Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-08-20

O. B. HRNsLKY,.
DnANo T. SIXTH. Minneapolis
The Land Sales In Minnesota -. Who
are Responsible for Them =?
The Public Lands in the State of Minneso-
IA are now offered for sale, by advertisement
of JAMES BUCHANAN, who is President of the
United States through the votes Of the Dem
ecra6c Party of the Union. Coming in the
midst of the hard times, this measure is
most disastrous policy for Minnesota, and ru-
inous to thousands of our poor people, who
are struggling to support their families by
carving out homes for themselves in the Wild
erness 1t is, however, a measure OF Demo-
cratic policy, for which the poor Settler must
and will hold the Democratic Party RESPONSE
bic at the next election. This is the only
way to tench the leaders of that or any other
political party that government is not merely
a machine for the benefit of the ofice-holders,
but an institution for the advantage and pro-
lection of the whole People.
But, in producing this disaster to our State
and people, cause, local in our very midst,
has been industriously at work. THIS cause
is none other than the united efforts of the
Democratic Land Officers living, or rather
staying, amongst us. The reasons for their
efforts to bring about the sales of the public
lands are apparent. Such measure for
wards their pecuniary interests in the great
est degree-puts money in their pockets,
which, for some time past, have been dry and
barren enough in this respect. For be it
known, that the regular salary Of these offi-
Gals is very small. About $500 each is all
that Register or Receiver of Land Of-
flee is allowed out of the U. S. Treasury for
his compensation. For the great bulk of their
income, their dependence, therefore, is up,
ON the fees which arise from the entry or sale
of the lands in their respective DISTRICTS
But these fees, on account of the hard times
and universal depression in money matters,
have been few and far between. Husks and
not corn have been their portion. The bust
ness done in their respective offices has
amounted for the last two years to almost no
thing. All the lands subject to private entry
were long ago nearly all taken up and settled
n,on. The only resource left them out o
which to make their money were the land
not vet offered at public sale, and only sub
lact to pre-emption by the actual settler
Thousands of these latter have settled upol
the public lands. All through the wilderness
little homes and little fields dot the countr,
over with the nucleus of future great farm
and happy homes. But unfortunately 70
our lordly land officers, these people are poo,
and have universally availed themselves G
the fact that, until there is a land sale, the
are not obliged to pay for their prescriptions
But this did not suit the purpose for whic
these Land Officers obtained their appoin
ments, and for which they came to Minnest
ia. They came here to "do land office bl
siness" in the way Of piling up fortunes 70
themselves. They were not to be disappoin
ed in this purpose and if not in one way
they would effect it in another. And the
set themselves to work to effect it, though
should be at the sacrifice of the interests I
the State and the whole community in whic
they lived.
We charge, therefore, that it is these inte
ested people aoho haze urged up the Democrat
Administration at Washington to adopt q
present policy of immediate and unirerst
land sales
And what do these u S. Office holders Cal
for the consequences? Though the settler
are ruined, they will gain The process b
which they will gain is plain. The LAND
having been once offered at public sal
though not sold, are ever after open for disp'
sal by private entry; and the fees paid to tt
officials by spectators, for entering with Ian
warrants, are quite as good to them as if tt
auds were entered by the settlers, or wit
the cash. Besides, this pushing on the Jan
sales at this tight time, will, they know, ha,
another effect upon many of the settlers
some of them at least, will struggle to sa,
their homes, even though at the sacrifice
- their. crops and young stock, and everythir
else, almost upon their farms. This, though
most unfortunate alternative for the po
struggling farmer, is one that contributes
fill the pockets of the Democratic land of
GER: but what does he care, so long as it
true, that those laugh who win!
In addition to these considerations WIFI
urged the officials to stimulate the land sale
it is no insignificant fact to be taken into t
account, that quite one-half Of the land Office
in Minnesota are "Southern-born gentlemen
devoted to the interests of the South and t
holy institution of human bondage; al
hence the spread Of the empire of Free Lab
by means Of liberal presumption laws, fir
homestead laws, or long credits to actual 81
tiers, is cause which finds little sympath
in the abstract, in their Democratic breas
besides being policy Numerically oppos
to their own immediate profits.
We make these last remarks, because o
information from Washington is positive, Il