The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-05

Annual Report or the sccretsry OF the Ia.
teffOY,

are numerous and extensive and respect
homosensous hence the labor is the more pc.ycxisy
Ard intense
Many interesting and important guesti,s reir,sye "a
the psbhc LANDS have arises. and tho busacs of tho
Genera Land oce has increased that IL hiss rer,<,d
ali its eTergy aEf ability srrwer promptly AMI sst.,
fActoriy tho urgent demands OF the puriic but II s,
been SO ws managed that perhaps the btesu wss novec
In better condition
The surveys have hsen vigorously prcsecu,ed and ex
tended to the newly organized Territories aom which,
already valuable reports have been received.
Tho quantity Of land ready TO be brought into market
during the con1g year WA be large and added that
subject to private entry, WILL it is presumed bs
ample to supply tse most extensive demcad
has been tho endeavor Of the Land Once in execst-
ing the graduation Law, to protect and at the us
promote as far as Practicable the interests Of tbs actual
bona fde settler, ard to aid little posi- ,s rhs
schemes of the speculator The law was inteaded
to encourage and the permanent resident but the
provisions intended to sarry out thus design very
fctiye, and have given rise to msny grave questions
dcut of sout on Tie Office compelled to req ulrs
the production Of satisfactory pro, with reasonable
period Of substantial compliance with the requirements
of the law as prerequisite to the issue of the patent
This the important safeguard that co be adopt
ed against the frauds attempted to Do peepe
rated under the law; and still II may become necessary
for Congress to nterPose In order that msy be exc
and defeated
The quantity of land sold at graduated prices dor,g
ceived thorefor, 81, s5s, sIs.
In the year enong Soth.september last 15 o15 2sa Is
boundary line between Alabama and Florida has been
established and many other cys made to correa4
err sna IN ancient and to prepare fer
several of the districts.
No newlsnd was brought into market however owing
to the large body Of lands aeady subject to entry
Aor@.
Quantity sod for cash during the last fiscal
Received thseior sill 1856 as4 is
Located with military scrip and land war
Swamp nnas selected for States 7,47o, 1865
Selected on donations for railroads, &c.. H. $500
Making-a total or f........... "a, ,567, ,4oo6o
Exhibiting en- increase lof 6o PSI acres over The
previous of lands sold for cash. and =
The quantity that win be entered the present fiscal year
with land warrants will be much larger the numter
being greatly multiplied BY the requirements OF tie
The amount lands sold during the second and third
acres being an increase Of about s27 625 acres lin CAS-
06) on that of the corresponding quarters o<
the preceding year.
This is owing in great to the extraordinary
advance and prosperity OF the country, but it is feared
in some jcgee, to the influence OF speculation.
The pusny Of land covered by warrants issued to SOL
diers q AL he in which the Uni ed States have bee
engaged is 81 ais,412 acres; which amount.
taken in with our liberal system OF psnsioss
evnces in eminent degree that the ar ratitude Of
country for the Iaots Of its citze as is not impaired
by the lapse Of time nor its acknowledgment exteoded
Under the several Congress for the eatisfacdea
Of Virginia military land warrants there taken
have been passed for the issue OF scrip to satisfy this
class Of warrants, which being faithfully ana yet
ofa tos rigid construction of the law, and against
of the rules and regulations prescribed under it. yet
will be found on inquiry tina: every latitude has bee.
given that fair Observance of s provisions would i'd
nit 1t has hsen concnGed that the decisions Of tho
Exc cutve Of the STATE obligatory aud conclusive
upon the Department unless fraud is clearly shown.
But with the greatest respect for that unconasy and
his opinions. tourd myself, this point, involved h
other executive had ejecte and that the laws under
which &c ed required prerequisite to the iseue of
the scrp, th the Secretary Of the Interior, the
render Of the warrant should he satisfied 10y revision
f the proofs, by additional testimony, that any
rant thus SURRENDERED fairly and justly issued. in
pursuance OF the laws Of said commonwealth. In souns
cases there proofs additional testimony, ana
could Ho do otherwise under the express mandate q
the law than reject or suspend them What Is techn1
csly telmed "dead" well as s'supcrnumerary ser-
vice in conformity with the opinion Of the Attorney
General has been allowed and the most liberal course
pursued in the examination OF all the other classes.
With strong disposition 10 favor the applicants Al
persuaded there of the claims that will not bes
the requisite scrutiny and arc not on their merits e.
titled 10 allowance.
Ny views respecting the policy, which has for many
years been pursued OF making grants Of public lands IN
alternate sections, in aid the construction Of great
leading thoroughiAes in the States, have been
fully expressed in former reports has to render
sary reiteratc, hswcver, the Importance fpropery
discriminating between enterprises Of this character
which Gesefve the fostering aid OF govern aud thOes
which not called for by public Considerations u
surrounding all such grants with proper ana
guards to prevent fraud and the interests of tbs
United States and OF the people.
Such discrimination and preceution will not 1t is be-
l.yed be found difficult in this than in any other
species Of legislation.
The act Of Sh August 1876 granted to the State ol
Wisconsin, for improving the Fcx and WISCONSIN rivers
and to connect the same by canal quantity of land
/ on ach
OF the Fox river and the lakes through which it passes
from its mouth to the point where the Portage canal
shall enter The same and each side OF the sad canal
from stream 10 the other. This grant covered sons
eco 33 acres of which there selected and approved
2oS 03 acres leaving 81 100 acres, the having
teen sold by the Government previous to the grant Nc
provision having been made for equivalent, the Gov
ernor OF Wisconsin selected 90 S2 of the United
states alternate sections which in spirit OF libcraty
was reserved from SALE subject, to the further action e
Congress- for the purpose OF Supplying the resduum. The
Subsequent act OF 1884, and the explanatory resou
1865 passed 10 remove the ubts ntetaned rela
tive TO the proper construction of the act making the
giant These required the application TO the act Of 1846
f the principles governing the grant to the State Of
Giana for canal purposes. The Land Office, assuming
these is guide determined by liberal consructiou
o all the acts ana the resolution to give 70 Wisconsin
Ave instead Of three sections for the width of the grant
and TIE one-haf OF the Of the actual meanders
both shores and the canal the river and the lakes with
all their sinuoses, including the large lake Wnnebagc
ss tho length OF the gIant Thus II was enlarged te
ogna grant But the company which purports TO bavs
succeeded TO the rights Of the ate not satisfied with the
construction given TO TIE law by the Land Ohice, pre-
erred claim for the alternate sections the Wisconsin
river from where enters the Mississippi 10 the portage
weh would enlarge tho grant upwards of 3o2 00c
ncrcaing il from 26o f3J 10 0S6 go and
g;onably much more, depending the rule that might
lie adopted. The lands on the Wisconsin river having
Fever been embraced by any action OF Congress- but ts
giant being expressly restricted to the Fox river, kcs
and p0t tagc the clam after full examination by the Late
Commissioner of the Land ofce and review, on appeal
by me- with every proper disposition to favor the State
rejected, and the grant has been confined to the en-
| aIged limit before mentioned.
The act OF 10th June 1854 proposed grant lands
the Territory Of Minnesota, announcing by estimate e
LII go acres for aiding in the construction OF ran
from the northern boundary Of Iowa to the western
extremity OF Lake Superior and Internationally re
| tealtd by the act of 4th August, 1854.
The lands which had been withdrawn from sale In july
of the same year, falling within tie probable limits q
this proposed grant, accordingly restored 10 market
ard the law treated uully In sll executive action
after its repeal.
| must repeat my recommendation to prohibit caicers
connected with tho survey and sale Of the public lands
froM becoming purchasers. The evils lowing from ~
remission obvious that Il would ony secrn necc6