Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-01

a,abraced 400 sa4sao $3.50 22,42s 400
Acres embraced III, 200 34S7,Sl0 49,. IA, 500 040
No. outstanding s,6S 92,I92 LII lOI 9sI
Acres embraced 1,2so,2Oo 63364sO $3.50 7626,36O
Notwithstanding stringent regulations respecting
the assignment Of warrants frauds sometimes perpe
trated and patents issued fraudulent assignments In
such it has been held that this Office can afford M
relief and that the only redress for the warrantees is
through the proper judicial tribunals in suit for the title
to the lands located with their warrants This is expen-
e ana may be uncertain when the holder of the patent
title sells to innocent purchaser who has no knowledge
of the fraud. The examinations of the transfers more
over materially retard the issuing of the patents as
nearly all of them assigned and with the greatest
care frauds OF the character above mentioned al
ways be detected.
10 avoid these evils, far practicable respect
fully recommend that act be passed by Congress a-
thorzng this Office in all issue the patents to the
person who rendered the service which the warrants
were granted with the provso thathe title shall inure
TO the benefit OF the parties contemplated by the acts of
S4 and 1850 their heirs assgnees or deysees as the
case may be- The United States would thus be Invested
OF the fee IN the lands the rights of the soldiers and those
holding under them would be secured as the rule of
cdced eptor would apply in all cases. and the ques-
tons connected with subsequent transfers could be adu
caed by the courts In this way the landed titles of
the country would be rendered secure and permanent
much yexaous litigation prevented and the warrantees
could sell and assign usual In the prosperous
condition ofthe country the extent of the suerngs and
sacrifices endured the service for which these
were granted, and the value of that service are almost
inappreciabe. During the war Of 1872 with England
justly styled the second struggle for independence our
patriotic citizens, on land and water ever ready at
moments call to strike for freedom and shed their best
blood in defence of their country Many of these patriots
have passed away leaving their families in stratened
circumstances and others struggling in the autumn
OF life under poverty and sickness, obtain scanty
subsistence When the Of 1850 passed length of
service appeared the met just if not the only criterion
by which the extent Of the bounty should be measured
experience however has since proven that many of those
whose actual service in the field the brefes endured
the greatest hardshps and rendered valuable SER
vices to their country Ii would SEEM then to be lust
that the same liberal provision should made for them
as was extended to the soldiers of the regular army and
that each should receive 60 acres whether his service
long short had been rendered 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 under the war Of
1912, amounting to 81, 7GG acres
That division has also been actively engaged in index
ing the old volumes and preparing new records and alb
cs &c. so as TO be ready for the issue of scrip to the
holders OF Virginia military warrants authorized by the
act Of 3st August 1852 soon as the proyso to the ID
section Of that act shall have been complied with by that
State.
The execution Of this law has been devolved by you
upon the General Land Office, and from the experience
already had il is evident that the proviso in it requiring
you TO De satisfied by revision Of the proofs by adj
dtional testimony, that any warrant = surren-
dered under the provisions Of that ac fairly and
justly issued in pursuance Of the laws Of said Common
wealth (of Vrginia for military services so rendered
will be exceedingly onerous this Office and on the
holders OF the warrants, and will materially retard the
completion Of the business under it. would therefore
respectfully recommend that the said provso be repealed
and the issuing Of the treated as praa face evil
dence that the service rendered by the person in
whose name 1t was granted 1t will then be difficult in
all cases to ascertain satisfactorily who are the present
Propreor as required BY the act that the scrip may be
issued 10 them
The extent and nature of this business in any event
such as TO require increase in the number and saa
0f hn a rlC nwado a.
that the salary Of the clerk charge Of this branch be
500 per annum and that authority be given
Tor the employment Of two examiners salary 81 300
each ana TWO clerks TO write record and index the scrip
at salary Of 81, 200 each.
In reference to this branch Of the Office beg leave to
invite attention to the condition Of some Of the records Of
Virginia military patents for lands in Ohio which were
issued por to 1874 Those records deficient that
cerned copies OF them are Of use and cannot aid in
sustaining the rights Of the parties TO whom patents
issued nor can they be made available in their present
condition by any act Of Congress In the |
name OF the grantee is not inserted and In lieu Of de-
scrpuon OF the land the warrant is pasted in, and the
whole OF the latter part Of the record including the sig
natures Of the officers, is left blank.
Two modes are suggested by which these records may
be completed under authority Of act 81 Congressone
IS to call in the original patents or duly certified copies
OF them from the records Of the counties in which the
lands situated and TO complete the records thererom
the other IS TO cndeavor to complete them from the title
papers on ME IN this Office The former would be the bet
ter plan in NIL where it be adopted and the lat
ter where the original patents certified copies Of them
cannot be had
In the division having charge Of pre-emptions school
and seminary selections the cases. frequently
involving difficult and complicated questions prompt
ly disposed Of
Immediately on the passage Of the acts Of 9th May
and I'd August l5b2the former granting prescriptions
to certain settlers the Menomonee purchase north Of
Fox river and the latter to protect settlers upon
the land on the line Of the Central railroad and branches
by granting presumption rights thereto instructions
accordance with the provisions Of those laws pre-
pared ana transmitted to the respective land where
the reserved lands ordered market that oil per-
sons contemplated by the latter law might have an oppor
tnny Of ayailing themselves OF its benefits Those in
suucuons were sent by telegraph those officers where
the time intervening between the passage Of the law and
the approaching public sale brief to reach them
by the ordinary mode.
In fact, every within the power Of this Office
have been applied TO carry out the liberal views OF Con-
gress towards this merorous class OF our citizens not
Wthsanding which, many Of great hardship have
occurred IN consequence or OF the restrictions In
the ACT Of lS4l, which plain and positive as to
cave this office discretion. One Of these is the pro-
vision limiting the presumption privilege to those who
settle upon lands which surveyed prior to such set
uemen This restriction should be abolished and ee,tle
ments encouraged all lands to which the Indian title
has been extnguished Another OF these provisions 4
that emption rights shall not attach TO any secton
Of land reserved TO the United States alternate 10 other