Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1860-02-25
SATURDAY MORNING, FEB. IS, 1860.
?. A. ROY, Editor.

SATURDAY MORNING, FEB. Is, 1860.
BE-Every one at all familiar with the
manner in which Congress has disposed
of the pablicdomain, is aware with what
care the sixteenth section Of every town
ship was set aside for the support of
schools in that township. Where not
already disposed. OF, the State Of Louis
lana hold those lands as trustee forthe
different townships. They may be sold,
after avote taken Of the inhabitants of
the township, and the price placed in
the State Treasury, to the credit Of the
township, and Bearing interest inits IA
vor.
Unfortunately for the interests ofedn-
cation, as soon as a township gets set
tied up. some covetous eye falls on the
reserved land. A vote is had, a MAORI
ty obtained, and the land is sacrificed
before 1t has attained that value which
q few years patience would give to all
reserved land in Louisiana.
But It is not on this evil, fragrant as
it is, that we would now particularly.
dwell. In surveying the public lands
bordering on lakes, rivers and bayous,
the surveyors were authorized to devi-
ate from the usual plan Of survey, a
method which produced embarrassment
in designating the school lands. This
was attempted to be remedied, by the
following directions Of the Commission
or Of the Land Office toethoR Registers at
st. Helena, Oaachita and 0pclousas, on
October 5, 1929:
Congress having omitted to make a
special provision in those cases where
section l6 has been covered by con-
firned claims or donations, it will be
proper to reserve from sale, and you are
hereby requested to do SO, a quantity of
land equal to one section within the
same township, as near as practicable
to the lands that No. Is, ID a township
regularly numbered, would have covered.
These selections should be made, as far
as practicable, in entire sections, and of
lands, as nearly as may be, Of the same
quality as those which would have been
covered by No. 16, if the township had
been regularly surveyed.
\ In those townships, including surveys
which have been made under the acts
= authorizing the lands on lakes, rivers
and bayous to be divided into lots, I
perceive, from the returns to this office,
that there has been great irregularityin
numbering the sections which, although
immaterial as to the sale of the lands,
may produce embarrassment in desig-
mating the school1ands. In those cases
where No. l6 happens to fall on one Of
the small lots on the water courses, or
on q sectiorr containing less than GAO
acres, such lot or section should be re-
served from sale, and, in addition there
to, SO much of the section or sections as
the ground which No. 16 would
hare covered. had the township been
regularly numbered, as willmake the
complement Of GAO acres, should also be
reserved from sale.
We presume that similar directions
were addressed toall Registers in whose
districts lands on lakes, etc, were 50
surveyed. Indeed, from an examination
Of the maps of our district, it must be
SO, as the school lands are scattered
about very irregularly and in fractional
parts. Now, that the school lands in
this district were so reserved in accord
ance with the directions of the Commits
sioner, there can be no doubt; otherwise
they would not SO figure on the APP
proved maps. But, within the last few
days, we have received intimation that
there is some irregnlarity, that the
school lands are subject to entry, and
that applications have been made to
enter them. What the alleged irregu-
larity is, we have not yet ascertained;
but as a public journalist, having the
interests Of education at heart, we thus
early apprise the constituted guardians
Of this sacred property, of what is going
on, in order that they may attend to the
matter before it be too late,