Nebraska advertiser., 1858-05-27
ADVERTISER
r. w. FURNAs, EDITOR.
THURSDAY MORNING, NAY 81. 1855.
Land Sales,

Ii this be true, we think Nebraska may
entertain hopes Of securing a similar
grant.
sWhiTes upon this subject we againex
tract from a letter we received from
Washington Of a latter date than that
qugtsd=fFemiH-eur last article ~upon=Ihat4
subject. Il have had" says our inform
ant, sean interview with the Commissioner
Of theL land Nice On the subject of post.
poning the Land Sales in Nebraska, and
from present Indications l am Inclined to
thinkIhere islittle hope for the postpone
ment, inasmuch as the Treasury is short,
and the sale was determined on-bya Ca
biAef session after carefully considering
the necessities Of the Government, and
careful estimates as to financial resources
We bad been informed before that the
Department, or President offered as one
reason why sales had been ordered, that
the National Treasury was in need of
funds and that, in making calculations
upon resources, the receipts from sales Of
public lands were put down as an item of
considerable importance. Let US see for
dmoment upon VIVA, a slender thread
hangs the hope Of receiving into the ma
tionali treasury any considerable amount
of cash as proceeds from sale of lands
we form our opinion from what we see
and know to be going on at the Land Of
hcein this city, and others near us, which
we are safe in believing is nothing diff
ferent from those elsewhere.
I'VE have taken the pains to enquire of
Col. NIxoN, Of the Brownville Land Of
fee, what proportion Of cash is being
received at this Office from pre-emptors.
His answer was, that in ten thousand
dollars receipts, nine thousand five hum
bred dollars was paid in warrants. Again,
IS it at all reasonable to suppose that
spectators are going to invest cash in
lands, at even SIPS per acre, wheni it can
be done with from so to 95 cents in war
rants; while in addition to this difference,
money is now worth from 25 to 60
per cent per annum. Therefore, it is
unreasonable to suppose there will be
cash receipts of any amount from the
public sales -.
Now let US see how the thing works
after sales-after the lands have been Of
fered. The Office at Council Bluffs, Iowa, is
the nearest to us where lands have been
offered and now subject to private entry.
We have watched closely the weekly en-
tries there made, and the following,
which we clip from the Bugle, is an aver
age of the business of that office:
Below is the amount of land entered at
the Land Office in this city, for the week
ending May Is, 1858.
With Cash, so acres.
{" Notes, $50 +"
80 " Warrants, $4,000
yG Total 27.4OO a
Are not then the receipts reasonably
to be expected from the sale of lands en-
tirely too small an item to be taken into
COnsideration-especially to be offered as
anapolOgy for public sales, and that toe
when the matter so far as cash is concern.
ed, is altogether in favor of leaving the
lands subject only for pre-emption.
No, no; that won't do. The whole
secret Of the object of land sales is, thai
the lands may be offered and returned as
such, and thus be subject to private en-
tries. Then eastern capitalists can come
in with their thousands of acres of war.
rants, and take up all the vacant lands!
We repeat, that in our opposition &c
land sales, we are not fault finding with
those who have chosen the vocation Of
dealing in lands as n by which they
gain a livelihood or make money. 1t il
legitimate business, in which it is every
mans right to engage if he choose
But the question with Us is, is such a pro
cedure at this early duytan act of justice
to those who have, and are now becoming
actual set,lers7 and will it advance tht
future interests and welfare of the coun
tFyi We are confirmed in the opinion j
Eill not. Hence our opposition.
While we think a great wrong isbein'
inflicted upon the country by orderinl
sales. we do not entertain the stronl
fears that manydo, of homes being takel
from the settler at the sales. 1t is th
after consequences we regret. In add
ton to our ideas hereinbefore advanced a
To- the im~probablity of any amounts c
4. lands being bid of at the sales, we be
lieve spectators have long since learne
bydearly bought experience, that biddin
against actual settlers is a dangerous III
dertaking! We therefore advise publicl
as we do privately, that settlers be nj
over alarmed. But continue to improy
your claims; urge your friends in th