Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-12-10
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END l1s lre Lands. b ~ lFfEFf
one Of The mos. interesting documents sub
mltted 70 Congress at the pfosontsession fs the
repoftof tho Hon. J. NJ. Edmnnds, Commits.
sloneE Of the Land Office. Its very volumin-
Gus document, aud contains vast amount Of
infoFmstion relative 70 the public lands Of our
eonntfB. Among other things, Mr. Edmunds
speass o. the aggregate Of surveyed lands, Of.
Tered and unonered on the 30th Of September,
1861 essh saies Of bounty lands, sw amps, and
railroads, surveys In new Territories of Dako.
tab, Colorado, Nevada, California, Oregon
Washington, New Mexico, Utah, Kansas, Ne.
bfaska, minnes0ta, Missouri, Illinois, Louis.
lana, and FioFids; Of foreign titIes 10 these
lands; Of pre- emptl0ns, and rules governing the
pre- empifoB claims Of those who have been IN
the service Of tie United States, or who are
n0B eDgsgsd IN the war Forfhe Union; OF mill.
tGsy bounty land claims, under opr varions
wars) Of gs1etal bounty land cIaImb, Under hi q
laws Of le5O-s2-55j Of swamp granfs; Of rail
road spHoVals; Of the mineral interests Of the
United States and the public domain; and Of
the boundary lines now 10 litigation between
many OF the Western States and Territories
bis department, Mr.. Edmuuds gives us a vast
amouns Of useful and necessary Information,
We learn that since June 30, 1860, there have
been surveyed {, 49,, ,l26 acres Of lapd, TO which
may be added the number Of acres which have
been surveyed prior % that date, and which re.
main still offered for pFe.empuon, making an
aggregate Of $685., ,595 acres. These lands
ere liable 10 proclamation and subject 70 pre-,
emption. II We add 70 this the number Of eur
yeyed lands heretofore liable 10 private sale
and pre- .emption, we fnd II leaves 10 the posses
sion Of the United States, on TIE 30.h Of Sep
tsmbeF, 1861, q grand total Of I3l, l,2le, $50
acres Surveyed, unsold, offered, and unoffered.
Mr. Edmunds says, 10 speaking Of the bounty
land system, that the operations Of the land
system, and tho dispossi Of the public lands
have been checked and suppressed BY The polit-
lcal differences Of the country, growing out OF
the hostile attitude assumed toward the United
States BY the suthorities controlling the States
10 revolt against the Federal Government, and
be adds the gratifying fact, that notWithstand.
Ing these great causes, and tho very ne
cessary Withdrawal for military service Of q
large number Of our citizens from Agricultural
employment, the general disturbance Of trade,
and the exciting causes affecting the social sys.
TEN, the energy Of our people and the strength
Of our institutions manifest themselves In the
fact, that, unaided by public sales, fresh lands,
actual settlements have increased to snch an
extent that he estimates that during the past
year forty thousand eigbty-acre farms have
been added 70 the wealth Of the Republlc.
The details Of the surveys In the different
TeFritohee Of the West are elaborated BY Mr..
EdmuDds, but they are hardly OF special Inter
est 70 the country. They exbibii, however, q
degree Of energy 10 consolidating, improving,
arranging, aod rendering useful, these vast, %.
Inhabited, and almost unknown regions, which
Te6ect the greatest credit upon the people and
NE authorities. Mr.. Edmunds suggests that
the public surveys In Utah Ds Discontinued.
until policy may be devised by Congress which
viii induce others than Mormons 70 emiRrate
10 that Territory. The influence of the Nor.
mon church ls paramount In Utah. II is yirtu.
ally an isolated Territory Of the Union, and IL
10 thought advisable MOTTO continue unnecessa-
~ and unEemuneratiye labor. The suryeying
Itefyice continues In Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa,
and Kansas, but bas been interrupted In Mis-.
souri, Indiana, and Florida, by the political die.
tuEbAnces 10 those States, the archives Of the
sufyeyorso Of Louisiana and Florida having been
surrendered 70 the Confederate suthorities.-
Mr.. Edmunds, in his report, submits reduced
estimates for the surveying department, IN con.
sequence OF the drain upon the treasury for
war purposes, and diminished receipts for the
sale OF lands and the cessation Of emigration 10
these vide fields OF public domain. He tbnks
In tho present condition Of public affairs, II
would be prdndicial TO great public and private
interests 70 enlarge the surveying appropria-
tionsG and he very properly tblnks that sound
policy recommends that all surveys shall ad.
vance according % the requirements Of actual
settlements.
The pre.empaon principle, according to the
Commissloner, which vas recognized In the
early legislntion Of our country, has ripened In
70 permanent system. In the expansion Of the
system, however, and In its application TO un-
6nFyeyed lands 10 new States and Territories.
some Irregularities have arisen demanding leg.
islatiye Intervention. In this connection be al
ludes 10 q new poirs Of interest at the. present
time. His attention has been drawn 70 the
condition OF persons claiming prescriptions, and
wishing TO enlist In the service Of the Republic,
who are desrous Of ascertainipg WHISTLER such
pre-emptions will be protected during the alb.
eeuce Of the claimants. Having no doubt Of
the justice Of the principle which will protect
the interests Of claimants, under such circum-
stances, II bas received the sanction Of the
Commissioned, with this qualification: that the
pre-emptor is an actual tesident upon and cult.
vatos Of The tract claimed, has fled his declar-
atofy statement, and has fully observed the 70.
quirements OF the pre-enpuon law, up to the
period Of bis enlistment. In that case, he holds
the time OF actual military service will not be
90 considered as to result In forfeiture Of bis
lands-proyided that notice Of his entrance into
The armys and discharge from service IL prompt
y lied with the register and receiver, and that
such steps are taken a. will show q bona fde In
tentlon 70 return TO the tract, BY leaving his
family on the land, where he has one, and where
no family, that the premises shall be placed In
proper charge for the pre- emptor, 80 that resi-
dence and cultivation shall be continued when
the military service is at an end.
During the year ending September 80, 1861,
10 virtue Of the scrip laws Of 1862, scrip has
been iasued as bounty-land warrants. for 90, 90;
acres, making, with the quantity heretofore ls-
seed, . total cum Of s55, ,054 acres. Before the
Land COMMISSIONER, claims are now pending
equal 70 ~. .556 acres. 10 the Virginia district
there arc 10000 acres liable to commutatior
into scrip. The rebellion Of Virginia Will not
prejudice the cIaima Of loyal citizens, lawfully
sntsled 70 scrip in satisfaction Of heIr warrants
The aggregate bounty,lsnd liabilities already
ratified BY the United States, from the com
mencement Of operations TO the 30th of Decem
Der, 1861, are q follows: For n,voinsIonary omar
eervices, In tracts and acrip, 5000, ,6i2 acres
for service 10 1872, 4,e5O, 100, Canadian voIun
teers, 72,750. There is now actually located
under Mexican bounty-land act Of Iel7, aad IA.
0GhsF cots Of 1850, 1852, 1855, 81, ,I30 $40 acres
making total Of q, ,262, ,452 acres. 40 3 ~
During the focal year ending June 30, 1851
there have been csrtl6ed for railroad putpOse
under The railroad grant acts Of 1856, 1851, q
follows f ft tW Y
TO Mlnn..ota, acres. sos,s1I.p
U|I q "a A