Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-03-23

"N'"N 'FWW"fHt wv" WW't
ny nm act of the Legislature, np
proved both May, 1854, aided by sup.
Elementary legislation the Surveyor
General was directed ITO calculate the
amount Of purchase money, interest
md fees due on each unpatentcd tract,
and after tho descriptions of said tracts
have been transmitted TO the Prothono.
tarics Of the respective counties, aud
entered as hereinafter provided, tho
amounts 30 found to be due, together
with five dollars for tho labor and
costs of making out and filing, shall
form an aggregate sum, which shall be
entered in lien docket to be provid-
cd and kept for that purpose and the
said sum shall bear interest at the rate
Of SIX per cent"
In conformity with this law, lien
dockets have been forwarded to each
county, and on the 9th of May next,
and so on TO tho 9th of Novcm Der,
the Attorney General may commence
suit for tho recovery, rs is provided
ty tho Act of Sth April, 1863 of tho
amount OF lien, with additional costs.
Such lien docket is now in this
county, in the possession Of Emanuel
Kuhn, from whom all persons can OBJ.
tain Information as to whether there
arc any hens of this kind upon their
lands.
A memorial has been signed by emf
ncnt citizens of Philadelphia praying
the legislature to pass the requisite
Legislation TO prevent tho prosecution
OF suits at this time for the recovery
of these claims. The language Of the
memorial expresses its object so well
that we use il here 1.-THE State
should receive her fair dues, but it is
not just that after having so long slept
upon her rights, she should, at this
late day, prosecute q suit to recover
against citizen u claim, nearly all of
which is in some cases composed of
tho accumulated interest of more than
II century and half, and in most of
over half ccntury-a claim which
in some instances exceeds the present
salable value OF tho land.
"Much ofthe land has passed through
many hands since the original warrant
was issued by the State; much is
owned by widows and orphans much
has been sold for taxes and is held by
county tax title, and on hundreds
of tracts more money has been paid
for taxes than would, with interest,
amount to treble the present value of
the land. And it is grave question
whether, should the land be sold un.
der this law, tho holder would not
have u right TO recover from the coun-
ty all the back taxes he has paid.
at is manifest from the report Of
the Surveyor General, and no censure
should be imputed 10 him, that the
greatest possible confusion exists in
some cases as to the location of land.
In his report Of this year (page 4, }
he says; perhaps tho most trouble
some feature connected with entering
up the liens was, TO get at the present
location of the tracts, as many Of the
warrants and surveys arc quite in.
definite as TO situation, or TO refer to
some point or object only known to
the people, who werc contemporary
with the date Of the Office right"
"Another source of confusion arises
from what the Surveyor General call
"intcrferenccs and conflicting rights," I"
or ovcr-lappings Of tho survey. Where
the lien only for the amount Of patent
fees and purchase moneys, with the
proviso that if paid without interest
within any time prior TO April / 1873,
and II not paid at the expiration of
said period, that then the land should
be sold for the amount thus due the
Commonwealth, the immense amount
of injury which will arise TO counties
from the unsettling of titles, and the
great interference with their progress
and prosperity that must cnsue ii the
present law is enforced, not 10 speak
Of the oppression which otherwise
will be wrought upon thousands of in.
nocent persons, would be avcrted.-
We would therefore respectfully ask
the passage Of law to that effect, or
otherwise tho entire repeal Of the
special legislation on this subject"
All the influence of our people
should be brought to bear upon the
members of tho Legislature to aid the
passage of bill such as that prayed
for in this memorial.