The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-07


Notwithstanding our stringent regulations respecting
assignment OF warrants frauds sometimes perpetrated
it has been held that this Office afford relief
and that the only redress for the warranses IL through
the proper judicial tribunals in suit for the title to the
lands located With their warrants This Is expensive and
may be uncertain where the holder of the patent title
sells to innocent purchaser who has knowledge of
the fraud The examinations of the transfers moreover
materially retard the issuing Of the patents nearly all
Of them assigned and with the greatest frauds
OF the character above mentioned cannot always be de-
tected
To avoid these evils far practicable respectfully
recommend that act be passed by Congress- suthorz
ing this Office in oil to issue the patent to the
who rendered the service for whch the warrants
granted with the proviso that the title shall enure to the
benefit Of the parties contemplated by the acts of 1917
and 1850 their heirs assgnes dcvisees the may
be- The United States wonld thus be- Invested of the fee
in the lands the rights Of the soldiers and those holding
under them would be secured the rule Of caveat
tori would apply In all and the questions connected
with subsequent transfers could be adjudcated by the
courts In this way the landed titles of the country
would be rendered and much vexatiou
litigation prevented and the wsrrantees could sell and
assign as usual In the present prosperous condition
Of the country, the extent Of the suffcrings and
and sacrifices, endured in the service for which
these warrants were granted and the value of that
1872 with England justly styled the second struggle for
independence patriotic citizens land and water
ready at moments call to strike for freedom
and shed their best blood in defence of thsir country
Many Of thec patriots have passed away leaving their
families In straitened and others srng
Cling in the autumn of e under sickness aud poverty
to obtain scsnty subsistence. When the act Of 1850
passed length Of service appeared the most just IL
not the only criterion by which the extent Of the bounty
should be measured Experience however has nce pro-
that many Of those whose actual service in the field
was the brefes endured the greatest hardshps and
seem then to be just that the liberal should
be made for them extended to the soldiers of the
regular army and that each should receive hundred
aud sixty acres whether his service long short
had been rendered on land or water.
In addition to those above mentioned, warrants and
scrip have been Issued by the division having charge Of
the Virginia military and bounty lands the
Of 1872, amounting to n 766 acres.
That division has also been actively engaged in index
Ing the old volumes and preparing new records and abb
sracts 60 to be ready for the issue Of script to the
holders OF Virginia military warrants authorized by the
second section ofthat act shall have been complied with
by that State.
upon the General Land Office; and from the experience
already had 1t evident that the proviso in it, requiring
you TO be satisfied ''by revision of the proofs
by additional testimony, that any warrant
dered (under the provisions OF that act) faSy and
Justly issued in pursuance Of the laws OF said
wealth Of Virginia. for military services rendered.
will be exceedingly on this Office and on the
holders Of the warrants and will materially reard tho
respectfully recommend that the said proyso be
ana the issuing Of the warrant treated pra Jacia evil
dncs that the service was rendered by the in
whose name 1t was granted 1t will then be diff cult in
all to ascertain satisfactorily who the present
propretor as required by the act that the script may
The extent and nature Of this business in any event.
such as to require ncrease in the number and ssa
r,es OF the clerks employed 1t. 1 therefore
mend that the salary Of the clerk in charge Of TIL
branch be increased to $1,000 per annum and that
authority be given for employment Of two ezamaers ct
salary Of 81 500 eaoh and clerks write record
and index the script at salary of 81 200 each.
In reference go this branch OF the Office beg leave to
invite attention TO the condition Of Of the records
Of Virginia military patents for lands in Ohio which
were issued prior TO 1924 Those records deficient
that certified copies OF them use aid
sustaining the rights OF the parties to whom the patents
were issued nor can they be made available, in their
present condition. by any act Of Congress In
the name of the granor Is not inserted and in lieu OF
description of the aBd the warrant ~ pasted in aud the
whole Of the latter part Of the including the sg
natures Of the officers. Is left blank.
Two modes are suggested by which these records may
be COMPLETED under uhority Of Of Congress One
Of them fom the records of the counties in which the
lands situated, and TO complete the records there
from the other is to endeavor TO complete them from
the title papers file In this Office The former would
be tae better plan in all where IL be adopted,
and the latter where the original patents certified
copies OF them cannot be had
In the division having charge OF prc-empions school
and seminary selections the numerous frequently
involving difficult and complicated questions
promptly dispssed Of
lme diatoly the passage az the act OF 9Th May and
"a August 1859, the former granting prescriptions to
certain settlers on the Menomonie purchase north Of Fox
river apd the latter to protect actual settlers upon the
land en- The line OF the Central Railroad and branches by
granting pref mption rights thereto instru,tons In
accordance win be provisions OF those laws were pre-
pared end transmitted to the respective land of,cs
whore the reserved aud, ordered into marsct that
all persons contemplated by tho latter law might an
opportunity OF awaiting themselves OF ts benefits The
instructions tent by telegraph 10 those onces whore
the time intervening between the passage OF the law