Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-12-17

ers of the Republic, has been improved
as experience pointed the way, and gra-
dually adapted to the growth and settle
ment of our Western States and Terri
tories. 1t has worked we'll in practice.
Already thirteen States and seven Ter
~ritories have been carved put of these
lands, and still more than a thousand
millions of acres remain unsold. What
a boundless prospect this presents to
our country of future prosperity and
powerl
We have, heretofore, disposed of $685.
962, AGA acres of the public land.
While the public lands as a source of
revenue are of great importance, their
Importance is far greater as furnishing
homes for a hardy aud independent race
of honest and industrious citizens, who
desire to subdue and cultivate the soil.
They ought to be administered mainly
with view to promoting this wise and be-
nevolent policy. In appropriating them
for any other purpose, We ought to use
even greater economy than if they had
been converted into money and the pro-
ceeds were already in the public Treas
ury. To squander away this richest
and noblest inheritance which any peo-
pie have ever enjoyed upon objects of
doubtful constitutionality OF expe1ien-
cy, would be to violate one of the most
important trusts committed to any peo-
pie. While LIDO not deny to Congress
the power, when acting bona .fde as a
proprietor, to give away portions of
them for the purpose of increasing the
value of the remainder, yet, consider
ing the great temptation to abuse this
power, we cannot be too cautious in its
exercise.
Actual settlers under existing avs
are protected against other purchasers
at the public sales, in their right of pre-
emption, to the extent of a quarter-sec-
ton, or 160 acres of land. The re-
mainder may then be disposed of at
at public or entered a private sale in
unlimited quantities.
Speculation has of late years prevail
ed to a great extent in the public lands.
The consequence is that large portions
of them have become the property of
individuals and companies, and hence
the price is greatly enhanced to those
who desire to purchase for actual settle
ment. In order to limit the area. of
speculation as much as possible, the OK
~tinction of the Indian title and the ex-
tension of the public surveys ought on
ly to keep pace with the tide of cmigra-
ton.
/, If Congress- shall hereafter grant al
ternate sections to Suites or companies,
as they nave done heretofore, 1 recon-
Q mend that the intermediate sections re-
r tanned by the Government should be
subject to presumption by actual set
= tiers.
1t ought ever to be our cardinal poll
icy to reserve the public lands as much
as may be for actual settlers, and this
at moderate prices. We shall thus not
only best promote the prosperity of the
Il new States and Territories, and the pow
f or of the Union, but shall secure homes
d for our posterity for many generations.
d The extension of our lands has brought
within our jurisdiction many addition
al and popuious tribes of Indians, Il
large proportion of which are wild, un-
tractablc and difficult to control. Pre-
II datorS and warlike in their disposition
and habits, it is impossible altogether to
restrain them from committing aggres-
IT sions on each other, as well lis upon our
' frontier citizens and those emigrating
a to our distant States and Territories
Hence expensive military expeditions
d are frequently necessary to orerawe and
chastise the more lawless and hostile.
The present system of making them
is valuable presents, to infucn C them to
d remain at peace has proved Intellectual.
% 1t is believed the better policy to Colo
Is nize them in suitable localities, where
| they can receive the rudiments of edu-
It cation, and be gradually induced to
adopt habits of industry. So far as ex-
pertinent has been tried, it has worked
e we'll in practice, and it will doubtless
If prove to be less expensive than the pre-
c sent system.
n The whole number of In1ians within
d our territorial limits is believed to be,
c from the best data in the Interior De-
part, about 325,000.
The tribes of Cherokees, Choctaws,
d Chickasaws, and Creeks, settled If the
territory set apart for them west of Ar
kansas, are rapidly advancing in educa-
ton and in all the arts of civilization
and self-government; and We may in
# dulge the agreeable anticipation that at
~ no very distant day they Will be incor-
porated into the Union as one of the
sovereign States.
"a 1t will be seen, from the report Of the
y Postmaster General, that the Postofio e
n Department still continues to depend
upon the Treasury, as it has been COM
peeled to do for several years past, for
an important portion of the means of
sustaining and extending its operations.
Their rapid growth and expansion are
shown by a decennial ctatement of the
e number of postofices; aud the length
of post-roads, commencing with the
year 1927. In that year there were T.
900 postofices; in 1887, 11.I77; in
1917, 1916. and in 1857 they num-
V Der 26.566. In this year 1,725 postofi-
ces lave been established and 704 dis
n continued, leaving net increase of l.
O21. The postmasters of 36S Offices
are appointed by the President.
The length of post roads in 1927, was
1888 miles; in 1927, 1922; in
1871, 153,S16 miles; aud in the year
1857, there are 242, Sol miles of post
l. road, including $3.50 miles of rail road
on which the mails are transported.
The expenditures of the department