The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-13
PUBLIC DOCUMENT. 4
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
INTERIOR @at
DsrAErszST or uIk INTERIOR,
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December 8, 1857
sn In presenting an exhibit of the operations Of this
department. attention Is rst invited to the important
and diversified interests connected with the administra
don of our public domain, respecting which the accom-
panyg report Of the Commissioner Of the General Land
Office furnishes interesting details with gratifying view
81 our extended land system American legislation has
shown lis superior practical wisdom by its simplicity and
adaptation TO the wants of people in its code Of land
laws in regard to the Improvement of which few sugges-
The leading attracting our attention is the vast ex
tent of the operations of the land bureau $500
The public domain covers surface exclusive of wa
ter, of thousand four hundred and fifty millions of
stretches across the continent and embraces
every variety Of climate and SOIL aboundng in agrcuI
tura mineral and timber wealth, everywhere inviting
to enterprise and capable Of yielding support to
This great nasiitAnce w.s acquired first by the vol
may cessions Of several of the original thirteen States
then by the Louisiana purchase obtained from Napoleon
by the treaty of 1908 The next enlargement our ter
toy effected by the treaty of 1919 with SPAIN ce
ding the Nordas 10 the United States then It's further
extension effected by the treaty of Is4s Guadalupe
Hdalgo, with Mexico ceding New Mexico and California
subsequently, Texas accepted the proposition of this gov
enment establishing her boundaries for the relnquish
Den by the said State Of all territory claimed by her ex
terror to said boundaries " The last accession to the
public domain is that in 1854 from Mexico known as the
Gadsden purchase covering surface of 23 l6l 900
acres, south Of the Gila river.
lands that the people change their sovereign their
right to property remains unaffected by this change"
Consequently when the United States succeeded to the
ownership of that portion of territory derived from
treaties with foreign powers, the first and paramount duty
in the disposal Of the public lands separate private
from public property ssts ta AAtt
In obedience to this welsetled principle Of public law
and under the special obligations of treaties the United
states have established boards Of commissioner confer
red powers registers and receivers opened the courts
Of the United States for the adjudication Of foreign titles
and in mulndes of cases confirmed such titles by special
acts of legislation. t a3, ,.sv ss,,
scption Of pryate land claims and are Of every spe-
ces from minute parcels in the form Of lots In Spanish
towns to rural claims, ranging in size from hundred
arpcnts and less to million and half of acres.
These titles of British, French Spanish and Mexi
can origin all depending for validity on the colonial laws
OF their different soysreigntes And there is no branch
OF Jurisprudence here greater research and extent of le
gal erudoD have been displayed by judicial tribu
mails than in the determination Of the intricate questions
which havearsen, been discussed and udiciay deter
med in connexon with this branch Of the service These
foegn claims Of every diversity of shape and every
where scattered the public domain nterrupting
the regularity of our surveys, with which they
cesy interocked and exhibit in striking contrast the
irregularities Of the foreign surveys when compared with
the simplicity and beauty of our rectangular sys-
tenn showing the difference in the modes of distributing
estates of which comedies to the vortes of princes
immense bodies OF the choicest lands whilst the other
subdiyides the public territory to deal with every
citizen in spirit OF enlarged berality. In the growth
Of immense territory In the way and by the means
already mentioned, there remained and still remain un-
extngushed the claims, rights and possession Of the abb
orgines The general government of the Union, at the
dawn OF our political existence adopted the principle
serted by the coonzng governments of Europe to the
effect that the absolute title in the United States
subject only TO the Indian right of occupancy and with
the unconditional privilege Of extinguishing that right
Under the operation of these principles the purchase
and exnguishment Of the Indian right has been gadu
ally progressing in the ratio in which lands in Indian
enpancy were demanded by people for settlement
a ast have the lines of the public surveys been
ried in preparing the way for homestea and the
BY which to pass to people unincumbered and nde
feasible titles
The surveying system is organized into twelve diff
terent DISTRICTS and the lines of the public surveys have
already been extended than onefourh of the
whole surface of the public domain
That surface, heretofore stated 000 900
Of this there have been surveyed and f,ye af.# T
prepared for market Of net public . .s.s.t
ands--that is exclusive of school
ands 401, ,604, ,98s acres
Of which quantity 57,442, $40 acres
have never been offered and are
consequently, liable to public st@t '"'
sale !; In addition to which, there e3E#ai m@.
upwards Of ------ so, 000, 900 acres
subject to entry at private sale the 3oh September
last. 'as} f# gafa
OF the public domain there have been disposed of by
private claims, grants sales, &C., embracing surveyed
and unsurveyed land 1868 862 464 acres;
which, deducted from the whole al att# ars;a3
surface, as above stated leaves un- t
disposed Of an area Of ,OS6, ,l37, ,536 acres
During the fiscal year ending June 30 1857, and the
quarter ending September 80, 1857, public lands have
been surveyed and reported to the
extent Of 20 1883, 46l 90 acres
During the period -.------. 2l 100 037 81 4.
have been disposed of as follows ~ 8;ih
For cash $500 550.3l % Z
located with military warrants ,3Sl $1,000 ~ gs
Returned under swamp land grant 1852 4T59G g +
Estimated quantity OF railroad
grants Of March, 1857 7---------- 5,1I6 900 90 IA
The amount Of money received astt H ttf
cash sales is is------------------ s4,225, ,90s Is
This shows falling off in land receipts from those
the corresponding period Of the preceding year Of So 323
las 99 with falling off during the period in the
ton OF lands with warrants of than 20 per cent
the fact demonstrates that long before the prosaon of
all credit by the suspension of the banking institutions
the investment in wild lands had greatly decreased
In the territory of the United States there eighty
three organized land districts, each having register and
receiver for the sale and disposal of the public lands
Yet have land district for either the Territory of
New Mexico or Utah. In New Mexico the public
veys have been executed to very limited extent owing
to Indian hostties In Utah the surveys had rapidly
progressed, until the surveyor general abandoned his
post owing to reported hostlities Of the Mormon author
ics at Salt Lake City The extent of the surveys since
the beginning Of the operations in Utah. exhibits sphere
Of field work embracing 2, 900 900 acres. haU
due regard for the public interests well prop
e respect for the prosperity and advancement of New
Mexico, would justify, il not loudly ca upon Congress to
establish land Office and board of commissioners for
the adjudication OF Spanish and Mexican claims in that
Territory IT is important to its future prosperity prompt
y TO separate private property from the public lands be-
ore the settlements become dense and consequent con-
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