The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-05
OUR INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
Secretary Smiths Report to the
President,
-, &c.. Ia


diminished amount Of business In of the most i'm
portant bureaus with tho department. This IL
attributable mainly the nsurrecton which has sud.
denly preepitated the country into civil war.
GENERAL OFFICE
The decline OF business has very sensiby affected the
operstons Of the General Land Oce Ocal intercourse
has been entirely suspended with all the Southern States
which contain any portion OF the public lands, and con
sequently sales have been made In any OF those
States.
In oil the Northern States in which any of the public
lands are situated the war has almost entirely suspended
sales. The demand for volunteers has called into the
ranks OF the largo number OF that portion Of our
people whose energy and enterprise In time Of peace
moline them to emigrae 10 the and settle upon tho
public lands thus laying the foundations OF future pros
psrous communities and States Besides the ordinary
channels Of trade and have 80 obsruced
BY the war that the sources Of income from which tho
settlers upon tho public lands have realized the means OF
purchasing, have been greatly diminished.
On the 3oth September 1884, there IS sos %
acres OF the public lands which had been surveyed bu.
not proclaimed for public SALE Tho lands surveyed and
ored at public sale previous that time and then sub
ysct private entry, amounted to 81 acres
making aggregate Of public lands surveyed and ready
Tor sale OF 134 21S $40. 50 acres.
Since the last annual report OF this department no pro
tho quantity already subject private entry is more
than sufficient to moot the wants the country During
the fiscal ending 30lh June 1861 the first quar-.
tor Of the curren. year, ending 3Oth September 1861
$3.50 b3231 acres have been disposed Of OF this amount
1O2l 4937 acres have been certified to States Of Min
nesota, Michigan and Louisiana, under railroad grants
made by Congress- At have been certified to
States swamp lands 25s acres have been located
with bounty land warrants and 1908 acres have
been sold for cash, producing 1925 200 ~.
It will be seen from this statement that tho public
lands have ceased substantially for the present least
to be source Of revenue to the government The
liberal manner in which the acts Of Congress granting
swamp and overfowed lands TO tho States, have been
aid IN the construction of railroads. the quantity re-
CURED to locate bounty land warrants for military ser
vices have combined to reduce tho cash sales to an
amount but little moro than sufficient meet the ex
penses or our land system Tho not income from sales
during the last fiscal year viii hardly roach the sum Of
$500 900 During the last fiscal year there were certified
to the States for railroad construction under the several
acts OF Congress making grants for such purposeso
Minnesota 3OS ST. 80 acres; to Michigan e36 osf %
acres, aud 70 louisiana 1850. AS acres The whole
amount cert hod to all tho States under grants is
0,9a8 ,491 II acres.
States have absorbed largo amount Of valuable lands
and have caused heavy drain upon tho Treasury The
claims, Of the several Staos cover aggregate of
81 ,s95, b77. 40 acres.
The United States have also paid to to the States in
cash, under the indemnity act o.! March 3 1885,
count ofands claimed swamp lands and which we're
sold by the United States subsequent the date OF the
grant 1916 1926 So
Certificates have been issued for location mon onv NJ
the public lands subject to entry indemnify the states
for lands ciaiNed swamp lands but which have been
located by bounty land Warrants after the date Of tho
grant, amounting 10 145 92 Additional claims
are pending yet undecided Tor cash. Si42 435 and for
lands, 30l 420 acres.
r,.
ferent acts Of Congress previous to September 90 1861
embrace an aggregate Of yiJ17 IT. acres OF land OF
this amount there have been located For Revolution.
AIRY services S2oO6l2 acres for services in the war
with great Britain 1850 100 acres for Canadian youn
teers 725o acres for services in the Mexican war and
other vices under the Of l947 1850 1867 ma
1856 In all 81 $40 acres leaving vel to he located on
warrants and rcrp, already issued 7454 40 acres
Cong ess Shall authorize the issue additional
warrants this drain upon the public lands Will
The propricty Of issuing bounty land the
volunteers who have been called into suppress
sion, and must be determined by Congress-. warrant
for hundred aud sixty 10 each volunteer
gagged ia the service would absorb hundred mil
lions OF sores, much larger amount than has been
ssued undor all previous laws II . evident that the
ISSUE Of such an amount Of warrants would destroy
III hope Of deriving any revenue from tho pnb
tic lands. at least for many years. And while such
) measure would deprive the government Of oil in
come from this source 1t would afford but little benefit
20 the volunteers Til Sc warrants sold IN the
market At about fifty cents per An addition Of tho
large amount necessary supply the volunteers would
nal sum
The bounty of tho government dispensed to the volun
toers this form would fail TO realize to them the ad
vantages Intended All the best lands would fall into the
hands OF spectators, who would be enabled to pur
chase them al q nominal price, and sell them to settlers
at foil prices emigration to The West would
Qure them for settlement Il additional compensation
the volunteers beyond the amount authorized by
law shall be deemed jus, and proper II will be better
both for the and the volunteers to make such
compensation by direct appropfat ion Of money or Of
government securities This would give them tho full
benefit OF the appropriations made, while the
ment would, By keeping the lands until they shall DO de
nanded 70. settlement. realize their fun value
The expense &C surveying private land claims in tho
territory Of Mexico based upon grants OF the Mexican
Sa,es These surveys have cost tho goyernmsp, aree
sums. Tho cost OF surveying one claim amounted
twonty two hundred dollars another cost the govern
,ment fourteen hlfed dollars, The aggregate cost cf
surveying ihem has taken from the treasury large
aDorHt of public funds. No valid reason exists in my
judgment o taxing tue ment with hecos Of ihese
surveys There IS obligation resting upon the United
States ascertain and dcnnc the boundaries Of grants
made by Mexico to individuals previous TO the ccsson OF
tho territory The claimant realizes all the benefit aud
should be charged with the expenses of defining tho
boundary OF his claim. The surveys should be made
under the authority Of the United States but the cost of
the survey should be paid by tho claimants and patents
for the Land should be Withheld until the expenses Of the
survey paid.
Tho valuable and extensive mineral lands owned by the
government in California and New Mexico have hitherto
produced All who chose 70 do have been
permitted to work them without limitation II is be-
leved that other government owning valuable mineral
lands has refused to avail Itself Of the opportunity
u U
lands They the property OF the whole people and
would DO obviously just and proper to require those who
reap the advantages OF mining them pay reasonable
amount a consideration for the advantages enjoyed.
Tho territorial governments OF Colorado, Dacoeh and
Nevada have been successfully organized since the ad
tournment OF The last Congress. The surveys Of tho
public lands III those Territories have already
been commenced, and the lands now open
for settlement. Tho productivenoss OF the soil
and the mineral wealth Of those Territories, with
the advantages OF legally organized governments will
doubtless invite large immigration TO them
the termination Of the shall restore civil employ.
nnents that portion Of our people under arms.
Congress-, by act passed May 90, 1890 authorized
tho appointment by the President oa suitable person
persons who should In conjunction with persons to
be appointed behalf OF tho State of California run
and mark the boundary lines between the Territories OF
the United States and the State Of California" Ffyvo
thousand dollars appropriated for the performance OF
tho work. Sylvester Mowry appointed . commits.
the part Of the United States, and the OF
$3T 61 10 placed at his disposal for the prosecution
Of the work.
Very after taking charge Of the department as.
cerained that the whole which had been placed in
the hands Of the Commissioner had been disposed OF by
him. and largo amount Of drafts for additional
sums bad been drawn upon the department, while 10
progress had been made In tho work beyond the fixing Of
tnrtyni parallel Of north latitude with the Colorado
river inc whole appropriation had been sqIanoered
while tho work had been only commenced Under these
circumstances deemed II 70 be my duty TO arrest The
creation Of further caims AGAINST Tho tho,
. n fat ,.l. lfs.