New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-12-18
STATE LAND OFFICE.

STATE LAND Off1Oh'
By resolution of the last Legislature, d.
H. Reese, ESQ.,, Chairman Of the Commit
tee on Public Lands and Levees, is author
lied and directed to prepare report 10
detail showing the condition and DISPOSE
ton of the public lands of the State since
the tweDtysixth day of January, 1861. tt
accomplish this work Mr.. Reese has thret
clerks employed overhauling the records
of the State land office. 1t is an under
taking of some magnitude, and when COM
pleted it is to be hoped will prove OF snfh-
cient value to more than compensate the
State for the expense incurred in having
the object of the resolution carried out.
1t is work that might have been per-
formed by the Register of the land office
and his assistant, as the Register is required
by law, we believe, to make an annual re-
port to the Governor of the State OF the
condition of things connected with his
Office. This would have obviated the ne
cessity of the expense Of commission for
that purpose. However, we suppose the
Register will be gratifed to have the work
thus done, providing it is well done, as it
will enable him to give full and complete
report of his office and the condition and
disposition OF the public lands OF the
State since 1851 to Governor Warmoth
when the Legislature comes together
again in January. As a considerable
amount of lands belonging to the State,
donated to it by the United States, were
sold after the twenty sixth day of January,
1861, the date of the passage Of the in
famous ordinance of secession, and as such
sales, we believe, have not been confirmed
or rejected by legislative action under the
reconstruction laws, it will be necessary
for the Legislature to look into the subject
and grant all proper and equitable relief
to actual settlers on lands obtained in good
faith on their part from parties then in pos
session of the Land Office, exercising au-
thority under those who were in rebellion
against the United States authority. Wher-
ever it is found that purchasers of this
description are in actual possession and
are cultivating these lands it would seem
wise ard just to have their titles perfected;
but where this is not the case it would be
right to reject sales made in this way, and
declare the land vacant. This can be done
by the Legislature, aud it is something that
should claim its earliest attention when it
meets again. The annual report that W.
B. Armstrong, Esq., the present Register Of
the Land Office, will make to Governor
Warmoth in the incoming year and the
report of the Chairman of the Committee
on Public Lands and Levees, it may
reasonably be expected, will throw all the
light necessary for legislative action on
the important subject of public lands in
this State.
The report Of Mr.. Reese will, we under
stand, give an abstract of the laws by which
the public lands have been acquired by the
State, showing by what laws the levee
bonds were granted and for what purposes;
also an abstract of the laws under which
the lands were disposed of by the State.
How much was granted for school purposes,
for the Seminary of Learning, for internal
for draining swamps and
overfowed lands; how much has been dis
posed of, and the amount on hand. 1t will
show in detail the public lands sold since
the twenty-sixth January, 1861, and give
an interesting history of the working of the
land department in this State.