The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-06-22

The nnnba, of ac,as remaining unsod at the end of
thirty years renqushed 10 the States IN wheh 'ey ne
will be 67,37l 52s acres.
graduation price in this BILL the same as that IN the b
recently passed and the estimate of the land ofiee OF ~
cents Der acre for Of survey sale management &e OF
the public ands-that when lands are sold at
81 rs per the centage Of expense Is Is per cent?
When 81 acre the per oentage Of expense Y per
When al rs per acre. the per oentae Of expense is
When SO per acre. the per centage Of expense is Al
per cent? net yield, 90. 90
When % per centage Of expense is IS
per cent net yield, IL.
Total per cent? 2ol net yield, 29s
The expense averaging about 40 per cent, and the net
yield 60 per cent
IN fixing therefore the per centage at rs per cent the
federal besides getting rid of the yexatous
questions attending the administration Of the public lands
will receive in cash into the treasury 10 per cent more
from their sale under the provisions OF this BILL than I'M
der the present system.
So MUCH ron THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. How WILL IT
AFFECT STATES
lat The States win gain Sll s56Co7 above their
pense in administration Of the lands within their limits
3D. The transfer at the end of thirty years OF the lands
unsold estimated at $67, ,52s acres
3D. The right to tax land sold in getting rid
of the exemption from taxation OF government lands for
five years after sale
4th They will secure all the aid in the construction of
railroads within their limits which is yainly sought
for from Congress.
9TH The rapid sale and settlement of the lands within
their limits and the adjudication Of all contested entries
and disputed land titles by their own legislatures and be-
fore their State courts.
9th They will be freed from that species of vassalage
arising from large portion of their territory being held
by the general government and the subject OF executive IN
iuence and patronage, within their limits.
But sir il must be remembered that while this bill
tenders u advantages to the States its passage by this
House dc not impose upon them their acceptance by its
terms II pliers merely their acceptance giving year with
10 which he States may accept not the administration
Of their kds there representative on this hoor who
Of
State legislature the right Of deciding this question If
States accept and others do not to that extent the
advantages have described will result and the present
system will continue TO operate exclusive OF them, as II now
operates exclusive of Texas which, in coming into the
Union reserved the control of its own lands
But SIR sc the States pay oper Mis per eenage TO the gov-
ernntent. gg WI @ss
Upon this point will say WV
ID The States have already compacts with the federal
government relating to their ends have they in in
stance disregarded them2 b1t e
ID As the advantages secured them under this bill
greater than those hitherto possessed there is every In
ducement to its observance sa3
3D. The federal government pays over to the land
States per cent upon the sales Of the public lands within
their limits. Will not the general government have the
power to enforce this per cenage from the States that
the States have from the general government
4th But sir the bill provides perfect guarantee apart
from oil these considerations for the payment of the per
centage in the clause which provides that the failure Of
State to perform any of the conditions of the cesson the
patents issued by its authority void Every citizen
within the State is thus made individually interested in his
Stats payment of the per centage and any failure their
part do would be in the nature OF an agents failure
to fulfil trust.
AND now Mr.. CHAIRMAN As PRopRIETy-I NAY
SEcEssITy-FoR THIS CHANGE IN OUR LAND SYSTEM AT THIS
We have traced the origin and development of the
system from its insignificant existence under cerkship
in the Treasury Department to we-nigh independent
branch of the government extending and affecting
questions of most difficult adjustment directly connected
with interests the most important and yet the most deli
cate that arise between citizens and the government
and the question presented for decision is not between
its entire abolition and the adoption of system but
simply its modification in way that will restrict IL to the
original purpose of its creation.
Ii began operating alone within the Territories the diff
ferent States having their own land Offices II extends
into thirteen States and is about TO into operation in
all the immense regions west to the Pacific BY sw you
have already extended it over but yet no Ian have
been surveyed and returned sold in California New Mex
co, Utah, Nebraska, or the Northwest
The Commissioner in his report, says When the action
of this Office shall be required the claims in those
gions, the business of this bureau will be much
onerous "the buildings insufficient and
additional clerks salary necessary There were in the
past 500 letters received registered examined and
recorded in his office making thirty large folio volumes
The responsibility for the proper transaction Of the bust
ness connected with all these letters rests entirely
with him.
Is possible for any one man 10 meet this responsibility
with satisfaction either TO himself the interests in
yovcd? In ls4s Robert Walker the then Secretary Of
the Treasury speaking of the character and in
creasng number of questions coming up appeal to him
for decision from the Land Office said q have pro-
nounced judgment ia 5000 involving land titles since
the 10th March ls45 = average Of 1888 per annum.
On the point the Commissioner of the Land Office in
his recent report, says;
Numerous and complicated questions constantly
sing in the claim bureau Of this office, with ref
to the rights Of parties and the location
their claims The records in many voluinous
to require days md weeks simply to read them To
select and the facts from such records and TO apply
them to the acts Of Congress with reference also to the laws
and Of the with whom they originated
requires sound Judgment great and thorough know
edge of matter connected with the business These
daily becoming important from the great
crease in the value Of the property affected by them"
The Secretary of the Interior speaking OF the
mutation of business in the Land Office the Commits
besides desks furniture &c, into single where
than two clerks cannot be conveniently accommo-
dated and files and papers have rapidly increased
that many Of valuable papers have of necessity been
The Secretary Of the Treasury he continues requires
the rooms occupied by the Land Office and has
made pressing application for them
MIR Chairman we have reached period when either
great enlargement entire reform of land system is
necessary Adopt the substitute have offered and the
General Land Office viii be restricted In its opcrsons
the Territories the pressing accumulation Of its business
will be remeded its curailed and the evils de-
scrbed by the Commissioner and Secretary Of the Interior
removed The general government viii be relieved from
legislating upon most embarrassing subject executive
patronage will be reduced and the land States freed from
the pressure Of government possessions within their limits
less dependent upon Congress Local taxation will fall
equally upon all railroad interests receive ndicious aid
and land proprieors In the States obtain speedy set
temen, Of their claims The sessions OF Congress win be
shortened great element OF strife removed from its dis
cussons and opportunity afforded for legislation npon
different subjects Other influences too favorable.
We the Of presidential election the public
lands under discussion in both branches Of the
egsaure the the President has attracted ntten
ton to the subject and there Is general disposition TO
adopt mode OF administering them that viii be final