Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-12-23
THE GRADUATION BILL.

We learn from the Report of the able Commissioner
of the General Land Office that the act of the 4th
of August last, to graduate and reduce the price
of the public lands to actual settlers and cutiva
tors" does not work well in all respects. 1t gives
rise to fraud and perjury and Injuries the actual
settlers The presumption clause is a peculiar
feature in the law, and the Commissioner shows
how it works. BE says:
Its effect is to give to pre-emptors settled offered
lands perpetual credit subject only to the risk Of entry
by others for month at the end of each period of
duation in other words to donate the land subject only
to this risk The effect though osensiby beneficial
the settlers, would probably prove most disastrous
them in the main Resting in fanced security the time
In which they would be subject this risk be for
gotten and their land and improvements be taken by
spectators; or death might nterpose and difficulties
arise in subsequent domestic arrangements to whom
the entries authorized by the law should be made This
would certainly lead to litigation, and might have the
still more disastrous and unhappy effect Of producing
dscord and contention in families"
The Commissioner dwells with great pleasure
upon the good effects of the land system as origi-
mated and improved BY the statesmen of the Revo-
lutionary times, when the advancement Of the
public interest was the only object sought. He
details the benefits derived from the public lands
by the old and new States respectively, excluding
the lands on the Pacific. he applauds the policy
OF granting lands for improvements, and says that
although the railroad excitement in many cases
has been carried to excess, experience has proved
that grants for such purposes, when carried out in
good faith, are alike beneficial to the people, the
States, and the General Government" He adds
on this point that
alt is impossible to portray the benefits already
derived by the West from this system Immense regions
have been disposed Of that were thought to be wholly
saeable because of the difficulty of access and
the applications for these lands that in cases.
for want of tme they cannot be acted for months after
they are made"
He then presents tables to show the manner in
which the Government has been benefited, as in the
case Of the Illinois Central railroad The proceeds
of the lands sold under this grant amounted to
nearly two millions of dollars, and the cash value
of warrants surrendered in part pay of the pur-
chases exceeded two millions.
The Commissioner fayors the railroad scheme,
on the same plan, for a communication between the
Pacific and the Mississippi, as the only mode by
which the measure can be accomplished. No State
do it, and it is beyond individual enterprise.
BE thinks il the land system should be crippled,
this work and all others of like character will be
impracticable, and says with much force that if the
object sought in the graduation act was to get rid
OF the lands as soon as practicable, there is but
little doubt the object will be attained by that act
And here an inquiry is suggested: If the in
come from the customs is to be diminished by re-
duction Of the tariff and the revenue from the pub
lie lands redued by the graduation and homestead
systems, Whence is the necessary revenue of the
country to be derived?
Mr.. CoBB, Of Alabama, the second day OF the ses
sion, introduced bill into the House amend the land
graduation bill to take it out of the power of land
spectators to buy large adjoining tracts Of land and
alec to permit the oath necessary be taken by
parties entering land be taken before any person
petent to administer OATH instead Of making the oath
at the land Office absolute The object of the latter amend
ment is to facilitate oaths in the Of nvads par
ties living at points remote from the land Office
The substitute Of Mr. DAWSON, Of Pennsylvania, for
the homestead and graduation bill Of Mr. HUNTER, it
from the Senate, proposes strike out the dona-
ton feature and sell the land fourteen cents an
to actual settlers.