The true Democrat., 1856-01-29
Gneral Land O.&ce, , December 21st, 1S55.(
His Excellency ELIAS N. CONWAY,

lllS LACGilcHCN ELIAS ~. CONWAY,
 Gov. of Ark, Little Rock:
 SIR-lt having been made apparent to the department, that change in the present mode Of determining the character of lands selected for the States as swamp and overt1owed lands" their rights whereto have been contest ed by individuals is indispensable. and with a view of remedying such errors as now exist and promoting the speedy adjustment of the business, it has been decided, with the appro- bation of the secretary of the interior, to issue public notice, (see copy herewith enclosed } designating a definite period of time within which all objections to the approval OF patent- ing of lands must be made The time limited by said notice will expire on or about the lst day ofJuly next.
 Instructions will be furnished to the land officers for the several district land offices in your State, requiring them to transmit to this otfice all atfidavits filed with them in pursuance of said notice, and, at the expiration of the de signated time, they will be instructed to take up the several cases in regular order. To pre- serve their regularity the cases will be number ed at this office, and general notice given by the local land officers to the proper State an. thorltes, advising them that on a certain da, the said officers will announce taking evidence
 
 from day to day until the business is concluded Notice will also be given, by said officers to the several contestants, advising them of the time and place of taking testimony iu each particu lar case. certain number of cases will be heard each day. but as this number must vary considerably in consequence of the different quality of land embraced in the several cases and relative to which testimony must be taken, no precise number can now be stated In most instances, however, at least ten cases can be disposed of on each day, and this will be fix ed as the limit, unless it shall be determined that greater number can be investigated.
 You will be furnished with list of the con- tested tracts, exhibiting the particular lands in controversy, and the name of the contestant, and the number of each case in which testimony is to be taken. With this information you will be enabled to act understandingly, and, as a notice of at least thirty days will be given, there will be ample time to collect the necessary evidence. In the States of Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, where the swamp lands have been donated to the counties, every effort will be made to ex- anime all the cases in each particular county at the same time.
 In order to simplify the taking of testimony. have drawn up and herewith enclose series of lnterrogatories and cross-in terroaatories which are to be used in all instances, or only departed from in very special cases In all in- stances 1t will be required that the questions shall ee distinctly read to the witnesses. their answers reduced to writing in their presence and the deposition subscribed to on the day appointed for the hearing and in the presence of the parties in attendance. The dispositions must be accompanied by evidence of the credi bllry of the parties testifying.
 The testimony will, as heretofore, be filed in the office of the Surveyor General, for those States where that office still exists, by him ex- amred and the several cases decided. subject to review and affirmance by this office In those States where the office of Surveyor Ge- neral has been abolished the testimony will be transmitted direct to this office.
 Itis hoped that a steadfast adherence to the plan herein indicated, will assist most matcr- ally in the adjustment of this difficult busi- ness; such, at least, is the expectation and hope of this office
 With great respect your ob't serv't
 THOS. A. HENDRICKS,
 CiOaaypi s0,Oupr