Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-01-03

| he proceeds to consider tho subject OF
rUBIlo LANDS
Tho General Landufice, owi~g to the location
md sale in previous yenrsof unusually largo qnan-
titles oi land, unable for time, to issue the
patents on those entrcsas rapidly was desirable
| During tho past year, however, tho attention OF
| TINT office has been especially directed to this
subject aud have now tho qualification Of stating
| that during tho wear ending tho Both Of Septem-
! ber 1889. 100000 patents were transmitted or
prepared Tor transmission and delivery, and lists
| of swamp and railroad land were prepared and
certified to the States, which, If divided by
fair average would he equal to the preparation OF
| an additional number of 1884, 900 cash patents.
The legislation of Congress in relation to the
public lands attracts large share of the pnblic
attention. nnd interests directly large number of
eur citizens. All tho people of fourteen States and
five Territories derive tho title to their lands from
the Federal Government and the records aud
dcs evidenceing tho inception of their rights are
preserved in the General Lond Onice.-ln the
administration of the land laws of general and
special application, questions, often arise which
involve conflicting private intrests OF great
magnitude, and nre most complicated and difficult
Of solttion. These have to be examined with caro-
md patirnrc counsel in very many cases claim
tho privilege OF heng heard, and yet decisions
| must be made without unreasonable delay,
| although they often involve tho fortunes OF whole
| families
During tho five quarters ending September 80
! 1852 l6.6l9. lS3 acres of tho public lands were
disposed Of 4970 500 acres worc sold for cash.
welding So lo1 ,I7G; 3.Gl7,i acres werc located
! with bounty land warrants: l,Tl2.O40 acres were
! approved to the several States entitled to them
| under tho swamp grants of Mnrrh . l849, and
September 2S, 1850 and 6,3lS,203 acres certified
10 Stalos. falling 10 them under the grants for
railroad purposes.
| During tho snmc period Of time, 1881, ,22l
ncrc- we've surveyed and prepared for market. and
l6 67S3 553 acres proclaimed and ohored at public
sale. The aggregate quantity OF public land that
has been surveyed but not yet proclaimed or offer
ed at public sale, was, on tho 3Oh OF. September
! 1859 SO, go Qll acres aud the est mated quant-
ty which had been offered ut public sale and re-
manned subject to private entry Mt the various
land Offices was 80 900 600 acres. The lands which
| by long continuance in market hive graduated
to low prices by virtue of tho aetof August \,
| 1858, have been sold for cash. Those held at the
minimum OF 81 % per acre have been cnterod al
most exclusively with military bounty land war
ANTS; md although lnrga quantities of fresh lands
have been brought into market by proclamation.
less money in proportion to the amount oi lanu
uilcrrd has been received from sales than at any
previous noriod.
The recommendation Of the Commissioner Of
| Public Lands. suggesting that an act DO passed
| limiting the time in which tho States shall prefer
claims for swamp lands il approved. Such n law
would work -sn Justice 10 the States entilcd,
and would have II good effect in quieting land IT,
ties in those States and relieving the department
from IL yast amount Of tho most complicated labor.
| Already tho States have received on this score tho
mnniGcnni grnnt of more than I2.OOn,0O0 ncres,
and some 1000 9ol moro have been selected.
The suggestion OF the Commissioner of tho Cen
| crnl Land Office. that provision bc mndc by law
ipr the rntsinrtun Of those Nifgiuin military lind
warrants which have issued since the lstut March
lal2, on allowances Giado hy the authorities OF
Nlrginin, prior to that date, aud of which no pre-
Aipus warrants had ever iseucd and been accepted
| hy claimants, l. approved. and an amendment OF
lie law of August 81, 1852. TO that elc:t s re-
cHm Hmmcn1cd. Such II provision would be an act
nf Smnlc Justice tn those whosa rights were al
mit!ed but who-fron !lilHrc to take out their
warrants prior the day limited by the net of
Goa .rcss, are unable - avail themselves ut It's
benefits.
Passing from this subject, the Secretary OF the
Interior proceeds to consider.
Our relations with tho various tribes Of Indians
within our limits. ho snyf, basc eoptinued dnring
the past year in satisfactory cond tion aud peace
has been generally maintained. Occasional out
| breaks have occurred, but tn 80 have been pcrpe
rated bv bands Of desperate outlaws and in no case
has whole nation avowed the purpose Of making
open and deliberate war upon our tettlcmcnts.-
! regret to be obliged to add that reports and 9TH
er official documents submitted TO the department.
furnish sufficient evidence to Justify the belief that
| the most atrocious nf murder and rapne
charged to the account Of the Indians have in real
ity, been committed hy whites wearing tho dis
guise Of Indians. 1t cannot be doubted that tho
horrible nassacrcs which have occurred during
the past year on the route leading through Utah
! Territory have been planned and directed, il not
! actually executed. by our own citizens.
The average annual expenditure on Indian &C.
| count, including the Interest on stocks held in
trust for the several tribes, and sums which by
| treaty provisions it stipulated should be in
vested. hut which have remained in the Treasury
Of the United States, SO, ,055.27 08. The amount
Of stock held in trust for Indian tribes by the De.
partment of the Interior is So, 3,449,24l 49, The
present liabilities Of the United States to Indian
tribes, funding Mt five per cent. the perpetual an
nutes secured to some Of them, and also the an
nuties payable during tho pleasure Of Congress,
amount to S2l ,472, ,423 8s. The total number of
Indians within our borders, may be set down in
! round numbers mt $4,000.
| PENSIONS.
| Pensions is the next tonic noticed in the Report.
| The Secretary says:
1t will 10 seen by the report OF the Commission.
or Of Pensions that :he whole number Of pensions
of all classes now the rolls Is eleven thousand
five hundred and eighty-fve, and that the aggre-
gate amount per annum required for their pay
ment is 81, ,034,9l4 l5 The amount paid on ac'
coun. of pensions during the year, ending june
80, 1859, was 81, 49,, l40 SO. Of the aggregate
number of pensioners on the rolls. ten thousand
six hundred and sixty-seven are from tho Army
and nine hundred and eighteen are from the Ma
| W. OF these, four thousand eight hundred and
sixty.one of the former, and three hundred and
seycnty.6vo of the latter are the invalid rolls,
and their pensions amount to S469 ,457 SO per an.
num- The number of revolutionary pensioners
has dwinded down to one hundred and sixty-four
eighty -npe having died during the present year.
The number of widows of revolutionary officers
and soldiers, under all the acts of Congress grant,
ing pensions, was at tho close Of the year, STA
and the whole number Of pensioners on
the rolls, under all tho acts allowing half
pay to widows and orphans ofdeceased officers