Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-17
REPORT OF TIE SECRETARY OF THE Int
RIOR

AbAJ
ton to the subject of the public lands. Our
system of disposing Of thcm is just and equal.
and at tho same time conducive to their rapid
! settlement and relaxation from q wild and I'M
productive state 1t is a system peculiar to the
| United States, and based upon the principle
that rs the public domain j, the property oil
the people of oil the States collectively.
any individual desiring to appropriate to
himself any particular portion OF it is al
lowed to do So by paying into the common
treasury a moderate consideration. Large
grants have been made by Congress from time
to time TO the several States Of portions Of the
public lands living within their respective lin.
its, to BIO applied to public uset; and these
grants have been justified on the principle that
the enhanced value and mare ready sale Of the
remaining portions i, 4 full remuneration TO the
Government for these donation. Grants have
never been made to individuals. with but few
exceptions, except AZ 4 remuneration for incri'
%torious services or for the public benefit.
In Florida. and in the Territories OF
Oregon. Washington. and New Mexico.
donation grants have been offered to persons
who should c%lnigratc and settle within specified
pcriods Of time. IS Il means of public defence.
and for the purpose Of increasing the military
strength Of distant settlements exposed to the
hostile attacks and predatory visits of Indian
tribes; but this has proved fallacious as a mat
ter of public policy. on account of cnmp'lca-
tons in determining the titles to lands thus
granted. In many cases. settlers have pre-
! fcrrcd to pay for their lands under the pre-cmp-
ton laws and secure their titles at once. than
to wait for years and obtain their titles without
the payment Of any consideration, on complying
with the condition If actual settlement and
cultivation. Acts were passed in 1870 and
1874. granting two hundred thousand acres %
land for the armed occupation Of Florida; and
ONLY about onc-fwclnh Of that amount has ever
been secured finally 10 claimants, while more
than two-thirdS has been wholly forfeited. -
THE Secretary therefore expresses the ooIn'"n
that a system Of donations Of this character.
while it il not called for bv the boH" .fdT SET
tiers. is unwisc, unjust. unequal. and frau,'f
with mischief II has embarrassed co'nm'n'-
ties and retarded rather than accelerated settle.
mcnts.
Under the system Of public sales anil prc.
emption rights. settlements have boon made on
= secure and permanent basis. The tide Of
emigration has rolled westward from the A.
lantic coast. driving the Indian before It. and
leaving in its rear prosperous States. until it
has reached the heart of III" continent: while
from the shores If the Pacific tho entc-prisinc
pioneer is on his steady march eastward. ex
ploring unknown territory and BRINGING Ia
light the rich mine and the prolific soil which
the industrious settler will soon occupy and
improve. The system Welding these r%"er'ts
has been tho work Of enlightened legislation
extending through half 4 century: it is n"ri
liarly adapted to the wants and CHARACTERISTICS
Of our people, and needs no material change.
The report Of the COMMISSIONS Of the Gene
raj Land Office shows that during the fiscal
ye,r ending June 80, 1853, there have bnen
! disposed of to individuals AGO. 0iS Sc acres of
the public lands. Of which 2.snt o0S ocr"s N-"-"
sold for cash, %yiclling 81, III. 7ia: and :. 500 15%
acres were located with military hountv.land
warrants. or the quantity sold for cash. on,,
! $685. SIS acres were sold n and nhovc 81 %
per acre, while tho remainder was sold AZ "ral,i.
atcd prices. There has been a Crcltcr dim;nr.
ton Of cash receipts from the s,'"s NJ public
lands than was anticipated. This has b-cn
owing in part TO the failure If the crnps in snr,n
! places. and the prevalence Of sickness or floods
in others; while the scarcity . fmoncv was "rcrv
where prevalent and paralvznc. For those
reasons there has heen q postponcmcnt If solcs
in many cases; but as a liberal indulgence has
already been afforded 10 the settlers rnon I'M.
offered lands, it is contemplated to bring into
open market several millions of acrcs during
the ensuing year. Much Of tho lands which
have been sold and located during the year
were for actual settlement or cultivation.
On the 30th Of September. 1853. the nuanti-
IS Of surveyed lands ready to be brought into
market was 1851 .0so acres; and there were
then subject to sale At private entry At all tho
land Offices over 10000. 900 acres. Under the
various acts Of Congress 5l6.T6 military
bounty.iand warrants have been issued re-
luiring 55.7 3 $50 acres Of thr nr'.lic domain
to satisfy them. or these, 4l6. GO have been
located on ~. 1885, 30 acres Of land. 1t is cx-
pccted that during the mex, year thr rrroirt-
from the sales Of public lands. and the Gu,nti-
ties sold and located, will be greatly increased,
50 that the income from this source If no
change he made in tho system will reach atlcast
five millions Of dollars.
The amount Of swamp and ovcrfi,we1 lan'S
granted In the several States. rs reported 10 the
10Th Of September last. are nearly fortv-onr
million acres. Patents have been iss'cd under
the acts of 1910 and 1850 for more than thirty
six million acres.
Daring the 34th Congress several acts were
n,sscd making grants Of lands To different
States { r railroad purposes, and tho dcpart-
mcnt with rev from market those prl lie lands
which II was srlnnoscd would he likely 10 fall
within fifteen miles of the proposed roads. Tho
Grants to the States have been transferred 10
railroad companies. who have hccn notified thai
, reasonable time would hc SLOWED 10 lorarc
,hoir routes definitely. ard in the event of their
failure tn do 60 the s,lsrcnsinn of the lands
would b. removed. The lcnr'h of the r7aas
,hrs n-oridcd for is abort $3.50 miles. an N"
QUANTITY of land which they will receive ahnnt
! II. 80. So acres. or the lands which rad been
Withdrawn from market. moro than la.bao.na0
,c-cs have hccn restored since March 3. 1857.
and it is exnrrted that additional quantities
will he restored early in the year 1852.
The Secretary suggests the nroprirtv of
missing n general law rcscrvin- al arrif"rouS.
| silver. an1 cinnah,r mines for sale fur IN" 'lsc
and occupancy of the ncorlc of the United
States. under siIrh -cgnlations rs Congress may
prcscr;bc. and leaving those lan1s containing
conner, iron. lead, and coal subject to the ordi-
n1rv laws Of settlement and sale for their de-
vclopmcnt. The extent Of these drfrs estimate
and gives assurance TO OUR people in the future
Of ,nbounded wealth.
The rroprictv NJ establishing = land Office in
the Territory ~ Utah is also suggested, and. at
the same time, Of extending the prc-emption
laws in express terms 50 rs to embrace the in.
! h,hitants Of that Territory. The New York
Indians residing in Kansas need congressional
aid. securing to them the amount Of land to
which they arc entitled. and tho remainder Of
! the tract set anart should be thrown open tn
settlement. The Secretary further suggests
the proprietv nj amending the graduation act
of August 4, 1856. and the acts securing pre-
emption rights in certain cases tn mail contrac-
tors.
The recent h1tt'cs with the Indians west Of
the Rocky mountains are alluded to, AMI the
hope is expressed that conquest has paved the
wav for the Introduction Of a peace p-licv, on
which rests the only hope Of the friend Of the