The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-12-16


public lands originating with the fathers
of the republic, has been improved as
experienced painted The way. and grad.
ualy adapted To the growth aud settle.
ment of our Western States and Terri
tories. 1t has worked well IN practice
Already thirteen States aud seven Terri
tories have been carved out of these lands
and siill more than a thousand millions
Of aorr- remain nnsold What bound
less prospect Ibis presents to our coun
try II future prosperity aud pnw1t
We have heretofore di~posedof 36 B.,
s62 AGA aeres Of the public land
Whilst the public lands as a source Of
revenue, are Of great importance their
Importance ia far greater a. furnishing
homes for hardy and independent race
Of honest aud induatrious citizens who
Il ERE % sutdue aud cultivate the spil
They oaGht to be admistered manly
with a view of promoting this wise and
benevolent policy In appropristing
them for any other purpose We ought to
use even greater economy than il they
had been converted iuto money aud the
proceeds were already in The pnbiic
treasnry.-.To squsnder away this rich
est and noblsst inheritance which any
people ever enjoyed upon objects of
doubtful constitutionality or eypedienry
would lie tn violate one of the most i'm
portant trusts ever committed To any
people Whilst | do not deny to Con
gress tbs power, when acting bona pie
"a a proprietor, to give away PORTIONS If
them for the purpose of increasing The
value of the remainder vet, consider.
ing the great temptation to abuse this
power, We cannot be tn cautiuu. in lis
exercise,
Actual settlers under existing laws
hre projected against other purchasers
at The pnllic sales 10 their right Of pre-
enpln Va. to the eltcut Of quarter see
tiun NJ go a,r,r II land The remain
der may then be disp"-e IT at pnh'ic or
-nttrei at private .als in uilimi'cl ,luRu.
ti'it-
Speculation has ot late yea rre>ail
ed to erert g emf in he pul|;c lsrd-
The consequence has cen hat lar"e
pnrri.ns Of them hayc become the pap
erty of individuals and companies. ami
thus the price Is greatly euha' ED In
those who desire To purchase for actual
settlement In order TO limit the area
of speculation as mt h "a possible the
extinction Of the ludian titlo and The ex.
tension Of the public surveys ought emily
to Keep pace with the tide of emigration
If. Congress should hereafter grant
attssnate sections 10 states or Compan,
lee, s'as' they have done heretofore, |
recommend the intermediate sections
retained by the government should be
subject to pre- emption by actual aet>
tiers.
IL ought ever to be our cardinal policy
to reserve the public lands as much az
may be for actual settlers, and this at
moderate prices. We shall thus not on
" best promote the prosperity of the
new states and territories and the
power of the Union, bnt shall secure
homes for our posterlty for many gen
CREATIONS.
The extension of our limits has
brought within our jurisdiction many
additional and populous tribes of lndl,
ans, a large portion Of which are wild,
untractable and difficult to control
PREDATORY and wallike IN their dispo~
sitons and habits, it i. impossible alto
gethel to restrain them from commits
ting aggressions Oh each other az VIII
as upon our frontier citizens, and those
einieratinP to our distant states aud
territories Hence expensive military
Expenditures are frequently necessary
to overawe and chastise the more law
less and hostile.
The present system of making them
valuable presents to influence them to
remain at peace has proved Intellectual
1t IS believed to be the better lOlicy
. colunze them in suitable localities.
where they would receive the rudi>
nents of education and be gradually
induced to adopt habits Of industry.
so far az the experiment has been
lried it has worked well in practice,
md it will doubtless prove To he less
'xpensivo than the present system.
TIC Wholc vi NllulH
,ur territorial limits is believed to be,
rom the data in the Interior Department
about 1926 900
The tribes of the Cherokees, Chock.
avs, Chickasaws and Greeks, settled in
he territory set apart for them west of
arkansas are rapidly advancing in edu-
alton and in the arts Of civilization aud
elEgoysrnment and We may indulge the
greeable anticipation that at no very dis
ant day they will be incorporated into
he Union ~ one Of the sovereign States
IT will be seen from the report Of the
Postmaster General that the Post Office
Department still continues to depend on
he Treasury, as il has been compelled to
10 for several years past, for an impor-
ant portion Of the means Of sustaining
nd extending its operations Their rap.
growth and expansion are shown by
ecennial statement of the number of post
hces, and the length Of post roads, com
lencing with the year 1927. In that
ear there were 900 post offices; in 1897,
III; IN 1917 l5I16; and in 1857