Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-12-16


visits the civilized white settlements. call
your special attention to the report Of the
Commissioners Of Indian Affairs, for full in
formation on this subjoct. During the last
fiscal year 8,095,4l3 acres of public lands
were disposed Of Of this quant''v, $685.
915 acres were taken under thu ,,otilestead
law, and 2, 159, 515 acres sold fo., cash. Tho
remainder was located with military warrants,
college, or Indian scrip, or applied in; salts
faction Of grants to railroads. or for other pub.
lic uses The entries under tho homestead
law during the last year, covered 96l, $40
acres more than during tho preceding year.
Surveys have. been vigorously prosecuted, to
the full extent of the means applicable to the
purpose. The quantity OF land In market
will amply supply the present demand. The
claim of the settler under the homestead, or
tho pro. emption laws, is not, however, limited
to land subject to sale at private entry; any
appropriated surveyed public land may, to
limited amount, bo acquired under the former
laws if the party entitled to enter under them
will comply with the requirements they pres
cribc in regard to tho residence and cultiva-
ton. The actual settlers preference, in tho
right of purchase, is even broader, extends to
lands which were unserveyed at the time
of his settlement; his rights were formerly
confined within much narrower limits, and at
one period Of our history, wore confirmed only
by special statutes. They were enac.sd from
time to time to legalize what was thcn regard.
ed as an unauthorized Intention upon the ma
tional domain. The opinion, that the public
lands should be regarded chiefly as a source
of revenue, is no longer maintained. The
rapid settlement, and the successful cultiva-
tion of them, is now justly considered of
more Importance to our we'll being, than is
the fund which the s,le of them would pro-
duce. The remarkable growth aud prosperity
of our new States and Territories attest the
wisdom of tho legislation which invites the til
Ter of the soil to secure a permanent home,
on terms " mithin the reach of all. Tho pio
nccr who incurs the dapgers and privations of u
frontier life, and thus aids in laying the
foundation of new commonwealth, renders
q signal service to his country, and is entitled
to its special favor and protection. These
laws secure that object, and largely promote
the general welfare. They should, therefore,
be cherished as permanent future of our
land eystem. Good faith requires us to give
full effect to existing grants. The time hon
ored and benefioient policy, of setting apart
certain PORTIONS of public lands for education
al purposes, in the new States, should be con-
tinucd. When ample provision shall have
been made for these objects, l submit, as a
question worthy OF serious consideration,
whether the residue of our national domain
should not be wholly disposed Of under the
provisions Of the homestead and pre- emption
law.
In addition to the swamp and overaowed
lands granted to the States in which they are
situated, the lands taken under tho Agricul.
H..
mcnt purposes, under the Act of September,
1871, and the Acts supplemental thereto,
there had been conveyed up to the close of the
fiscal year, by tho patent or other equivalent
evidence of title, to States, and corporations,
and wagon roads. 1t is estimated thai nm
additional quantity of 74,635,523 acres is
still due, under grants for like uses. The
policy of thus aiding the States in building
works of internal improvement was Inaugural
ted moro than forty years since, in tho grants
to Indiana and Illinois, to aid those States in
opening canals to connect the waters of the
Wabash, with those of Lake Eric, and the
waters of the Illinois, with those of Lake
Michigan. It was followed with some modi-
ficatiohs in the grant to Illinois, of alternate
sections of public land within certain limits
Of the Illinois Central Railway.
Fourteen States and sundry corporations
have received similar subsidies in connection
with railways completed, or in process of con-
| struction. AS the reserved sections are rated
| Mt the double minimum, the sac of thom at
the enhance dprico has thus, in many instances
Identified the treasury for granted lands.
The construction of some of these thorough
fares has undoubtedly given vigorous i'm.
pulse to the development Of our resources,
! and tho settlement of the more distant por-
| tions of the country. 1t may, howcvcf, be
we'll insisted that much of our legislation in
this regard has been characterized by indis.
criminac and profuse libcrality. The United
States should not loan their credit in aid
of any enterprise undertaken by States or
corporations, nor grant lands in any instance,
unless the projected work is of acknowledged
national enterprise.
I am strongly inclined to the opinion that
it is inexpedicnt and unnecessary to bestow
subsidies of either description, but should
Congress determine otherwise earnestly re.
commend that the rights of settlers and Of the
public be more ctfectuully secured and pro.
tected by appropriate legislation.
During the year ending Septembe 80, 1870,
there were filed in the Patent Office 19,411
applications for patents; 1874 caveats, and
100 applications for tho extension Of patents.
1902 patents, including ro-issues aud de-
signs, were issued; ITO extended, and 1850
allowed but not issued, by reason of the non
payment Of the final fees. Tho receipts of
the officeduring the fiscal year were Sl36 6,804-
20 in excess of its expenditures.