The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1858-01-06
Report Of the Secretary OF the II
terror.

? AepOrL OF the S5JESLaTy OIL Ln6 IL
terror.
Secretary Thompson'sreport open
with an exhibit Of the operations {
the Land bureau. A historical skatc
is given of the methods By which tn
rublic domain was originally sC
, quired, and then follows p schedule {
TIE organisation OF the surveying sys
TEN. The whole surface Of public Go
main is stated st .450, 900 600 acre:
of which 81, ,442 $40 acres have neye
been offered for sale, and $4,000 o.
acres were subjec to entry at priyst
sale on the 30th September last. Tn
nunher cf acres thus far sold is 500
0G2. .464 acres; leaving undIsposed Of
: 1855, 1877 ,J36 acres. Last year %
$50 46l acres Of public lands wer'
surveyed and reported, 3 5,30D,jJ0 4
cres were sold for cash; 1881 ,0lt
were located with military warrants
and the railroad grams under the ac
of March were 5,ll6,00O acres. Th,
sum received on cash sales was 81,
225 ,90S, falling off of S;5 ,322, l45
with corresponding falling oil in tn,
location of lands with warrants o
1 more than 90 per cent. There are 8;
organized land districts; but none iol
New Mexico or Utah.
A commission for the settlement o.
Spanish and Mexican claims in New
Mexico is recommended; a geological
survey Of the same Territory is also
urged. No change is suggested in
the laws applicable to the working oI
the Department. In regard to Indian
affairs, the Report is explicit. The
Indian tribes within our limits now
number 5000 souls. The Indian
Bureau is putting forth efforts 10 in
duce the savages to take up with
fixed habitations without which lit
tie can be done towards amelioratins
their condition. A plan, recommen-
ded by the Secretary, suggests the
gathering of the Indians on smaller
reservations and in denser settle
ments-the reservations to be divided
into farms and distributed among the
individuals of the tribes, without the
power of sale or transfer, with central
farms for the instru,tinn OF the chill
dren, and a supply OF implements OF
agriculture for all.
The tribes which have advanced in
civilization, and whose prospects are
gratifying, are those in the Southern
Superintcndency-the Choctaws,
Chickasaws, Cherokees and Creeks,
with the Seminolesin the territory
west Of Arkansas. the establishment
of a District Court fo' the Superinten-
dcncy is recommended, to heal dis
putes among the people. In Wash
ington and Oregon the savages re-
main belligerent. It is recommended
that the expenses Of a delegation from
these tribes to the Federal capital be
paid by the Government, in order
that they may have an opportunity to
be set right. Indian trust funds have
been INVESTED in State Stocks to the
amonnt Of 81 ,4sl ,476.
The Bureau Of Pensions return a
satisfactory report. Up to June, 1857,
q total Of $8l ,3l4 $40 in money, and
large donations OF land, had been
paid to Revolutionary soldiers or their
widows. During fhe past year Al
4s3 warrants for bounty land have
been issued, reguiHng to satisfy them
5 5,352, ,l60 acres ofpublic land. The
number of warrants issued under all
the Bounty Land acts of Congress
from the RevoluG uGonary War to the
present time is 547,25O-requiring
go, ,704, ,942 acres o land. Frauds up
on tho Pension Office are numerous,
and an extension Of the statutory limit
oftvo years is recommended to RENE
dy this evil.
The report states in detail, the con-
iition Of the public buildings at the
Capital, and then considers the sub
ect Of District Attorneys fees--con-
,luding this branch with recommen-
iation Of an equitable basis.
The wagon-road works have been
on the routes from Fort
to Honey Lake, in Califor-
,ia; from Ell Paso to Fort Yuma, at
he mouth Of the Gila; and from the
Platte River to the Running Water.
The Mexican Boundary Commission
,sving concluded its labors, its maps
Ind journals have been turned over to
he Department.
The Patent Office reports that from
an. ] to Sept. 80, 1857. 4095 appll-
'ations for patents we're received,
'20 caveats were filed, 2,066 pat
'nts were issued, and 22s7 applica-
ions were rejected. The receipts Of
his bureau for three-quarters Of the
'ear have been $lSl AIS; expcndi-
ures, $l63,942; excsss OF expen-
|itures, $2,526. OF the expendi-
ures, $27,939 were made up Of fees
cstored to applicants after the ex-
Of their cases. The Sec
etary censares this practice, and ur-
'ss the necessity Of making the bu-
eau self-sastaining. The right of ap-
zeal to a District Judge 10 also cen
ured, and a repeal of tine law which
authorizes tho practice is earnestly
lrged.
The report concludes with a strong
ndorssmsnt Of the utility OF the Az
Division Of'hs Department.