Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-12-22
of the Annual Report
of the General Land Office.

Oh the 0cncTdl souu OulCes
During the year ending June 80, there
were 7.0}5, 600 acres cold for cash; 3 iO2,-
GOO located by warrants, and l4,O00 BY other
certificates ; I 100000 reported rs swamp
lands. and l,75I 200 for internal improve.
ment making n total Of 90 23s,3I3 acres.
For the last quarter. 4,7s0,O00 acres were
disposed Of, being altogether an increase of
sales amounting to 5.600,000 acres over the
previous year. though there is a diminution
OF 1000 coo, including land warrant and
swamp transaciions-the difference being
caused by the fact that the most Of the grants
for bounty lands, swamps, railroads, &c,
had previously been disposed Of The sales
for the third quarter of the current calendar
year gre more than twice as heavy as those
for the corresponding quarter Of the previous
year, though the locations are less numerous.
From the Both of September, 1853, TO the
Both Of September 1854, 1854 AGA acres
were surveyed, chiefly in Wisconsin, Iowa,
Minnesota and Florida. and s,iyO9l7 acres
were brought into market. This is exclu-
sive Of the surveys in California. Oregon and
Washington, amounting to l,6S6,i7I acres,
which have not vet been proclaimed for sale.
The Commissioner saws, on an average, fun
one third more business has been done in
the Office during the past year than in the
preceding: Of the 26,5l3,760 acres en-.
braced by the land warrants now issued, D.
2}j $50 acres have been locaied-leaving
only 4 ,3s7, $50 scres To be satisfied.
OF the operation OF the graduation law,
the report says; Judging from the reports
received, it has been productive of much
fraud and perjury, and 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 this feature permanently
on our land system the privilege of purchas-
ing AZ the gTHuuutcU piiTr sin's.ii 49, 49,
limited to pre- emptors, or made general to
all. Now. II is alleged. that persons take
the oath required by the law, with the men
tai qualification that the land will be required
for actual settlement and cultivation at some
future iime.-Others, l. is stated, have em.
ployed men to 90 forward and make the afii
davit. paying all their expenses, aud also pay
ing for the land--ihe employer agreeing to
give to his employers, in fee simple,a portion,
say on eighth or q quarter of the land 50 en-.
tered retaining the balance" The difficulties
are further explained, as viii be seen 10 the
repri. The commissioner discusses nj
length the granting Of land to The states ana
iui railroad nd Hher impruye ent..
VIA regard to the Pacific Railroad. be
says; The necessity of such mode ID
communication IS becoming daily more applr-
cut and lhit the only Wv }, can be secured
Is by giants ol land and adds, tat should
The Ian system be crippled, this work and
uli others VI like character will BE- rendered
lmprpcticnbc. II the object sought N the
pas-agc OF the Graduation Act was 10 yet
nd Of the bands soon "a practicable, he
says there ~ but iltlo doubt that object wi!
be attained by il. If on the contrary. the
supposliion WIS that the lands would not
sell for more. his statements, lac prcsumes.
VIII Satisfactorily SHOW that superstition 10
be erroneous. The sales have always been
equal To the demand the supply iar very
far beyond H. The demand at The reduced
prices viii b. increased, bat chiefly for pur-
poses Of speculation; aud the hardy and en-.
terprising settler. instead of dealing with
kind and patern7l government IN the pur-
chase of his lands, aud securing a perfect
title, will have TO look TO the wealthy mo-
nopolisi, and trust 10 his tender nercies, with
the risk that his title Is encountered by prior
liens and mortgages With such views the
Commissioner saws the natural suggestion
ia thu, the graduation law be radically a.
meuded, if II he the pleasure of Congress To
engralt II permanently on the and system;
aud. IN ihai event, il IL further suggested that
the i2I cent class be abolished or rather
donated to the Stnrrs respectively m which
they ie as the profit @ll scarcely detray The
expenses OF di'Posing Of them. ~ !. Tn