The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-10-06
ATTORNEY GENERALS oFFIoE,
Santan,h,,r % 1877

patent points out clearly the course to be pursued by
them
ATTORNEY GENERALS oFFIoE,
September 20, 1851
srR Certain citizens of Butte county, California,
have sent in their petition TO the General Land Office
prayn that no patents be issued for the ranches called
"Flngge' and Fernandez" These were tracts Of land
in California granted by the Mexican government before
the conquest. The grants were declared good by the
commissioners appointed to investigate them. The
decree was made afterwards by the district court An
appeal taken to the supreme court but was dis
missed.
person who claims land in California under grant
from Mexico is entitled to have patent for it, issued
out of the General Land Office here whenever he shows
that his claim has been finally confirmed by the commits
soners by the district court or by the supreme court
he at the time accompanies that proof with survey
certified and approved by the surveyor general OF Cali
fornia The claims under consideration have been
finally confirmed, and the proper certificate OF the sur
veyor general has been produced These proceedings
conclusive ON YOU They put the right of the claimants
to patent grounds which you have authority
power to contest The thirteenth section of the act of
March B. 1851, is too plain to admit of dispute
When the survey covers lands belonging to other per-
sons ts is alleged to be the hee their remedy to
petition the district judge for injunction and If he
grants it, the patent will be stayed until the injunction
is dissolved Nothing of this kind has been done The
patents must issue.
But neither the decree of the courts, the survey
the patent is conclusive anybody but the govern
ment and patentee The rights of third parties
expressly saved in the act of Congress IT, therefore, there
be any ground for the complaint made in this petition
from Butte county those who claim title adverse to
the patenees have still chance to establish it in tho
proper courts of the State.
There is nothing in this case which authorizes to
interfere The Attorney General has certain superv-
sorry control the investigation of these California
land claims while the contest upon them is between the
United States and Mexican grantees But his power
is gone when the government to have an interest,"
and private parties alone concerned.
am, most respectfully, yours, &C.,
Hon j. TnoMrsoN
Secretary of the Interior
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
appointments by The Secretary Of The Treasury Fl.
Ashe superintendent of the construction of the
rine hospital at Wilmington, North Carolina.
Phneas Bachelor superintendent Of the repairs of tho
| custom house at Bangor, Maine.
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT
Death of Indian Chief The Acting Commissioner Of
Indian Affairs received yesterday morning official nte
gence of the death Of Joel Walker of the head chiefs
of the Wyandotte Indians.
Indian Trust Lands in Kansas Territory We learn that
the Department of the Interior buily engaged in tho
examination of the returns made by special agents to the
Indian Office and by the latter to the General Land Office
of the Gales of trust lands under treaties of 1854 with In
dams in Kansas The examinations preliminary to
issuing patents to the purchasers of those lands.
Iowa trust lands situated in the northeastern part Of
Kansas in the Delaware district, sold at Iowa
Point
Delaware trust lands situated in Delaware district the
eastern portion of which, Immediately west of the Mis-
souri, river embracing lots in Leavenworth City, Della
City, Lattavie, Hardvlle and Jacksonville,
sold at Leavenworth City and the western part Of the
trust lands were sold at Osawkee.
Peoria, Kaskaskia, Pinkeshaw, and Wea trust lands
situated in the Pawnee district and sold at
Paoi
DEPARTMENT
The Proposed Ship Canal Across the ktlnm Of Darea
1t will be recoected that Commodore Pauldng of the
Home Squadron directed to make investigations rea
tive to the feasibility Of the proposed ship
the Isthmus of Daren Suboined is his report received
yesterday morning by the Navy Department
FLAG SHIP WABASH,
Off Aspinwall Sept 49, 1851.
SIR On the goth of August under the orders of the
department of June ls organized party and set out
reconnaissance of the isthmus between Aspinwal
and Panama. with reference to the practicability of
constructing inter oceanic canal the sthmus of
Darien' at this point.
The route by which the railroad passes in every
respect the most desirable for this purpose and the
by which the character of the country could be best
known far its topography and the features essential
with the object in view could be 1t in fact,
the direct for the accomplishment of the purpose
The officers who accompanied have reported their
opinions in writing, which shall be available to the de-
partment it desired that they should be submitted
Col George NJ Totem the pioneer of the Panama rail-
road and since its construction the chief engineer of
the company, favored with his presence and extern
sive information of what relates to this part of the 18th
mus. To him, and to Allan McIane esq, the Pacific
Mail Steam Company's agent, who placed the
obago at my service for the examination of the Bay OF
Panama. indebted for every facility that they could
afford me- Commander Hof, the senior officer present
in the bay of Panama. furnished boat to verify the
chart which accompanies this report. BY this it will be
that the water is shoa for considerable extent,
both to the east and west Of the city Of Panama.
1t is supposed that the canal could be united with the
waters of the Pacific either side of the city, and that
channel might be dredged to the depth of thirty feet
to meet the navgable waters for ships of large daught
The bay then expands into ample harbor where the
winds said to blow with violence sufficiently
comprehensive for the of the world and stud
ded with islands, convenient for all the great purposes
that the condition of things would call for, by the
struction of a canal through the isthmus.
The isthmus itself to present serious obstacle
to science for the construction of canal The whole
extent from the Atlantic to the Pacific is made up
of swamps hills and plains and the highest point of
land where the railroad passes Is more than two hun
bred and eghtysix feet above the level of the sea- On
the whole route most not all the hills through which
the canal would pass would be required for entertainments
the plains and swamps, and perceive no in
superabe obstacle to piercing the highest part so
conveniently to make the waters of the Chagres and