Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-06-19
Oblo Statesr1an.
THE LAST VETO MESSAGE.
Veto of the New York and NIOnta.
M Iron Mining Company hill.
WAsHINGToN June Is.


ceved this afternoon. Colonel Cooper, the
Presidents private secretary, appeared
about half-past two, and announced that
the President returned the bill to allow the
New York and Montana Iron Mining Com
pany to purchase certain lands reserved
from public sale, with his objections. A
suppressed litter ran all around the cham
ber on this announcement. Shortly after,
Mr.. Sprague moved that the message be
read, which was agreed to; but before the
Clerk had finished three lines, Mr.. Wade
moved that the further reading be dispensed
with, to which Mr.. Salisbury and Mr.. Hen
bricks strenuousiy objected. Mr.. Trumbull
then said that he did not want any more
charges of discourtesy to be made,
and thought it was better that the
reading should be proceeded with.
Mr.. Wade said it was no use to
read it when no one was listening; but
as he did not want to hurt the Presidents
feelings, he would withdraw his motion.
The message was then read, and is as fol-
lows:
The bill entitled " An act to enable the
New York and Montana Iron Mining and
Manufacturing Company to purchase GER
tain amount of the public lands not now in
the MARKET" is herewith returned to the
Senate, in which it originated, with the OBJ
approval.
By the terms of this bill the New York
and Montana Iron Manufacturing Company
are authorized, at any time within one year
after the date of approval, to pre-empt two
tracts of land in the Territory of Montana,
not exceeding in the aggregate twenty sec
tiors, and not included in any Indian reser-
vation, or in any government reservation
for military or other purposes. Three OF
those sections may be selected from lands
containing iron ore and coal, and the re-
mainder from timber land lying near there
to. These selections are to be made under
regulations from the Secretary OF the In
terror, and be subject to his approval. The
company, on the selection of the lands may
acquire immediate possession by perma-
nently making their boundaries and pub
fishing descriptions thereof in any two
newspapers Of general circulation in the
Territory of Montana. Patents are to be
issued on performance within two years of
the following conditions: First, The lands
to be surveyed at the expense of the COM
pany, and each tract to be "as nearly in
square form as may be practicable" Sec
ond, The company to furnish evidence sat
isfactory to the Secretary of the Interior
that they have erected and have in opera
ton, in one or more places on said lands,
iron works capable of manufacturing at
leasttifteen hundred tons perannum. Third,
The company to have paid for said lands
the minimum price of $l.25 per acre. 1t is
also provided that the patents shall con-
vey no title to any mineral lands, except
iron and coal, or to any lands held by right
of possession or by any other title, except
Indian title, vail at the time of the selec-
ton of the lands" The company are to
have the privileges of ordinary pre-emp-
| tions, and be subj ject to the same restrictions
as such prescriptions with reference to
wood and timber on the lands, with the eX-
ception of so much as may be necessarily
used in the erection Of buildings, and in the
legitimate business of manufacturing iron.
The parties upon whom these privileges are
conferred are designated in the bill as the
"New York and Montana Iron Mining and
Manufacturing Company" Their names
and residences not being designated it must
be inferred that this company is corpora
ton, which, under color of corporate pow
ers, derived from some State or Territorial
| legislative authority, proposes to carry on
thebusiness of mining and manufacturing
| iron, and, to accomplish these ends, seeks
this grant of public land in Montana. Two
questions thus arise, viz: Whether the priv
ileges the bill would confer should be grant
ed to any person or persons; and, secondly,
whether, If unobjectiOnable in other re-
spects, they should be conferred upon cor
poration. lin.
The public domain is national trust, set
apart and held for the general welfare upon
principles of equal justice, and not to be be-
slowed as special privilege upon a favored
class. The proper rules for the disposal of
public land, have, from the earliest period,
been the subject of earnest inquiry, grave
discussion and deliberate judgment. The
purpose of direct revenue was the first OBJ
| iect, and this was attained by public sale
to the highest bidder; and subsequently,
by private purchase, at a fixed minimum.
| 1t was soon discovered that the surest and
most speedy means of promoting the wealth
and prosperity of the country was by en-
couraging actual settlement and occupa-
ton, and hence system of presumption
rights resulting most beneticially in all the
Western Territories. BY progressive steps
it has advanced to the homestead principle,
securing to every head of a family, widow
and single man, twenty-one years of age,
and every soldier who has borne arms for
his country, a landed estate, sufficient, with
industry, for the purpose of independent
support. Without tracing the system of
| pre-emptiOn laws through the several
stages, it is sufficient to observeitr rests upon
certain Just and plain principles firmly es-
tablished in all our legislation.
The object of these laws is to encourage
the expansion of population and the devel-
opment OF agricultural interests, and hence
| they have been invariably restricted to set
| tiers. Actual residence and cultivation are
made indispensable conditions, and, to guard
the privilege from abuses of speculation or
monopoly, the law is rigid as to the mode
of establishing claims by adequate testimo-
|
| trading, or any pursuit other than cul-
ture of the soil, is interdicted, mineral lands
| being expressly excluded from pre-emp-
! tion privilege, excepting those containing
Goals, which, In quantities not exceeding
one hundred and sixty acres, are restricted
to individuals in actual possession, and COM
mence with an enhanced minimum of $zO
per acre. For q quarter OF a century the
| quantity of land subject to agricultural pre-
Eemption has been limited, so as not to ex-
ceed quarter section, or one hundred and
sixty acres, and still further to guard
against monopoly, the privilege of pre-
emption is not allowed to any person who
i owns three hundred and twenty acres OF
Hand in any State or Territory of the United
States; nor is any person entitled to more
i thana pre-emPtion right; nor Is IL EXTEND
ed to land to which the Indian usufruct has
Isnot been extinguished. To restrict the priv
Iilepe within reasonable limits, credit to the
ordinary pre-emption on offered lands Is
not extended beyond twelve months,
4 within which timethe minimum price must
be paid
Where the settlement is upon unoffered
TERRITORY, thetime Of payment Is limited to
the day of public Offering, designated by
proclamation by the President; while, to
prevent depreciation of the land by waste