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

N
Information 70 members out Of the House introduce to
them the president directors railroads 10 be
Questioned erossexained if desired about their roads,
! there Is at once the cry OF lobby influence
Sir two presidents of railroad companies from my
ton OF the Union visited this city after participation in
the late convention AT Charleston. They full of in
formation on subjects connected with the enterprise Of the
Southpersons OF character and gentlemen of aiabe and
pleasant manners in every respect the equal of members
upon THIS noor and yet though felt satisfaction from
personal grounds in doing could introduce them
to member OF this House without the fear he would sup
pose there was a lobby influence about be exer.ed
This substitute is valuable for other reasons Of much i'm
poytaace and 10 whcA ask the particular attention of The
House wu transfer 10 The States The settlement Of thai
large class q contested land cases hch before he
land commissioner an tss city for decson ts refer
e State legislature those applications for s,ecia
iegsdti regarding land titles irhich ea6arrass m
House and 70 DE Slate courts ba Of htiqa
ton whieh has been sesrv prosecuted in the United Safes
| courts
commissioner settle claims Of any kind is connected
with no pleasing recolections in the popular mind and
were It not that the ability and experience OF Mr. Wilson,
the Land Commissioner has relieved il his case
OF odum believe the permanent existence of a commits
sion at Washington subject to executive removal for de-
cdng upon appeal from the different land registers in the
States conflicting land rights between citizens and the
govcrnmennot in open court but in the retirement Of
his chamber-would be regarded monstrous soecism
in government
In its from the locality where the parties re-
side and the conflicts arise and in the Of discretion
pie the Star Chamber of England acting upon interests
important TO be sure but not the less sacred As
from the old states be familiar with
and extent Of these conflicting rights decided upon
the Land Office Of this city win read short extract
from interesting and welwren sketch furnished me
by Mr. Wilson, Of the Land Office:
Tho surveying system tho United States is marked by
two distinctive characteristics operates first upon what
known the public lands in contadistnction to the p
ents Of Great Britain, France, Spain, and Mexico and
grants conceded to Indians in the treaties of
the United States and the several tribes since the
They grow out Of the variety Of clams such the
lands BY military warrants for State selections under
certain laws swamp also, in virtue Of presumption
It times BY Of posy d title derived from the
which preceded and known private land
few hundred feet in extent as ownoss increasing 10
pens and thence to tracts exceeding million of
each extent founded upon variety ot titles such as
orders survey from the authorities Of tho former govern
ments acta. surveys by such authorities and titles In form
Beore the executive department recognise these it
required that they shall either receive the sanction of Con-
BY an express conrmatory law BY decree Of the
United States courts law To effect this boards
the year 1898 TO 1852 to examine and make reports on all
these varieties Of title Congress have also passed
whilst other enactments have been passed shielding the
from sale and then after the lapse Of open
to the Supreme Court Of the United States. All
such foreign titles as may Be thus sanctioned or confirmed BY
when these surveys Washington city
hentcated by the United States general they
sse s
r steps taken in the matter to its final consummaton and
scarcely be understood without elaborate exhibit The
private land claims originating under the system may DO
Private entries or saes of lands to individual pur
chasers where they conflict with each other from the oms
sion Of the local officers to note the first sales on the maps or
records.
90 Prescriptions where there conflict. between diff
rent claimants TO the same land or with private sale i'm
3 Military bounty land locations under the laws of Con-
gress 1872 ls47 $780, 1882 conflicting with each other
or with claims Of another character
a. Swamp selections conflicting with other locations
as. School selections, seminary locations, and special
grants of great variety
On this subject Mr. Chairman Louisiana has right
TO speak The greatest part OF her litigation has resulted
from conflicting claims under your land system Alarge
majority Of the feudsless frequent than formerly
among her citizens, have had in this their origin
BY far the greatest number of letters receive from con-
stuents treat of business in your land Office The great
est portion of my time and the hardest labor that have
had perform since have been member of this House
has been in attending business of this character And
what sir has been the effect of the system within her
limits -
Mr. Benton in the Senate in 1929 said &C. S. D. and
r. D. ~ The federal government hes done nothing to-
wards settling Louisiana The kings of France and Spain
gave the lands upon which first settlements made
and for all that the federal government has done thai
Mr. Livingston in $780, speaking the subject in
the Senate 10 s. d. and r. p 3i said That Louisiana
in the twenty years she had been in The Union had
land system.
Mr. Webster In 1898 in view Of the anomalous charao-
ter of this system, proposed matter of grcst inn
portance-I his words-hat all Questions arising at
the General Land Office and the local land Offices with
spcct TO the mode of finally deciding upon disputed land
titles should be settled in the United States Court but IT
resisted expensive for the class most interested
And sir in 1874 Congress was obliged from the great
accumulation OF contested within Louisiana to adopt
that course in law which gave jurisdiction TO the United
States district court for five OF all land claims IN the
State originating with either the Spanish French or Brit
ish authorities.
And what Is position now My desk Is full OF bills
for the relief Of claimants that should be and would be
eYpcdousiy passed. under the substitute have offered
by the State legislature and which cannot until after
much delay under the rules Of your House even present
for consideration.
On this point the Commissioner Of the Land Office tells
me- at would have been economy In tho first settlers OF
Louisiana have purchased their lands from the
government rather than to have incurred the expense OF
their confirmation
But even sir when we are so fortunate get them
before committees Of this House what is the resut1
The chairman of tho Committee Privste Land Clams
(Mr HLLyEn, Of Georgia. says, in letter to me-
here have been referred his committee this session.
hundred but few OF which they have been
able report They have ready TO report when op
portunty offers but they have not been called since the 9Th
called" (Sce appendix.)
Oho writes me- that during the 32d Congress there
referred his committee four hundred and forty cases
very small number OF which ever reported to the
House for action by Of the time for reports being
consumed for great part Of the FIRST session by the Com
mttee on Public Lands.
ha precise time recoect but believe IL TO have
been nearly five months think the Committee Of Claims