Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-12-08
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
INTERIOR.

The annual report Of the Hon Jacob Thompson, Sec
retary Of the Interior IS 6Gsiless-ke and wiihal ln-
tercsng document setting forth in lucid style the IN
trcate aud diversified interests connected with TINS res
pousioie branch Of the federal government We suon
an abstract Of It's contents:
During the Rscal year ending Iuuc 80, 1860 and the
quarter ending the 30th Of September ast, Jesse, SOL
acres OF public lands have been proclaimed for sale Du-
ring the same period 964947l acres have been survey
ed and prepared for market; and 2O600jS ~ acres
have been disposed Of in the oLoEng manner: 5,sI3
6lg 81 ares have been sold for cash, yielding S2O9l
AS "a 337s go have been absorbed by the To-
cation OF bounty land warrants 2O511lO 81 acres ar
uroyed 10 States under the swamp grants aud sos 623
acres under the railroad grants Tbs number Of military
bounty land outstanding on the 5Oih OF septem-
Der Lat was 1853 and they will require 1876 $50 acres
o. ths 215Uc domain to satisfy them. The Secretary
here speaks Vi osr general land system. as follows
"iB former reports have expressed my decided ap-
proval Of our existing public land SYSTEM sGd ny o6jee-
lions 70 any radical change in IT, Forty years ago, the
minimum price OF the public lands fixed nc Sl25 per
acre. sad this rate the principal peFton OF the lands in
thirteen large and pOpuous States on tie e$s;eFp sope
az the continent have been settled purchased aud Ian
moved aud two States on the Pacific hSvs ris
en- uto Importance and rapidly advancing to power
without any complaint from their citizens 70 the price
t which public lands sold. The system Of surveys Is
pertet the prce is 6oderats and the settler IS secured
ia his improvements. This being done, the Lads not Ia
ken by pre-empors ohered at public sale, the pnsod
lands become subject TO private eay and the settler on
.5eh tracts Is allowed . months within which 70 Heks
proo snd payment for the quarter section upon which he
has kxed bis home.
When lands haze been subject to private entry Tor
more than ten years ths prise 70 actual settlers aud eu
uvators Is reduced from Zine 20 G4e until, after the
expiration Of thirty years. il is only twelve ana ball
ceats per acre. The donatOniaproPery termed home
stead poicy-based upoa the aey that residence on
tFast of land for certain number OF years shall Instead
OF a Rred price be made the consideration which shall
entte the settler the land he selects aud occupies has
been tried and a. stated 10 ny snqgal reports OF 1898
and 1850 has everywhere faded and nc. With public CON
domination Il was annoying TO the settleB productive
OF esG.rovesses and injurious TO the communities In
which ne do.ations were made.
During toe past gear 10 every case OF the procama-
nation aud public cfsrng Of extensive portions oil the
public lands srgeu request have besa Esde, as hereto
tore, for pOstpOnement Of tbe sales thus ofseFed-
These request could BE- accededt0 without interrupt
ne the rmouOus operation Of the laws constituting our
nd system which requires the public lands to be brought
into market from nie = tine in proportion as survey
"a lands are disposed Of aud Oiaeg ants survey
ed A. there has not been any considerable competition
or cash ieand Cor pew lands during toe past year, the
settlers on the lands brought into market who we're un
able from particular msorunes, 70 mage payment be-
fore the day Of sae haEe generally been abe 70 gle ae'