The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-13

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THE WEEKLY REPUBLIC
WILL BE PUBLISHED EVERY TEHE DAY .
seeking. therefore, to investigate the s.Is to
tract OF land at the present day 1t often ~
necessary not only to ascertain in what %, aty
the land was situated at the date of the pater out
to trace all its divisions and subdivisions Ihrt RI
long series Of years, step by step, to the " sent
time, in order to ASCERTAIN whether the int ate
conveyances have been properly exec nd
| recorded. This information cannot De
obtained, and the effort to procure it ia soniu.
| attended with great labor and expense. The
introductory notices OF the counties which it is
proposed to prefix to the census will furnish it at
glance; and 1 am persuaded that there ia
portion of the work which will be more acceptable
to the public at large.
It will certainly rescue from oblivion and per-
petuate in a convenient and useful form much
valuable information bearing on the history and
progress Of our country Great pains have been
taken to perfect accuracy in this branch Of
the work. .... .... ..'... .a. ...a 's.m
1t 10 proposed that in every instance the notice Of
each county shall be transmitted not only to the
clerk Of the county, with aAview to a comparison
with his official records, but aiso that it shall be
carefully revised by the proper executive onacers
of the State. j.. . ...-..a ~
Ohiec tions have also been taken to the pubIica-
ton Of the census the plan proposed, on the
score of the large expense which it would in
volve. n
As great misapprehension seems to have pre-
vailed on this subject, Nave thought it expedient
to institute inquiries to ascertain, first what would
be the actual cost Of publishing the entire work in
the comprehensive form proposed by the Superin-
tendent, and in a style creditable TO the Govern.
ment; and, second, what would be its cost COM
pared with~the publication in a greatly inferior
style of the meagre returns of the sixth census.
by reference to the Treasury Department it has
been ascertained that the cost of the publication Of
the sixth census was follows: .as..
To amount paid Blair and Rives for publishing
10000 copies of statistical returns of the sixth
To amount paid Blair & Rives and
Allen & Co. for 3d. 900 copies Of COM
pendlum.. ..................... A,I3 go
Cost CT binding. ..-........-..-...... 1912 VI
Aggregate cost Of publication. Sl7S 500 Al
copies of the statistics Of the seventh census
folio volumes Of 900 pages each, on fine type and
paper, well bound with Russia backs, for the ag.
Of the amount paid for the publication of the sixth
census. The objection, therefore, on the score of
| expense is proved to be unfounded. .ss.
- The Patent Office.
The report of the Commissioner of Patents,
which is made directly to Congress, will contain
full and detailed statements Of the operations of
that bureau.
The eastern wing of the noble structure, erected
and ultimately to be used for purposes connected
with the industrial pursuits of our country, will
coon be completed and ready for occupation Some
progress has also been made upon the basement Of
the western wing, and large quantity OF mate
rial has been collected with view to the vigorous
prosecution of the work next spring. The base
ment of the principal building has been greatly
improved by dressing the rough stone Of which il
was built, 20 "a to make it conform in its general
appearance to similar portions OF the newly
erected building. .-rt H'. ar
There il probably no bureau connected with
the Government in whose operations the public
at large feel deeper interest than those of the
Patent Office. 1t ia inseparably associated with
every interest of our country. The mechanic, the
mer chant, the manufacturer, and the farmer, are
all concerned in every thing which diminishes the
labor of production in any Of the departments Of
industry. Our people are eminently practical and
| ingenious. They are constantly employed in the
discovery of new means OF accomplishing import
ant results at a diminished cost of time, labor and
| money The steam engine, the cotton gin, and
| the magnetic telegraph, are striking and lmper-
| ishabIe memorials Of the success which has attend
ed their efforts. In the carly period Of our history,
when population was sparse and the prices OF ag-
try directed mainly to the cultivation Of the
soil. But, as population progressively increases.
more attention is devoted to mechanical pursuits
and the invention OF machinery by which the work
| of many may be accomplished by few. Not
day passes without furnishing come evidence OF
this fact in the form of applications for patents for
important inventions and discoveries The me-
chanical interest bas therefore become Of great
magnitude, and it is Justly entitled to all the pro-
| lection and assistance which can be bestowed by
Congress consistently with the provisions OF the
The general principles of our patent system
| seem to have met with universal appreciation, and
| to have been attended with benehcent results ip
| practice Since the organization OF the ONCE IN
1886 it has advanced with rapid strides. At that
date one examining clerk was enabled to make
all the preliminary Investigations which were re-
Quired to scerain whether the applicant was en-
titled to PATENT but such has been the increase Of
the business that six principal examiners and as
many assistants are not now able to keep pace
withit The number OF models in the office on the
lat day of January, 1886, 1859. In the be-
ginning of the year 1851 they had increased to
II 1857, and at the close of the present year they
will fall but little short OF $4,000 II they should
continue to increase in this proportion, making no
allowance for the augmentation consequent on the
increase Of population, by the close OF the present
century they will amount to l5oOoo and the
whole of the present Patent Office edihce Will
| not be sufficient for their convenient display.
To provide against this contingency, as well as
| to accomplish other important results, ] re.
| spectfully propose that the Commissioner OF
| Patents be required to have prepared for pub
LEGATION careful analytical and descriptive
| index OF all discoveries and Inventions which
| have been patented, accompanied by nccu-
rate descriptions and drawings which will fully
explain the principles and practical operation Of
| the subject of the patent The advantages OF such
publication would be almost incalcnable 1t
| would not only perpetuate the invention or dis
coyery by avoiding the Casualties by fire and other
causes. but it would multiply and diftuse among
the people at large the specifications and descrip-
TONS and substantially bring home to every neigh
| borhood to which copy of the work might be
sent the benefits of the Patent Office. In much
the larger number of cases the necessity for pre-.
serving and displaying the models would be OBJ
waited. The pages of the published report would
| be a safer and more convenient depository for
| them than the cabinets of the Patent Office, and
| they would be accessible TO everybody. Inventors
| in remote parts of the country would be placed on
an equal footing with those residing near the seat
| of Government. When their thoughts were turn
| ed to a particular class Of machinery, instead OF
being compelled to make journey to Wsshing-
| ton to what had already been done IN that de-
| partment of the arts, they could at once turn TO
the analytical index and ascertain what progress
| had been made by others.
Under the present sys,em il not unfrequently
happens that ingenious persons having conceived
| what they believe to be new idea which, when
carried into practice, will be of great value, en-
ploy much of their time, labor, and money In per-
| fectng their inve ntion and when it Is finished
they come TO Washington filled with the hope OF
| those rewards which crown the labors OF the sue
cessful inventor Their application for patent is
presented and submitted TO experienced and
skful examiner, who promptly refers the anxious
applicant to a drawing model, which elbows