Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-12-21

lHe litiiu "aIfentS now issued, -, zoo ,oSU
acres have been located leaving only 4, ,307, :
$50 acres to be sati sized The report giyesa
minute detail of the labors of the Department,
and recommends more secure deposits for the
books and papers and then presents the op-
erations of the various State and Territorial
Surveyors. With regard to railroad lands.
it is stated that at the instance of several
members of Congress and others. about 3I.-
eess cot 0f acres N several ofS<.aa land States
had been withdrawn from market, in antici-
patton of grants for railroads and other inter-
nal Improvements
d As such grants were not made, it was
deemed expedient to restore these masses of
land to market, especially in view of the pas,
sage of the bill graduating the price of pub
lie lands, and this has been done, except
where the reservation was for fixed period,
or had already been made. In view of the
increase of business consequent on the opera
tions of the law graduating the price of the
public lands, and the decrease in the compen-
sation of the land Offices, caused BY that le-
duction, the Commissioner recommends bet
ter provision remunerating land officers, with
allowances for clerk hire and Office rent
OF the operation of the Graduation law,
the report says: Judging from the reports
received, has been productive of much fraud
and perjury, and proved seriously injurious
to the actual settlers on the public domain
As far as practicable, these evils have been
remedied by construction and instructions
but the law is inherently defective If it be
designed to engraft that feature permanently
on our land system, the privilege of purcha-
sing at the graduated price should have been
limited to pre-emptors, or made general to
oil .iiacaJ hot o1-
oath required by the law with the mental
qualification that the land will be required
for actual settlement and cultivation at some
future time. Others, ii is stated, have en-
ployed men to 30 forward and make the aft
davit, paying all their expenses, and also
paying for the land-the employer agreeing
to give his employees. in fee simple, a portion,
say an eighth or quarter of the land so en-
tered, retaining the balance"
The difficulties are further explained, as
will be seen in the report The Commissioner
discusses at length the granting of, land to
the States, and for railroad and other improve
ments. With regard to the Pacific Railroad,
he says: The necessity of such a Nmode of
communication becomes daily more apparent,
and that the only way it can be secured is by
grants of land and adds, that should the land
system be crippled, this work and all others
of like character Will be rendered impractical
ble If the object sought in the passage of
/ the Graduation Act was to get rid of the lands
as soon as practicable, he says, there is but
little doubt that object will be attained by it.
If, on the contrary, the supposition was that
the lands would not sell for more, his state7
ments, he presumes, will show that SUPPOSE
ton to be erroneous.
The sales have always been equal to the
demand. the supply far, far beyond it, The
demand at the reduced prices will be increas-
ed but chiefly for purposes of speculation
and the hardy and enterprising settler, in
stead of dealing with kind and paternal
Government in the purchase of his lands and
securing perfect title, will have to look to
the wealthy monopolist, and trust to his ten
der mereies, with the risk that his title is en-
numbered with, prior liens and mortgages.
With such views the Commissioner says
the natural suggestionsis that the graduation
law be radically amended. ifit be the pleasure
of Congress to engraft it permanently on the
/ land system and, in that event. it is further
suggested that the 12aI cent class be- abolish
ed, or rather donated to the States respective
ly in which they lie, as the profit viii scarce
ly defray the expenses of >disposing of them
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