New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-06

i
the facilities furnished them by Government, OF OBJ
tanning valuable farms, at mere nominal prices They
have also enioved immense benefits from the pro-
ducts of the West the supply beng vastly increased
On the other hand, grants have been made to the
new States and Territory of Minnesota for schools,
academies universities, seats Of government, public
buildings ard internal improvements the swamp
LANDS being left out of account because by the terms
of that grant the proceeds were to be applied IN drain
ing those lands
i,o5.sO ssssJSzs 80
One half the Bounty Lands act
AmS9p seia:y paid under :c Of ISIS 50
ore fourth the Tsss S5s 81
Making total off,. .........: 9i,pisd u
The benefits of which have flowed to the new States
on this basis.
Thus, it will be perceived that mutual benefits to
an immense extent, and in about equal proportion,
have flowed to both the old and new States under this
judicous system, and If either has apparently the
advantage, il Ia all within the great family, aud
lot a sufficient ground of controversy between sires
and sons.
courage the actual settlement and improvement of
This may be done by such amendments to the pre-.
emption laws experience may prove necessary for
the purpose and by which he may secure his i'm
provements in reasonable time, without risk Of
competition.
And second 10 aid in providing the necessary faci
tiles for intercommunieaton and for the transport
tion of the products of the lands to market. Al
though the railroad excitement in many cases has
been carried TO excess, experience has proved thst
grants for such purposes when carried out IN good
faith ore alike beneficial TO the people, the States
snd the General Government.
To prevent more speculation, and TO secure an
equivalent to the Government for the lands granted
for these purposes, some notifications IN the acts
making them eem proper, as, for instance, that no
| grant should be made except the application OF
The Legislature of State; that the lands should be
taken in alternate sections, within certain distance
/ on each side Of the Improvement, the minimum price
of the remaining sections to be doubled. throughout
the whole extent of the grant, and the lands TO De
certified 10 the States the work progresses, with
provision Of forfeiture in case OF failure.
/, is in possible to portray the vast benefits already
! derived BY the West from this system. Immense
regions have been disposed Of that were thought to
be wholly unstable because Of the difficulty OF ae-
cess and numerous are the applications for these
lands that in some for want Of time they can
not be acted on for months after they made. The
Government has consequently been benefited, as Will
! be seen in part from the following table,:
STATEMENT ,howipg the qusny Of Land sold with amount
div lceasd within ibe six and fifteen mill limit OF the Iii
Io. CegtIa RArO'd from the date Of being offered at
1854, within the State Of Illinois, viz
within ,iH nile. 1853 ser.s Yielding Slds tI' z ot
dton thee totals there Was an eIes': q st@S 50 PAD
Which their Warrants. did not cover.
Whin the fifteen miles S43s serss Yielding sl9 81 81
which OF ss 80 70 paid in msney by the
Acre, sold withir both limits ........., !7335aa
/ Acres located within both Iiuits......1sf6
! Total sod ard located with 81 War.
rants ST ,ssi 81
E1ees. in essh upon location, with warrsats as $50 ;8
Total cash g8l . OF
Cslh value OF wsrsnis surrendered......, 2oO5sO %
The necessity for means OF communication between
the Pacific and the Mississippi the continent,
il becoming apparent and pressing every year.
The only mode by which this can be accomplished is
grant of the character above alluded to- No State
do II: II has not the power 10 60 beyond its own
limit. Tie work is too vast for private enterprise,
ard too important for further delay. Should the land
system be crippled this work and all others of like
character will be rendered mpractcable Ii the OBJ
| jet sought in the passage of the Graduation Act
was 10 get nd of the lands as soon a. practicable,
there is but little doubt that object will be attained
by II. IL, on the contrary, the su9postion was that
tie lands would not eel for NOR, the foregoing, |
think, will satisfactorily show that ,gppOsition TO be
/ erroneous.
The sales have always been eqg'l to the demand;
/ TIE supply far, very far beyond IT, 1he demand at
the tduoed prices will be in reased lat chiefly for
purposes of spt culaton, and the harry and enter.
/ prising settler instead Of dealing with kind and
paernal Government in the purchase of his lands,
and securing perfect title, will have to look to the
with the rick that his title is encountered by prior
/ lifDs and mortgages.
With these views the natural suggestion is that
the graduation law be radically amended if il be the
pleasure Of Congress TO eIgraft permanently on the
] land system; sDd in that event. il is further sug-
gtsled that the l2 cent class be abolished or rather
donated 10 the States respectively in which they lie
as the profit will scarcely defray the expense of dis
posing OF them.
The materials TO al swer the resolution of the House
of Representatives Of the ith of August last cannot
be prepared IN time to be laid before that body at the
Commencement of the next session. That resolution
requires that the y creary Of the Interior cause to
be prepared for the use of the House of Reoressnta
tNes curing the recess Of Congress statement of
The time the public lsndf may have been ia market
" az vel as the quantity classified according 10 the
act graduating and reducing the price of the public
" !anos, passed 4th August, 1851" The statistics
no" On h5Id cannot eld IA preparing wer 70
tbs iesOuon, even if they eouli be relied on. The
assbcaon OF the lands is progressing as rapidly az
possible, and when conn leted it will be necessary to
afc,Tian the amonnt in each township that remains
vacant, es well a. the tine Of Offering, that the CLASH
tcatons required by tie act may from time TO time
be nGce. Ibis work il tedious and slow and reluires
The service OF those who sre fsmiliar with the land
system. To obtain starting point il was necessary
10 poet all salef locations AID selections up to st
July last This is mostly doue and every effort con-
sistsnt with due regard 10 correctness viii be made
to prepare the answer to the resolution at the earliest
day practicable.
All of which, with the accompanying documents, Is
most respectfully submitted With great respect YOUR
obeoienI servant, JoHS WILSON, Commissioned
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PENSION.OFFICF
The Al nual Report Of The Commissioner of pen.
sioIs 10 the Secretary of the Interior evdence An
eIerFene and faithful administration Of the business
Of that Bureau. From the document We clean tbs
following interesting particulars which iGrnish a
" brc seye' view Of its important operations:
TE rUHber Ct original and sppsson. ir iuerese Of
An Fet,e5 ~ q h.{e been admitted during the yess
sso he amount OF Due a. tie S.ts Of 1,i1
Tia oeIuiSlieE
Annu.I 49,.