The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-12-25
Report of the Secretary of the
EEstePEOr.

The report of the Hon. Caleb B. Smith,
Secretary of the Interior, occupies eigh-
teen and half closely printed octave
pages A great decline in the business
of the Department has taken place during
the fiscal year, attributable to the nation
al difficulties. The decline has most sen
sibly affected the operations Of the Gen
eral Land Office. In all the Northern
States IN which any Of the public lands
are situated the war has almost entirely
suspended sales:
On the 30th September, 1861, there
were $3.50 ,595,025 acres OF the public
lands which had been surveyed but not
proclaimed for public sale. The lands
surveyed and offered at public sale previ
Gus to that time, and then subject to pri
vate entry amounted to 1862, 1864
acres, making an aggregate of public
lands surveyed and ready for sale of 1884,
2lS S,330,S9 acres.
Since the last annual report no procla-
nation for public sale Of lands has been
made, as the quantity already subject TO
private entry Is more than sufficient to
meet the wants Of the country. During
the fiscal year ending Both June, 1861,
and the first quarter of the current year,
erding 30th September. 1861, $3.50
532,31 acres have been disposed of Of
this amount ,02l ,493, IT acres, have been
certified to the States of Minnesota, Mich
igan and Louisiana, under railroad grants
made by Congress 6G6 .094 Al acres have
been certified 10 States as swamp lands !;
2,i53 $40 acres have been located with
bounty land warran S, and ,508, ,004 OF
acres have been sold for cash, producing
1925. .29942.
From this statement it will be seen that
the public lands have ceased substantially,
for the present at least, to be source Of
revenue to the government. During the
year there has been certified to the States
for railroad construction 9,99S, ,407 acres.
The grants of swamp and overhowed lands
cover an aggregate Of 57,895 ,577 acres
The bounty land warrants and scrip
issued under dihcrent acts Of Congress,
previous to September SO, 1861, embrace
an aggregate Of 7l,717, ,l72 acres of land.
Unless Congress shall authorize the issue
OF additional warrants, this drain upon
the public lands will soon cease.
The Secretary does not favor the issu
ing of bounty land warrants TO the yUlun-
teers engaged in the present war, Oh the
ground that warrant for one hundred
and sixty acres to each volunteer would
absorb over one hundred millions of acres,
which would deprive the government Of
all income from this source, and would
afford but little benefit to the volunteers
The warrants are now sold in the market
at about fifty cents per acre, and If this
large additional quantity was thrown in
the market the prices would be reduced
to a merely nominal sum. The bounty of
the government, dispensed to the volqn-
teers in this form, would fail to realize to
them the advantages intended. All the
best lands would fall into the hands Of
spectators, who would be enabled to pur-
chase them at nominal price and sell
them to settlers at full prices as fast as
to the West wonld require
them for settlement If additional com
TO the volunteers beyond the
amount now authorized by law, shall be T,
deemed just and proper, the Secretary
suggests that it viii be better both for
the government aud the volunteers to-
make such compensation by direct ap-
preparation Of money, or of government
securities. This would give them the
full benefit of the appropriations made,
while the government would, by keeping
the lands until they shall be demanded
for settlement, realize their full value.
Affairs with the Indian tribe, are in
very unsettled and unsatisfactory condi- |
tion. The large tribes of Cherokees,
Chickasaws and Chocktaws, situated in
the southern superintendeDcy, have sus-
pended all Intercourse with the agents Of
the United States. The superintendent
and agents appointed since the 4th Of
March last have been unable to reach I
their posts or to hold any intercourse with
the tribes under their charge. The su-
perintendent and some, if not all, of the
agents of the southern superintenncncy,
who were in Office on the 4jh of March, /
have assumed an attitude of revolt to the
United States, and have instigated the
Indians to acts of hostility.
The Commissioner of Indian Affairs
the opinion, in which the Sec
retary concurs, that Congress should make
the usual appropriations to comply with
the treaty stipulations Of the United
States, that the means may exist to pay
them, if circumstances and the condition
of the tribes shall hereafter render il
proper and expcdient to do SO.
The whole number Of pensioners of ali
classes on the rolls of the nenSinn hnreau