Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-17

ending 3lst December 1850 the quantity of land sold
and located with bounty land warrants in the district
trayersed by the road 34 4S 88 acres The alter
sections reserved TO the United States were released
from reservation and brought into market in July Au-
gust and September 1852 and during that and the next
succeeding quarter the sales and locations amounted
l2745222S acres showing increase over the CORE
spending half next preceding location Of the road
Of 932 034. 40 acres.
The unsolicited lands in the Augusta and Columbus
districts, in the State of Mississippi were restored
market in the month of September last and notwith-
standing the sales in those districts had for many
been very limited the lands thus restored met with
sales at enhanced prices The quantity sold at Augusta
in the month of September, 1910, only 42I
and in the month in the years 1850 1851 and 1852
much less and yet in Ave days in September last after
the route of the road had been established and the al
ternate sections designated by the State $50
sold for S34, 0i6 being $9643 more than their
gregate value at the minimum price. In the Columbus
district in the short space of twelve days. in the month
OF September last % 50I disposed of whereas
in all the month of september lS49 the ouantity sold
was only 2,358 acres.
The lands withdrawn from market in June 1852 to
enable the State Of Missouri locate the routes and
ect the lands granted to her. by the approved the
10th Of that month"; for the construction Of certain rail
roads, restored to market the 9Th of July last
and between that day and the 30h of September follow
ing 3lS, sS9 sold, being nearly 900
more than were sold in the corresponding quarters in
1850, 1851 and 1852 combined.
like effect has been produced upon the sales of the
alternate sections reserved to the United States wherever
similar giants hove baan made,
Previous to the grant for construction OF the Saut
Ste Marie canal the sales OF lands in the Lake Superior
region were not large amounting IN the second and third
quarters of 1852 to only 1868 whereas during
the corresponding quarters in 1853 after the canal
commenced the sales increased s9073 acres and this
when the work is in progress Of construction Doubt
less the increase will be far greater when the Canal is
| completed.
such grants of their proprety The right to donae
part for the enhancement of the value of the residue
longer DE justly questioned The principle has ben
adopted and acted upon for nearly thirty years; AID,
since experience has shown it to be productive of so
much good, sound reason is perceived why it shold
be abandoned. 1t has been of incalcu!able import
to the Great West and, either directly or Indirect
/ ly, to all the States.
| AS many projects have been, and many others prooa
bly, viii be- presented Congress by interested parties,
it may be difficult practically to discriminate between
those that worthy and those that are not Congress
will have all the facts in each before it. and in its
wisdom will decide as in similar cases Of legislation By
making every grant specific, and throwing proper guards
restrictions and limitations around it, the object to beat
tanned may be secured and plans and combinations for
| mere speculation frustrated and defeated.
Something is manifesty due to the hardy pioneer, with
out whose labor industry and enterprise the West would
now be of little moment. No one who has not been
eyewitness appreciate the hardshps and privatcns
endured by him. and Government should certainly not
hesitate aid him. especially when it be done without
detrment to the other States any other interests
Attention is particularly invited 10 the Importance of
Utah and New Mexico with such notifications the
peculiar features of the country require The report of
the Commissioner of the General Land Office contains
some recommendations on this subject which are COM
mended TO your consideration.
The disposition Of the mineral lands in California has
widely engaged public attention The various projects
heretofore suggested of which experience has test
ed are open to many objections To guard against their
becoming dangerous of speculation and monopoly
seems the most important point of consideration The
vast results already realized from unrestricted individual
industry and enterprise have been manifest that whe
Their any further restriction than that above indicated
with the addition of combining the work Of the mines
own citizens and those who may declare their intention
to become such, requires mature deliberation.
The commission ascertain and settle the private land
claims in the State Of California expires by limitation
the 4th of March From reliable information have
doubt many cases of great Importance will have
manned undecided The public interests therefore require
that the law creating the commission be amended
fulfil the object for which it was enacted.
Officers connected with the sale and survey Of the pub
lie lands frequently purchasers, and, owing TO their
facilities Of dealing unfairly with bona tide applicants Of
excite grave and perhaps wel-founded suspicious
They can now with impunity commit many acts which
should be dscountenanced To prevent such mischief
they should be prohibited, under penalties from
purchasing being interested in the purchase OF the
public lands.
The business of the Pension Office has been conducted
with great prompness, energy, and ability. In Of
its branches itnow in every thing having been
brought up 10 the present date The labor performed
within the last six months has been very great and the
number Of daily disposed Of is far than usual
The act Of Cd February 1853 extended the benefits Of
the pension lawso the widows of officers and soldiers Of
the Revolutionary army who married subsequent
January in the year 1900 1t supposed there
but few that could properly within its provi
sons and the estimate and the appropriation based there
for the present fiscal year its requirements
only $24, 000 which has proved totally inadequate
the deficiency being upwards Of S200000 The number
examined admitted and placed upon the pension list to
the st October 1883 was ll5, and i Is estimated
that it will reach 5000 and require annual appro
priaton Of S240000.
The widows Of the officers, non-commssioned officers
Marines and mariners who served in the navy during the
period not embraced by the act but why such
discrimination should be made cannot be well conceived
Numerous frauds have been committed under the pen
sion laws. In perperating them perjury and forgery
have been frequently resorted Several prosecutions
have been successfully instituted the criminals have
convicted and expiating their offences Some
whose guilt papabe have escaped in consequence Of
the act Of Congress limiting prosecutions Of this charac
ter to two years from the commission Of the offence
These offences committed in secret every expeden
is adopted avoid detection and it is seldom that with
the greatest vigilance they are discovered within the
time limited by law for their prosecution change Is
therefore earnestly recommended and If any limit is fx
ed, Of which the proprety is doubted it should be much
extended.
From recent examinations It has been discovered that
invalid pensions have been obtained By persons who do
not within the provisions Of the laws and many
since the issue OF the pension certificates have been found
without any disability whatever To prevent this in m
ture and to detect such impoons the Commissioner Of
Pensions recommends the enactment Of a law similar to
that Of lS9 requiring immediate examination Of the
invalid pensioners and bensia examination thereafter
by two approved surgeons In this most heartily con-
cur believing that il would afford an effective remedy
against the abuse Of the laws AMI save 70 the Govern
ment large sums rauduenty obtained from the Treasury