Tho lines OF the public sur
veys, when extended over those lands, IN accordanct
with the admirable system established ny the laws
Congress- will materially interfere probably with tht
o those settlers, and hence frequent and
vcxatous litigation viii be produced increasing in pro
portion the settlements extend por to those surveys
The necessary facilities should also be furnished 70 al
those settlers to their homts either by grants o.
purchase .,
To this end it would be well to create land officers II
California, Oregon, and the Territories mentioned and
appoint registrar TO each, who could collect evidence
claims oepn tract books and make every necessary pre-
paraon for the sale Of the lands when the claims Oh
grants are finally disposed Of
While ON this subject, would recommend shat th'
township lines alone should be extended over me va
liable deposits of the precious minerals, audi the
ands containing those depsss be ci free TO the enter
prsng industry OF all ozcDs oi the United states and
those who have declared their intention 20 become suf
10 work and mine at their pleasure without let OF hin
drancc except so far rs local legislation may be neces
sary to preserve the peace Of the country and 70 secure
persons their possessory rights and any heneh 4
claimed by Government from ihc product OF these lands
6,rther than that which is general all citizens by
sn abundan, supply of the precious metals tina; II be N