The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-09

The allowances thus made In these eases fon nsossdty
shoud however, in my opnisn, BE- exssndod to al the
their ocss In safe and buildings that the vAuA
BILE archives bslong thereto may b. preserved against
all risk.
The report Of the Surveyor General of Oregon and
washis Territories has not been rsesived but is
pectsd In time to b unieatsd ct shortly after
the commencement Of the session Of Congress- Nearly
tive ions Of In these Territories have been sur
veysd and the pats returned this Office and 1t Is be-
heved that all the At the disposal Of the Surveyor
that district seal was provided and sent to that on
required by the act Of sd March last and full in
sructons under the act Of lAth February last we're also
transmitted Tho notifications made by this act OF the
provi ions Of the law Of 2th September 1850, cannot
fail to have beneficial effect in the settlement OF that
Territory The extenss Of time to LIST December $780,
in which persons smgratng to and settling In those Ter
ritores shall be titled to donation, will no doubt IN
dncs many to seek homes in that rsgien especially u
the soil the salubrity and mildnsss OF the climate,
and the valuable timber and minerals found there.
made in that region, owing most probably to
the fact that Survey General did not enter
into bond receiver till shortly before his successor was
appointed. The law, you aware, limits the sales
to actual settlers who wish to fee simple title
their homes before the completion Of the four years con-
tinued occupancy required to ente them to the land
settled upon dot alton This provision judcious,
in virtue of it all settlement claims will bs adjusted or
in process Of adjustment before the lands are thrown
open general entry and conflicts will DO avoided Fur
Their legislation would to be required in relation to
the proviso the first section of the act Of 14h
Oregon" That proviso directs That the title to the
land not exceeding Fix hundred and forty acres now oc
said territory together with the improvements thereon
to be confirmed and established in the several religious
societies to which said missionary stations respectively
belong
This has been construed by This Office doratnV 70
each missionary station six hundred and forty acres but
provision Ade for issuing patsn any designa
tior OF the person persons whom the title hall en-
where The societies have not been incorpors cd
The ofers iops Of this office have been materially fac
-. ovA 1a0S
Of the public lands by the acts of last session Of Con-
gress authorizing certain soldiers OF the late with
Great Ritsp to surrender the bounty ands crasn by
and TO locate others in lieu tn srsof extending the
preem ton privilege in certain cares authoriz the
correction Of of location Of bounty land warrants
and 10 revive and continue for limited time the prov
ons of the act respecting suspended entries of public
land. Fun instructions have been prepare: and Issued
gress viii thereby be relieved from individual
app icstions for relief.
Further legislation required however, to carry out
successfully and properly the provisions Of several exist
ing laws.
By the act OF 9th July 1872 statutes at large vol
page the time for the issue and location Of warrants
for military ervces in the late with Great Bitaao
limited to five years from and after the passage OF
that act That time further extended for five years,
By the act of goth of june ISIS Statutes at large VOL
8, page 2i0 This time expired the 26th june last,
and consequently since that period warrants of this cha
racter cal not located though many are ndug
nor can any be issued though melorious of this
character exist No possible bs urged, why
this class o. claims should be placed upon the basis
with these und tt act OF 1850 ana 1t is recommended
provisions of that law and Of the act Of 22d March,
1853 to make land warrants sssgnabe &c, should be
extended 10 them. In connection wi h this subject re
rew the recommendation made in my last report that
all for military services and all patents hereon
be Issued in the name OF the person who rendered the
services and that the title to the benefit OF the
heirs assgnees deviSees, the may be. Such
measure would relieve great many cases, where the
cls INFANT died bsfore warrants issued leaving neither
widow minor children, to whom alone under the law,
warrAn is could issue in such
For the reasons given in former report 1t is again
q
vice in any In which the United States have bsen
engaged since $780, without reference to length OF ser
vice, be allowed an amount of land which with that
previously granted would be equal to tbs quantity of
quarter Of section or one hundred and sixty &C es
Nothing could be more just to many who have render
valuable services to their country, and cheerfuy and
bravely perled their lives in it's defence and nothing
would extend more timely and wide spsead relief
to q most meritorious class Of our citizens.
The titles to the lots in the town of Sau Ste Marie
have not yet been finally acted upon The busnefs of
that land district confused and involved that it
found indpsnsably necessary to send special
with all the returns of sales and locations to revise its
records and put them in order He was also directed to
examine into the condition Of the titles to the town for
which instructions had been issued long Previous and in
relation 10 which nothing had then been heard He dis
much shorter space Of time than expected snd
plants that full notice had been given all
that the evidence relative thereto be returned that
purpose, which was done. The whole subject it is
pec.sd, will be closed next 1t Is specially
commended that frepreof building be authorizes for the
protection Of the archives Of this district.
Numerous illegal Subdivisions have made by
Of the land in the Northwest and the lands h. We
been sold in accordance with them. 1t would
easier confirm these sales and subj visions than
unsettle the titles by declaring tn. void Legislation
to hat effect therefore suggested Some of the relief
laws authorized the closing and patepting of all entries
below specified prices, where certain amount has bean
paid Many cases Inconsistent with thess laws aud not
provided for BY sheu closed and patented under
them and for similar reasons to the foregoing the
course is recommended.
There subject to which would specially and ear
nestly call tie attention Of Congress It Is the passage
Of act similar in its provisions to that existing in
relation to the clerks and others in this Office and
pressy nereicting any Register Receiver, Surveyor &C.
neral Deputy Surveyor, or any other officer who may
ofths public lands from making any purchase thereof
directly indirectly under the penalty, upon conviction
of dismi sal from office, and nne.
The reservations for naval timber have not heretofore
been profitable TO the government for the that
the laws require selections BE- made by the President
ing all lands upon which such timber Is found growiDg
and that collectors of ports be prohibited under proper
penalties from 1,ntisg ciearances TO vessels having car
goes OF such timber except satisfactory evidence OF the
locality from whence was cut, and that the land was
private property.
The munimen of titles under the credit system that
existed prior to $780, fast going to decay, and
constantly to loss destruction. These should
all be reco ed in books 70 be provided for the purpose
as the want of them might and probably would lead to
endless litigation and to the loss by many ,ls
Of their lands They are in fact the landed history of
past generation which could not be replaced by memory
or tradition consequently should be placed where they
would be impeishsble. 1t is, therefore, recommended
tn THIS once pc authorized 10 DO So whenever the pres
sure of other duties will permit.
The attention Of Congress is invited to the imperfect
condition of Of the records in this Office OF Virginia
military patents issued prior to 1884, FOR lands in Onio
and the mode Of the evil heretofore proposed
IL again suggested.
Aiso, to the propriey of prescribing BY legislation
suta bic for ascertaning and settling the
in Oregon and Washington territories, un der the treaty
with Great Britain of 18th August 1916 The settle
VI OF the donations made to the settlers therein it Is
ndspenfaby that the claims under that treaty
should be finally disposed of to prsv' MT conflict Of titles
and barrassnz litigation
The numerous and in extensive vaons
which longer required for the purposes for which
they were orig nally made materially affect the eLs
ment and sale of the public lanes in several localities
There NJ provision Of law for The d posa OF lands
cred by such reservations except the Of 1919 which
authorizes the Sec etary Of War to sell abandoned mill
tary reservations The reco IT, erefora
newed that this Office BE- authorized to bring liuds
into market, where not improved, under the law
regulating the sale Of the pablo lands and to dispose Of
those on which imp ovements have made. under
uch regulations shall be approx ed BY the President