New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-12-16
Report Of i. VI. EdmUndk, Commissioners OF
the General E.nnd Once.
The Report presents


The Report presents
J. Preliminary respecting the ss, and disposal Of the
pablo lands indicating e legislative t. psoec, the inter
veyed unsnveyed 5s-ed and uno erei he liberia policy in
regard to military servies institutions Of leaning; works OF
internal in prov ene,t; swamp lends
II Exhibits the disposed Of during the yesr ending Sh
June 1905 the quarter eng Sth September 1893 for cash
by loo hons with bolpy snd warrant. under TIE hoe,eaa
law for IsIcads and under amp grant, with he asSeEa'e
nrd sSd RlS en ua asSs On m ''
Ill submit, Tie ruling, Of the Department on important
Questions arising under the Homestead law, with rconmeno<
ons 50 50 amend tie act as to Ies person' absent II me mil
~ Exhibits de;si, under Agricultural and Mechanic Col
y Under Military Bounty Lard laws from the Revolution
So attest legislation or lie subject.
VI Grants for railroad purposes.
MI Review OF swsu.P hand opera'ion'
NIil Des Mo.ues Rive grsn,.
IL sales Of pubhc lands under proclamation Of tie Pre
dent and restoration Of lands heretofore offered bot which
have been Kept out o! market
VI Indicate. The mode q proceeding In rerssd TO mall
Nj Acton had in regard to cl.ir. in the vinnoa so
,.gse. B~ Eeril rer,ou Minnesota
XIII Results in r,slri 20 donson' IN Oregon aud Wesh-
XIV In relation to California ti.es-he proceedings o.
recommendation ~. the IeusiaeE. OF foeu tides IL New
~ Reservation and town site Interests
WI Shows the action lad by The General Land oEcs on
she Catholic Mission CLAIR, at Vancouver Washington Ie1r
XVI Exhibits tie sreu, Of adjustments rs Of account
Nh Changes ~ dlsiIigt land Offices.
AK Treats o. the great mnera interests In the public Co
Xxx By copous 1rsss IN regard to the srersosical srd
tt Governor cf Ncv-ds By william p Esse esq com
missioner to reVIeser. the ruelaocs Hnd mining Interests
al Tho Industrial Exhibition ia London.
NIL 1ranerP Of ei'er dated sept g. 1852 from The an
degigned 10 the Secretary Of The .enor preu o1ec-
the We've the naming interest in cslf mia IS
admitted u The animal eJoIt Of TIC United States ssTeyo''
A1n. Tables aad staten. nts exhibiting do.als-
oe report Is designed 20 exhibit an outline Of TIE
ope.aions of this branch Of the public SER FOR tte
lasi aseel yeer aud for the quarter ending S.pt ~
lsoS 1t is accompanied by tabular exhibits indicating,
"a detail results growing out OF tie disposal Of the pub
fC n- DIS for casa b. 0c.t0D uLicr lie several iaws
granting land bOuutic for military services ny entries.
under the Homestead act Of May 20. ls62. and under
. special enaetInents of general interest
Ey the Constitution of the United States. the sole
power delegated to Congress Of dispcsng o. Tie pub
tic domain. In to carly history Of the Government,
measures prescribed fOr ascertsinng valid titles
derived from the lorMe! governments from winch we
acquired territory. ttcn carefully se5fegauW private
rights and laying open the public domain fret q 2roc
sale and then private entry 'Ae later on cfcdt ana az
minimum in OF tie lowest price now admissible
by law. Then IN sac Inogross Of events the National
Legislature took cogTzsnco Of actual sc;icIt gave PIE
cedence and preference 10 them IN tie purchase ~ tie
public lands not 81 jccing tcIn - compete 10 prDAc
auction with Ordinary purchasers but or very liberal
and al the lowest pr,oe, allowing them 10 secure
mis- policy continued retrospective until aner the
operation vi the plceni ion law Of $50 ami It's supple
nenfs and up q the passage Of tie permanent pro
sDsctiyc pretpion system by act Of September ISL
While that ~ las. Ike al remedial 'gs.o;on Dcel
liable 10 abEse II has secured titles to million Vi our
citizens 20 their homes at lowest rates. IL took hold OF
lands offered and unofcIed. II opened ny ne richest
and airest fields tie actual settler. The instant tie
pIeempor PIT bis ooI upon tract under the law, his
title lad legal inception 10 become ooICl lee provided
h. complied with The re1uemcnts Of the statute
bona fde actual continuous settlement Then another
s'ep vas taken b. laying open the l,foAvvO 70 ~
public domain, whether surveyed on unsurveyed offered
~ unocred 20 tie actual settler Inter legislation dis
cardng prcexsiiDc theories OF Tespass upon The public
lands 80 far as aCtgd settlers are concerned pom
offered land 1he p5e,cnptoT has years . credit ssle
les fields o. the pubic domain, even before
. snrvey. under tie protection Ok the law. %
continue there until the Surveyor has passed
RS cAan over t. surface and established tie public
landmarks By legal dlyfions and subdivisions; then II
requires Of BIN tic fling OF DECLARATION upon m
offered lands tie FIST .tep, giving hin Reasonable
period 10 do this after the return Of the township p!a
and the usually long credit for tie period which super
ycnes from rendition Of pats 70 Tie dey Of public sale
Congress have also dealt with landS Which had been IN
MARKET ten fifteen, twenty. twenty five aid uI-Y
years and upward, by reducing these 10 actual settler
IT. low rates doaD % IN eighth Of d dollar PEI acre
This benign policy, however led 10 abuse ana speca
ton aud Congress z cindcd the law Jet not without
indicating continual interest n Tie actual settler ~
passing the homestead act 81 NAY 20 lst2 by which
ssery citizen secure farm compa:aiye. without
cOsf beyond nominal .ees.
Them again, Congress, IN the younger land States
ara N the IeiItCses have duplicated the school grant,
concedng the 18th and seth section for the noble pr
pose Of educating this people. and giving yigor and
power 10 the elements OF a free government.
In furbersnce Of the policy OF advancing the settle
r~ni Of the West have the munifcent grant Of so
m acre, TO each Of he land States for internal improve
nent. land grants for universities. for railroads which
already span several States, the railways constructed
UPON the basis Of Tie proceeds Of public lands. and
finally for grant VI fifteen and hall millions 0I acres
% the Pacific silrey which is destined 10 strengthen
.ni,e consolidate IOt merely the interests material,
Industrial and cOIInercis Of the Atlantic and Pacihc
but Of that empire inland region which exists between
these oceans.
Beside thcse measures, Congress- by tie acts OF
March g. ls49. and sept q, 1880 and its supplements.
have conceded ~ certain States the swamp lands within
their limts the aggregate selected thus iar reachihg
nearly 1y eight millions Of acres. In addition 10 these
appropriations nearly sixty FIVE millions Of acres have
been granted for military services III the EeYOluoLary
war, war with Great Britain, MEXICO &c IL would
require TOO much detail even 10 glance at the nntIse
Of grants for benevolent and educational purposef the
last prominent being that for the support Of agrcu
tural and mechanical coleges equal ~ the loyal States
Of six millions hundred and eighty thousand acres
This policy thus enlarged indicates The dcsigr Of
Congress not 10 look 10 the public lands as source u
direct revenue but rather by encouraging actual settle
nen aud important works Of internal Improvement 10
quicken the settlement Of the country and by increas
Eng individual zoatk secure national riches and pros
The result ~ that for the year ending june 90 1868
the aggregate cash sses amounted " 81 3f 10 acres
aud 1Y360f7 s.
Tor the quarter ending ssptssnbsr 90 1866, the Acres
AmounanIto Ssooa = .'''''''''''.'' ''
sossd 4 Sy bosny land iesslioss. ........... l4,ea
For the gaaress ending sspesnbss ~ ls63s... lOi26
tor swamp lands approved fes the Asesi year snd
,ss Jaos ., S91aAsl
1o9 ditto feg The aasItd snang oep'smoe 1859 None.
Ses rsisss2 purpose fo' the ysa' ending Juas %,
v Si:c i:s Is: quarter ending september D. x
S.L,. ri, under N. Horoestssd oct Of Msy0,
iss2 vhaoh went into operation January 1853,
isr Tho ysss srdas juno 10 1853. isp.sessi
A, ssa.a, u 20 .s' IssNe
-
ss H. s,p.a" Itsna
SS.si Of ~ osss dsPossd VI Tor thshss saf'e an