Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-01-05
The General Land Office.

The present report and accompanying docu- ment o.ve full and very satisfactory statement of the extended operations under the land svs- tenn of the United States:-
 Acres. During tn five quarters ending Sept. | 30, 1851, there have been sold for
 cash, for S4,225,9oS 18..,...... $500, $50 | During the same period there have | been located with military bounty | land warrants. .............. 1881, ,O1O And reported swamp land grant of
 1850. ................. 3,362,4 The estimated quantity granted to
 the State of Alabama. and the ter
 rltory of Minnesota, by act of
 March last for railroad purposes is 5,116,OOO Making an aggreg te of public lands
 disposed of during the five quarters
 endleg Sept 30 1857, of. .2l. .1eO O36
 Of the lands sold and located. it is estimated that three fourths were taken for actual settle ment. Upon comparison of the foregoing with the statistics of the last annual report, it is found that the lands sold and located during the five quarters erding Sept. 3O 1857, fall short of the quantity sold and located during the period em braced in the last report bv more than 5000 | fallen off in a still larger proportion. This di- minution is attributable to the withdrawal of the extensive bodies of public lands along the lines of the railroads in the States and territory to which grants of land were made during the last Congress and also to the sale of large quantities at the reduced prices fixed by the graduation act of 4th of August, 1854, and to the fact that the demand for new lands has been in part satisfied by the States having lands for disposal under the swamp internal improvement and other grants.
 | During and since the year 1850 grants of land have been made to ten States and one territory to aid them in the construction of fifty railroads to an extent ofS 6f7 s-amounting (part es tmated) to 4247 ,335 acres of which 20, 7O6. Sl5 acres were granted by the last Congress. = These grants, so far as they remain unaiiusted receive the prompt attention of the general land office so for as the prerequisites are furnished by the authorities of the grantees. and involve an amount of official labor at least equal to the sale of that quantity of land.
 Under the acts of l8f9 and 1850 orantino the swamp and overfowed lands to the States within which they lie, there have been reported to the general land office 54,174,2S acras of which there have been approved 40 133 564 acres, and patented to the States, 24 O6O 396
  acres.
 By the act of 3d March, 1857 the selections of swamp lands were confirmed with exce ptions and they are now being rapidly approved and patented to the States.
 Under the acts of 1847 1850, 1852, and 1855 granting bounty lands to officer and soldiers who have been engaged in the military service of the United States there have issued 5O3 O9o warrants, embracing 53,6S9, ,87O acres; Of which 37l,629 warrents have been located, coverino 3S, 5S9,69O acres of land. There are vet out standing, awaiting location, 131. 453 warrants. embracing Is. 100, ,18O acres.
 | The report shows the present condition of the grants to the States of Wisconsin and Iowa. for improvement of the Fox, Wisconsin and Des Moincs river.
 | The views of the commissioner touching the policy oi the government, in the disposal of the | pubic domain, favor the interests of the actual settlers, and oppose any policy that would allow a monopoly In the hands of speculators. Upon this subject he uses the following language:- | The wlsdcm of the pre- .elnption policy is no longer the subject of controversy--it is estab- lished by the history of every neigborhoo1 and settlements throughout the west. This is said In full view of the fact that mary fraudulent pre-emption claims are established by evasion and perjury; and that such will he the case even under the most diligent administration of this and the local offices, especiallwduring periods such as that through which we have recently passed, where the spirit of speculation has pos session of the public mind
 | But this class of cases when compared with the great body of honest claims made by men living upon the lands, is too inconsiherable to weigh against our policy. The title to the lands should pass immediately from the govern ment to the men who are to cultivate the soil
 So far ae it may be avoided, the speculator should not be allowed to intervene. With a view to uniformity and practicablity in the system, important amendments of the pre-emption laws are recommended. The report shows an activity in our survey ing operations, during the five quarters ending