The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1870-12-13

mined 70 give all the agencies 70 snch re.
ligious denominations as had heretofore
established missions among the Indians,
and perhaps TO some other denominations
who would undertake the work on the
same terms, |. G., ms q missionary work.
The societies selected are allowed to name
their own agents, subject TO the approval
OF the Executive, and are expected 10
watch over them and aid them as mission
aries and Christians, and civilize the Indi-
an, and to train him in the arts of peace.
The Government watches over the official
acts of these agents, and requires of them
as strict an accountability as il they were
appointed in the regular manner. / enter
tain the confident hope that the policy now
pursued will in few years bring all the
Indians upon reservations where they will
live in houses, have school houses and
churches, will be pursuing peaceful and
self-sustaining avocations, and where they
may be visited bv the law-abidinQ white
man with the same impunity that he now
visits the civilized white settlement. / Icall
your special attention 20 the report of tho
Commissioner of Indian Affairs for full
Information on this subject.
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
During the last fiscal year S,095. .4I3 acres
of the public land was disposed of. OF
this quantity 3,69Sol0 acres were taken
under the homestead law, and 2I5g5l5
acres sold for cash. The remainder was
located with military warrants, college or
Indian scrip, or applied in satisfaction of
grants to railroads or for other public uses
Tho entries under the homestead law dur
ing the last year covered g6l,545 acres
more than during the preceding year.
surveys have been vigorously prosecuted
To the full extent of the means applicable
to the purpose. The quantity of land in
market viii amply supply the present de-
mand. The claims of the settlers under
the homestead or the presumption laws.
are not, however, limited to the lands sub
ject to sale at private entry Any unap-
propristed surveyed public land may, to
limited amount, be acquired under the
former laws, if the party entitled TO enter
under them Will comply with the REQUIRE
ments they prescribe in regard to The resi-
dence and cultivation. The actual settlers
preference right of purchase is even broad
er, and extends to lands which were un-
surveyed at the time of his settloment.-
His right was formerly confined within
much narrower limits, and at one period
OF our history was conferred only by spe-
c1al statutes. They were enacted from,
time TO lcgalize what was then regarded MS
an unauthorized intrusion upon tie
National domain. The opinion that the
public lands should be regarded chiefly as
~ oOuAOC vi ItNtllut Is no longer muinfCln-
ed. The rapid settlement and successful
cultivation of them is now Justly consid
cred of more importance to our well he
ing Than is the fund which the sale of them
would produce. The remarkable growth
and prosperity of our new States and Ter
ritories attest the wisdom of the lepisla
uon which invites the tiller of the soil to
secure permanent home on terms within
the reach of all. The pioneer who incurs
the dangers and privations of a frontier
Ire, thus aids in laying the foundation of
new cOmmonwealtnS, renders signal SER
vice 10 his country, and is entitled to its
special favor and protection. The lawsse-
cure that object and largely promote the
general welfare. They should. therafore
be cherished as permanent feature of orr
land system. Good faith requires us TO
give full effect to existing grants. The
time honored and the beneficent policy of
setting apart certain sections Of public
land Tor educational purposes i'm the new
States should be continued When am
pie provision shall have been made for
these objects, L submit as a question
worthy "A serious consideration Whether
the residue of our national domain should
not be wholly disposed of under the pro-
vision OF tho homestead and prc-emption
laws. In the addition to the Swami and
oNertiowed lands granted to the State i'm
which they are situated, the lands taken
UiNti tiC COlloEe actS for
internal improvements or Improvement
purposes, under the act of September. ISII.
and the acts supplementary thereto. There
had been conveyed up to the close of the
last fiscal year, by patent or other eouiva-
lent evidence of title to states and corpor
ations 2,7S3,2 l3-lO0 acres for RAILWAYS
canals and wagon roads, it is estimated
tnat an additional quantity of l7,473. $50
3-l00 acres is still due under grants for
for like uses. The policy of thus aiding
the Statesin building works of internal im-
provement was inaugUrated more than
forty years since in the grants to Indiana
ana illinois, to aid those states in openingca-
nails to connect the waters of the Wabash
with those of Lake Erie and the waters of
the Illinois with those of Lake Michigan.
II was followed with some notifications i'm
the grant TO Illinois of alternate sections
OF public land within certain limits of the
Illinois Central Railway. Fourteen States
ana sundry corporations have received
similar subsidiesin connection with rail-
ways completed or in the process of con-
struetion. As the reserved sections are
rated at the double minimum, and the sale
OF them at the enhanced price has thus in
many instances indemnified the Treasury
for the granted lands. The construction of
some of these thoroughiares has undoubt-
edly given vigorous impetus to the de-
Velopment of our resources and the settle
h'Siib VI 'iN hiOAS hiSbuill OF the
country. 1t may, however, be well insist
ed that much of our legislation in this re-
gard has been characterized by indiscrim-
mate and profuse liberality. The United
States should not loan their credit in aid of
any enterprise undertaken by State cor
portions, nor grant lands in any instances
unless the projected work is of acknowl-
edged national importance, and ! am
strongly inclined to the opinion that it is
lneNpedient and unnecessary to bestoW
subsidies of either description, but should
Congress determine otherwise, earnestly
recommend that the right of settlers and
Of the public should be the more effectu-
ally secured by appropriate legislation.
THE PATENT OFFICE.
During the year ending September 30.
1870, there were filed in the Patent Office
l9,4ll applications for patents, 8, 3,374 caveats
and 100 applications for the extension Of
patents ; 1922 patents, including reissues
and designs, were issued, ITO extended,
and l,O89 allowed but not issued bV reason
OF the non-payment of the final fees, The
receipts of this office during the fiscal year
were Sl36,304 20 in excess of its expendi-
lures.
THE CENSUS.
The work of the Census Bureau has
been energetically prosecuted The pre-
llmlnary report containing much infOrma-
ton of special value and Interest, will be
ready for delivery during the present ses-
sion. The'remainingv volumes will be COM