, 1854-02-18
NO.. "a.

vice rendered by railroad companies
The exhibit in the report Of the Post
master General of the income and expcndi-
lures by mail steamers will be found pccu-
liarly interesting, and Of character TO de-
mand the immediate attention OF Congress.
Numerous and fragrant frauds upon the
Pension Bureau have been brought to light
within the last year, and in some instances,
meritcd puniShments inflicted; but unfortG-
nately, in Others, guilty parties have Is
capped, not through the want Of sufficient
evidence to warrant a conviction, but ii
consequence Of the provisions Of limitations
in the existing laws. '
From the nature of these claims, the re-.
moteness of the tribunals to pass upon
thom, and the mode in which tie proof is,ht
of necessity, furnished, temptations to crime
have been greatly stimulated by the obvi-
Gus difficulties of detection The defects
in the law upon this subject are so apparent
and so fatal to the ends Of Justice, that
your early action relating to il is most de- I
sirable. i."
During the last fiscal year, nine million
eight hundred and nineteen thousand four
hundred and eleven acres Of the public
lands have been surveyed, and ten million :
three hundred and sixty-three thousand
eight hundred and ninety-one acres brought.
into market Within the same period, the /"
sales by public purchase and private entry 'h
amounted to one million eighty-tlTee thou
sand four hundred and nmefy-Gve acres;'i
located under military bounty land war .
rants, six million one hundred and forty 20
two thousand three hundred and sixty
acres; located under other certificates, tiinc
thousand four hundred and tweDtyseyen
acres; cedcd to the states as swamp lands
sixteen million six hundred and eigfty-four %
Thousand two hundred and iifty-three acres;'i
selected for railroad and other objects, uii-v
der acts Of Congress, one million four hun4
dred and twcnty-seven thousand four hunl
dred and fifty-seven acres. Total AMOUNT
of lands disposed of within the FISCAL year,
twenty-five million three hundred and forty
six thousand nine hundred and ninety.two3
acres; which is an increase in the quantityJ
sold and located under land warrants anllna
grants, Of twelve million two hundred ana3i
thirty-one thousand eight hundred and p
eighteen acres over the fiscal year immedlti
ately preceding. "' iF.'..l'',7 4a.f y',io
The quantity of land sold during the sec-..i
ond and third quarters Of 1852 was three'g
hundred and tliirty-iour thousand four hnnJ 4
dred and ffty-One acres. The amount re-l
ceived therefor Blk hundred and twenty
three thousand six hundred and eighty-sev-io
en- dollars. The quantity sold the secohd n
and third quarters Of the year 1858 was i'
one million six hundred and nine Thousand @
nine hundred and nineteen acres; and tie
amount received therefeN two million twoa
hundred and twenty-six' thousand 9cigBto'
hundred and seventy-six dollars. 10 ist
The whole number Of land warrants is-os
sued under existing laws prior 10 the 30thfa
of September last, was two hundred and'h
sixty six thousand and forty-two; Of whiehai
there were outstanding, at that date, sixtysnl
six thousand nine hundred and forty-seYeAg!is
The quantity Of land required to satisfy
these outstanding warrants Is four million
seven hundred and sevcnty-eigh thousand'q
one hundred and twenty acres. i .a7.ag
Warrants have been issued to 30th Sep
tember last, under the act L Ith February So
l847, calling for I2 million eight hundrelFa
and seventy-nine Thousand two hundred and
eighty acres; under acts of September %, ii
1850, and March %, 1859, calling for "
twelve million five hundred and Eve thou
sand three hundred and sixty acres-Ria-
king q total Of twenty-five million threel
hundred and eighty-fOuF thousand six hun.
dred and forty ceres. fe ias lii (
1t is believed that experience has verified
the wisdom and Justice of the present sys-J
tens with regard to the public domain, ma
most essential particulars a.l la-. aslg
'Youwill perceive from the Report of tleli
Secretary of the Interior, that Opinionsyq
which have often been expressed in relation
to the operation Of the land system, rs rot
being a source of revenue to the Fedefala
Treasury, were erroneous The net profits
from the sale Of the public lands 70 Juhea
80 1858, amounted to the sum Of ffty-
three million two hundred and eiglty-nine
four hundred and sixty-iye dol-l
lars. h a'.lI 's 1itld
recommend the extension Of thelaud
system over the territories Of Utah and
New Mexico, with such notifications as
their peculiarities may require. n noii
Regarding our public domain as chiefly
valuable to provide homes for the industri-f
Gus and enterprising am not prepared to
any essential change in the land
system, except by notifications in favor of
the actual settler, and an extension of the
pre-emption principle in certain cases, for
reasons, and on grounds which will beafull
ly developed in the report to be laid before
you. '.' n n i-
Congress, representing the proprietors Of
the territorial domain, and charged espe-g
cially with power to dispose of territory
belonging to the United States, has, for a
long course Of years. beginning with the
administration of Mr. jefferson, exercised
the power to construct roads within tho