The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-07-29
THURSDAY MORNING, JULY 27, 1854.
Land Sales POSTPONED.


LAND OFFICE, SALTWATER, NJ. T.,
July Is, 1854
SIR.-By last nights mail we received the
Presidents order, withdrawing from sale or en-
try. for railroad purposes) our entire district,
as far as surveyed, except what lies west of
Rum river. in Benton county, the Rum river
pinery, and three townships on the head waters
of Snake river. The sale to commence Sept.
18th next. will be confined to the Military Re-
serve in 7. %, R. %.
Yours truly,
T. NJ. FULLERTON, Register
D. OLNsrED, Esq, St. Paul.
We understand from reliable authority that
an order has also been received at the Hudson
(Willow River) Land Office to withdraw from
sale and market all lands within that district
situated between Prescott and the head of Lake
Superior. The office at Minneapolis is not yet
in operation, and consequently is not in re-
ceipt of any official communication of this char
acter but it is doubtless the intention of the
President, if he has not already given the or
der. to likewise postpone such of the lands ad-
vertised for sale in the Minneapolis District as
are situated outside the late Military Reserve
of Fort Smelling. We take it for granted. that
as the sales go on, as originally proclaimed,
upon that portion of the Reserve within the
Saltwater District, the same policy is to
be pursued in regard to the same character of
lands in the Minneapolis District. However.
in regard to this, we draw our conclusion only
from conjecture, based upon the state of facts
just narrated.
The cause of this postponement of sales is
doubtless well known to most of our readers
So far as the lands in Minnesota are concerned.
Congress, by a recent act, legisated these lands
out of market, until such time as certain por-
tions of them can be legally selected for rail-
road purposes. When this is done, the sections
bearing eren manifestations two, four six.
&c, for instancc--comprised within belt
twelve miles in width. and traversed through
their centre by the railroad, will come into the
market, and be subject to entry at $3.50 per
acre. All oth"r lands, save those legslated
out of the control of the General Land Office
by the act granting lands to Minnesota for rail-
road purposes, will then come under the pre-
sent. or whatever new general land system may
in the meantime be adopted by Congress
ing those lands in Wisconsin from sale and en-
try within the tract Of country we have NAM
ed, is doubtless an act an anticipation of a
grant through that region for railroad purpo-
ses.
In doing these official acts the President has
simply followed in the footsteps of his llustri-
GUS predecessors" The same duty dcvolyed
upon President Adams, in 1928, when Congress
gave to the State of Ohio large bodies of land
for canal purposes. Gen. Jackson did the same
when Indiana received bounteous donation
for the same uses. And, coming down to later
dates. the Territory of Iowa, under the admin
istration of Mr.. Van Buren,, or Mr.. Tyler, sccur-
ed grant of lands for the improvement of the
Des MOincs; and if we are not mistaken, the
same policy was pursued on that occasion.
But to follow the dates of similar acts of the
Executive down to period Within the recol-
lection of the youngest of our readers, it must
be remembered that during the administration
of Presidents Taylor and Fillmore, lands for
railroad purposes were coded by Congress to
the States of Illinois and Missouri; and the
same character of proclamations was issued i'm
mcdatcly thereafter, concerning lands in the
supposed line of contemplated improvement, as
we now find filed in our Land Offices
We might go on, citing other prcccdcnts of
this character, did We deem it necessary But
enough is here given to show that the Presi-
dent, in this instance at least, has simply done
cf in FIJI toTb ILL
CATION, to ''take care that the laws be faithful
ly executed" Would that it were in our pow
or to say the same of him in regard to greater
responsibilities in his official career Had he
no greater official sin to answer for, his admin
istration would not now stand before the A.
mcrican people in the odious light it does
We are compelled to differ with some of our
contemporaries in regard TO the effects which
this postponcmcnt of sales and withdrawal from
market of certain lands will have upon this
community in general and the actual settlers
in particular. 1t is our deliberate Judgment,
the actual settler has nothing to fear, even
should the railroad run directly through his
farm 1.-THE government fails to allow him an
opportunity to prove up his presumption, he is
nevertheless safe through the strong arm OF
public opinion, which we have never KIN own
to be wrong in this particular. No railroad
were it possessed of the millions of the
United States Treasury itself, would dare put
its foot on the soil of Minnesota, and dispossess
an actual cettlcr of the public lands-he living
upon his claim acd devoting it to his daily in
dividual purposes-of his rights acquired in
good faith under the suppositicn that he was to
have the benefits Of the presumption law
Whenever such an outrage is attempted in
we will go for the repeal by Con- /
grcss, of the act granting the lands for rail
road purposes. Pre-empt;9ps upon lands
heretofore pre-emptabe are safe of course, by |
the terms of the act ITSELF Holders Of dozens |
of claims; claim spectators, and persons who
go in for general 'grab" under false con-
structon of the presumption law-those who