Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-12-08
REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENT.

Report OF the Secretary of the Interior.
This comprises twentv.six closely printed
pages and EN- braces q great variety OF valua-
BILE matter. The Secretary first refers to the
sui ject of public lands, which be regards a.
matter OF greater magnitude than any 9th
or within the administration Cf his Depart
ment. After speaking OF the exceliencies Of
our public land system, generally, which he
regards as the most conducive to their rapid
settlement aud reclamation from wild and
uncultivated condition, that could be framed,
he animadverts at considerable length on the
practice OF making donations Of public lands
to actual settlers, after residence thereon of
| specified term Of years as was the case with
the lands of Oregon and Washington Terrific
ries and the Safe Of Florida. This system
was adopted with view II ensure q speedier
settlement Of the lands. than would obtain
under the usual laws for pre-enption aud
entries. Practically, however, it has not had
the desired effect.
The Secretary next presents brief sum-
mary Of the operations of the General Land
Office, which shows that during the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1858, 8 804 90S acres
Of the public lands were sold for cash, yield.
ing 50 lie, 76S, and 5 800 l53 acres were To-
GATED With military bounty land warrants
The unexpected d!minution in the cash sales
is accounted for by the fact that the public
sales in several OF the Territories we're post.
poned. b( cause the unpropltious season and
financial disturbance had deprived the se.-
tier, of opportunity to RAISE morey to buy
with; and to have prosecuted the sales would
have been doing them great Injury. The
quantity of land surveyed and ready to be
brought into market in September was o.
95l GAG acres, and that sub ect tn sale at pri-
vate entry was over 10000 600 acres. A
view of the operations under the bounty land
laws, and swamp and railroad grants, is
next given. The Secretary recommends the
extension Of the land laws over Utah, and
the restoring to market of land set apart for
Indisos, but not occupied by them. lie also
recommends the passage of general laws re-
specting the mineral lands, suggesting that
those containing the precious metals be reserV-
ed from sale for the use and occupancy Of the
people Of the Uoited States, under wholesome
regulations. lie also recommends that iu-
stead OF allowing pre-emptions to mail con-
tractors for locations for stage stands, on
routes through the Territories, such sta.
tons be reserved by the Government for the
use of successive contractors. The gradua-
ton land laws of 1854 are disapproved of, a.
being fruitful source Of fraud and annoy
ance.
OF the Indian affairs the Secretary men,
tons that, with tritipg exceptions, the tribes
with which we have treaties have kept their
faith aud refrained from hostilit;es; the diff
cultes having been principally with those
tribes, the treaties with which have not yet
been ratified. TIE Secretary recommends
that instead Of large reservations being set
apart for the Indians of tribe, in common,
the land be distributed to them individually;
aud that rather than divide the annui'ies per
capita among them, the money be spent Tor
supplying them With stock, implements OF
civilized life, and in teaching them agrlcui-
ture and the mechanic arts. The removal Of
Indian tribes is spoken OF disparsginglv, as
it unsettes and disinelines them to habits of
industry; and the opinion is advanced that
the experiment of cisilizing the ludians has
been very inperfectly tested, and that the
substitution Of other plans would not fail Of
having the desired effect
The Secretary also refers at considerable
Length to the operations of the Pension Blu
reau, Patent Office and other divisions OF bis
Department, but as there are no ommendu.
tons for legislative interferencs of general
im portanoe connected with bjects treated Of
under those headiogs further than that Of
an equalization Of the Army and Navy pen
sions, we pass them by, for the present a
lengthy chapter on the District Of Columbia,
possessing great local interest, is gwen.