Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-12-14


trative action Of this Department, which are
indicated by the Secretary, as also to the pro-
gress made in the construction OF Marine Hos
pitfalls, Custom Houses, aud OF new Mint In
California, and assay offices in the city of New
York heretofore provided for by Congress, and
also to the eminenty successful progress oft
Coast Survey, and ofthe Light House Board.
Among the objects needing your attention
will be important recommendations from the
Secretaries of War, and Navy. l am fully sa-
tisfied that the Navy Of the United States is
not in a condition Of strength and efficiency
commensurate with the magnitude Of our COM
mercial and other interests, and commend to
your special attention the suggestions on this
subject made by the Secretary of the Navy.
respectfully submit that the Army, which
under the present state must always be regarded
with the highest interest as nucleus around
which the volunteer force Of the nation gather
in its hour Of danger, requires an augmentation
and modification to adapt il to the present ex-
tended limits and frontier relations OF the coun
try, and the condition of the Indian tribes in
the interior Of the continent, the necessity OF
which " i'll appear in the communication of the
Secretaries Of Warand of the Interior.
In the administration Of the Post Office De-
partment for the fiscal year ending June 80.
1853, the gross expenditure was S1,9o2,'o6
and the gross receipts during the same period
were S., 9i3, 1874 showing that the current rev.
enue failed to meet the current expenses of the
DEPARTMENT byihe sum of 50 ,042. 032.
The Causes which, under the present postal
system, have led invariably to this result, are
fully explained 10 the report of the Postmaster
General. One great cause being the enormous
rates the DepIment has been compelled to
u Say for m1 Ge rendered oy railroad com
I master Genej9f ~ the income aud expenditures
| by mail s,eaysrs will be found peculiarly in.
teresting, AM of a character to demand the
| immediate alton of Congress.
| Numerous and fragrant frauds upon the Pen
sion Buresl have been brought to light within
the last var, aud in some Instances, merited
p1nishmet has been inflicted, but untortu
nately iuo,hers guilty parties have escaped
not thro,gh the want of evidence to warrant a
| conviction, bnt in consequence OF the provi
sIons limitation in he existing laws. From
the naure of these claims, the remoteness oil
the tribunals to pass upon them, and the mode
| in which the proof is of necessity furnished
temptitions to crime have been greatly stima
lated ty the obvious difficulties of detection
| The d,fects of the law upon this subject are
so apparent, and 80 fatal to the end ofjustice
| that y,ur early notion relating to il is most de
sirablt
during the last fiscal year 9,sl9, All acres o
the Pubic Lands have been surveyed--l0, 003,
s9l br,ught into market. Within the same
period the sales by public purchase and. pri
vate entry amounted to ,0S3 ,490 acres; located
unde, Military Bounty Land Warrants, 6, l42,
$50 ares; located under other certificates g.,
AT acres; coded to the States as Swamp
Lan,s, l6, 6s4 253 acres; selected for railroads
and other objects under acts of Congress, ,saT
450acres. Total amount of land dis sod =
within the fiscal year 25,346, 992 acres whic1
is On increase in the quantity sid and locate,
unler land warrants aud grants Of Il, a3l 81
ares over the fiscal year Immediately p,cced
Ing The quantity OF land sold during tn
sconu ana .nird quarters of the year 1852 wa
'34,4al acres. The amount received thereto
was s623,6e7. The quantity sold the secon
nd third quarters of the year 1853 was SOS
9l9 acres, and amount received therefor 50 ,22t
SIG The whole number OF Land Warrant
issued und'r existing laws prior to Septembe
last. was 266.042, of which there were gu,
standing that date 66,947. The amount O
land required to satisfy these outs anding wal
rants is ,Hcl2O acres. Warrants have bee
issued to he 3Gtn of September last, under tn
Act OF the l'h of February, ls47, calling FL
l2.si9,2 oO ares; under acts of September 18th
1880, and March 22d, 1852, calling for IL sos
500 acres, making total of 25 1854 $40 acres
IL Is believed that experience has modifie
the wisdom and justice of the present SISTER
with regard to the public domain in the mos
! essential! Particular.
You willperceive from the report of the Sec
t.~l--~ ~f ti.e saAi".i1r ,hst the opinions whic
have often been expressed in relation to tn
operation of the Land system, as not being
source of revenue 10 the Federal Treasury
were erroneous. The nett profits from the sal
of the public lands to June Both, 1853, amount
ed to the sum Of $3.50 ,465. / recommen,
the extension of the land system over the Ter
ritories of Utah and New Mexico, with sucl
mo iiications as their pecularities may re
quire. Regarding our public domain as chief
ly valuable to provide homes for the industri
GUS and enterprising, | am not prepared to re
commend any essential change in the land sys
tenn, except by modification in favor of the &C
tual settler, and an extension of the pre-. emp
ton principle in certain cases for reasons an,
on grounds which will tie fully developed il
the reports to be laid before Congress
Representing the proprietors Of the terrific
rial domain, and charged especially with pow
err to dispose of territories belonging to tn
United States,it has for a long course of years
beginning with the administration of Mr.. JEFF
fers0n, exercised the power to construct road
within the Territories, and there are so man,
and obvious distinctions between this exer
else of power and that Of making roads within
the States, that the former has never been con
sdered subject to such objections as apply I,
the latter, and may now be considered the set
tied construction of the Federal Government
upon the subject. Numerous application
have been, and no doubt will continue to b,
made, for grants Of lands ir aid of the con
struction Of highways. 1t is not TO be ex
| pected within the intent and meaning of tn,
constitution that the disposition of the publ,
domain should be otherwise than must be OK
pected from prudent proprietor, and there
fore that grants of land to aid in the construc
ton of roads, should be restricted to case.
where it would be for the interest of pro
prietor under like circumstances thus to con
Tribute to the construction of the work. Fo
lSe practical operation of such grants thu,
fa- in advancing the interests of the State il
which the works are located, and at the sam,
time The substantial interests of all the otbe
States IN enhancing the value and PROMOTING
the rapid sale of the Public Domain, l refe
YOU to the report Of the Secretary of the Int
rior. A car.iIl examination, however, will
show that this experience is the result of ,
wise discrimina, U, and will be far from af
fording encourage ment to a reckless or indis
criminate extension OF the principle.
recommend to your consideration the mer
Of genius N our conn,ry who, by their inven
tions and discoveries in s'cience and Art, have
contributed largely to the Improvement Of TIL
age, without in many instan ees' receiving 10
thems ewes INVITING like an adequate reward
For many interesting details upon tins sub|ec
refer you to the appropriate report, and espe
cia'ly urge upon your early attention the ap
parently slight but really important n'odinca
tons of existing laws therein suggested.
The liberal spirit which has SO long ma rkee
the action of Congress in relation to the l,is
trict Of Columbia will, have no doubt, con
time to be manifested The erection of al
asylum for the District Of Columbia, and fol
the army aud navy of the United States, ha'
been somewhat retarded by the great demand
for materials and labor during the summer
but full Preparation for the. reception of pa
tients before the return OF another winter, Il
anticipated and there is the best reason to be
lieve, from the plan and. contemplated arrange