The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-20

States may obtain all the benefits by these
acis as heretofore construed The aaons reQfc tha
suen Of The public land at the passage OF The law, /
shown by the heldnoles, proved by competent esll
mony g be oil the character specified IN the grant sha
o" ne s :. % se
aoIasntn, OF this grant. and Will be recommended undsr
lis appropriate head
The arrangement Of the swamp selections has also
materially Inerered with the adjustment Of The recent
railroad Krans for The that all lands o the class
frst mentioned, being embraced in a law OF previous
date 70 he Other had to be asceraned before selections
could be made undersandngly Tor The railroads.
The grant Tor the Central railroad through Mississippi
and Alabama has been closed and progress
has been made in the adjustment OF those in Missouri
IN Arkansas. the lands along the supposed rosie OF the
road lo which grant made BY the act Of February
y 1880 were Withdrawn IRON market Tor six months,
but no progress has yet been made IN The adjustment Of
the grant, Tor the that the route OF that road has
not yet been determined Application made by the
governor Of Arkansas 10 continue this reservation 10
December 1884, when the legislature would meei under
whose direction the survey oil the oil that road
placed by the ac. OF Congress above mentioned. This.
however. il was thought could not be done with due
gard 10 ihe scemen, o the lands and the interests OF
The governments but TO afford an opportunity for the
ton OF Congress The subject and al The ane Time 70
facilitate seemens, further reservation was made I'LL
March nexi, with the condition that i, should inter-
fere with the rights OF actual settlers.
The difficulties anticipated 10 my last report in the ex-
aminaoa and satisfaction OF Virginia revolutionary land
warrants, have been more than realized. The act OF
August 81 1852, directing that The Secretary OF the lnie
rlor "sha be satisfied by revision OF the proofs, or by
additional testimony" that any warrant surrendered
was aidy and Justly issued in pursuance OF Tire laws
OF sad commonwealth, has been construed requiring
REORGANIZATION OF the eyiience on which such CLAIMS
originally allowed, and the warrants issued 70
certain whether The had been done in accordance
with the laws OF that commonwealth" !"
The rolls and other records oil such very
imperfect and there but lew persons now living who
testify 10 facts occurring at that early day from their
own personal knowledge The services Tor which these
claims made must have been performed between i775
and 1853. To be cognizant OF such service the witness
should have been al least len years old at the first OF
those dates. This added 10 the time that has since
elapsed, would make such witness now about eighty
three yeats old Very few can be found, at this time
Of that advanced age and those know comparatively
but lltlle oil such seryices they were performed
many different sections OF the country, on land and
water EnTe reliance, moreover, cannot be placed
upon the noIy Of witnesses OF such advanced age,
even where they were engaged 10 the service or person
ally interested The transaction, the events OF early
Iiie AT TO be blended in the memory with The trans
actions OF subsequent years Hence, where the proof is
defective upon which claims OF this character were otg
nalsy allowed, there is ltle probability al the presen,
tune OF SUPPLYING The deficiency For such taets the gov
not responsible, and hence there Is no other
course the law but reject OF this class,
less Congrss shall direct that all these warrants shall be
satisfied win scrip, except where they were obtained by
fraud. Notwithstanding these difficulties, the business OF
this branch has been prosecuted with The most commend
able zeal and dill sence by the gentlemen employed on IT.
The preempion business, and that connected with the
selection aud arrangement oil the school and seminary
lands, all Of which belong 10 division, have been
pressed torwad earnestly and diligently, ana the many
questions connected with these subjects, often difficult
nave been promptly and satIsiactor settled.
beg leave TO iave special atitn TO The able reports
of !he surveyors general herew,t communicated, II
will be perceived nat each has lalt lily discharged the
important and duties committed 10 his care and
that all striving satisfactorily 10 close up, as early as
practicable, the business oil their Offices
Many OF The important questions presented ny the sur
veyor general oil Illinois aud Nissoun involve such
heavy Interests, and surrounded with 40 many dtb
cutes that il is deemed expcdient 10 make them lhe
pf fuf Her hey hall hayy bpPu
fully considered, and appropriate remedies devised
The graphic representations by the surveyors general
Of FLORIDA, Michigan. Wisconsin,, and Iowa oil The soil
and productions oil certain portions OF heif districts, are
peculiarly interesting, especially 10 persons who may
wish 10 settle IN Hose regions. Ihe SIMPLE yet eer'an
and admirable system OF surveys originated at very
early period o coniederacy, with the other branches
of the land system has now been extended nearly from
the Atlantic 10 lbe Pacific, and from The lakes to the
Gulf OF Mexico Fixed and certain IN every particular,
mar ks and monuments readily be traced, where
eystng aud when obliieTated by time accident,
ly restored The geographical posinon o every object
which has been extended can be asceraiDed with
the greatest facility aud considerable accuracy, aud The
distances oi given points, aid their relative positions 10
each oher. readily be Determined.
To The gentleman now IN charge OF this division OF
the oifce indebted for the harmony aud unormI
iy which has existed in II Tor than quarter OF
crniury and his efforts well directed and
uung ever, TO carry on 10 hnal consummsuon the
work we'll begun.
The Indian vaons aud private land claims belong
to one dv,son OF hls Office OF The former every
has been disposed Of or put the way OF final
settlement.
There are still however large number where parties
holding deeds The Indians have not presented them
for paenng OF the Creek cases LILO Of this char
scer and there other rorefvatiops under
treaties with The Winnebagoes, Po,iawaomles, Choc-
aws, &C. which the Office Is prepared TO dispose OF on
presentation.
About 100 900 acres Of lands in the Chickasaw oes-
SION OF isJ2 unsold when, however, are being
rapidly entered, and, with the and Office section" will
in due time be disposed OF under the treaty and existing
laws The Impoliey of making reservations in fee. 10
the Indian treaties has bern long since aseeriaioed and
he praciice, 10 great exteai abandoned IL - h2ty
ofiani that The outstanding should be disposed
oil early day, every years delay has tendency
the difficulties. II any, that surround them
aud may finally lead TO much Eaassng litigation 10 OBJ
viae difficulties and to close np this business far
the government is concsrsvd would suggest that pro
vision be made by law for patents TO all cases,
the of the with the proviso that The
uie with the OF the President, should nure 10
ihe heirs assignee leaving TO The courts TO determine
the validity OF contested titles
Namerous and complicated questions are constantly
arising The private land clam bureau of this Office
with reference the lights OF parties and the correct lO
cation Of their claims The records in many cases are
voumnous as require days and even weeks simply
to read them To select aud array the facts from such
records aud apply them the acts OF Congress, with
reference TO the laws and OF The governments
with whom they originated, requires sound judgment
great care and thorough knowledge oil every matter
connected with the business Those daily be-
coming more important. from he great incfease 10 ihc
value Of the property affected by them. The natural
tendency OF this increase OF value To The claim
ants look more closely 10 the location. extent, and
boundaries OF their claims. and 10 strive 10 obtain all The
land, 10 which they may conceive themselves entitled
under them Al The early period when many OF those
claims were trsi surveyed and located, Toe aou was
comparatively vaiueess, aud hence but little care and
caution was then exercised in these particulars