Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-12-09

name their own agents, subject to the /
approval of the Executive, and are ex-
pected to watch over them and aid 4
Them as missionaries and Christians, /
and civilize the Indian, and to train /
him in the arts of peace. The govern /
ment watches over the official acts of /
these agents, and requires of them as /
strict an accountability as if they /
were appointed in any other manner. |
I entertain the confident hope that the |
policy now pursued will in few years |
bring all the Indians upon reserva- |
tions where they will live in houses, |
have school houses and churches, will |
be pursuing peaceful and self-sustain-
ing avOcati0ns. and where they may
be visited by the law-abiding white
man with the same impunity that he
now visits the civilized white settle
ments. I call your attention to the re-
port of the COMMISSIONS of Indian af
fairs for full information on this sub
ject.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
During the last fiscal year SOS, ,541 300
acres of public land were disposed "f.
Of this quantity 369, ,S91 900 acres were
taken under the homestead law, and
2I5. 95I. .5SI sold for cash. The remain
der was located by the military war
rants, college or Indian scrip, or ap-
piled in satisfaction of grants to rail-
roads, or for other public uses. The
entries under the Homestead law dur
ing the past year covered 96l, ,545 acres
more than those during the preceding
wear. Surveys have been vigorously
prosecuted to the full extent of the
means applicable to the purpose and
the quantity of land in market viii
amply supply the present Demand
The claim of those settled under the
Homestead or Presumption laws is not,
however, limited to lands subject to
sale at private entry. Any unapprOpria-
ted 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 requirements they prescribe in re-
gard to residence and cultivation
| The actual settlers preference or right
of purchase is even broader, and ex-
tends to lands which were unsurveyed
at the time of his settlement. His
right was formerly confined within
much narrower limits, and at one pc
riod of our history was conferred only
/ bv sDecial statutes. They were enact
| ed from time to time TO legalize what
! was regarded as an unauthorized in
! trusion up, n the national domain
/ The opinion that the public lands
| should be regarded chiefly as a source
! of revenue is no longer maintained
! The rapid settlement and successful
cultivation of them is now justly con-
sidered of more Importance to our well
/ being than is the fund which the sale
of them would produce. The remark
able growth and prosperity of our States
and Territories attest the wisdom OF
/ the legislation which invites the tiller
of the soil to secure a permanent home
on terms within the reach of all. The
pioueer. who incurS the dangers and
/ pfivations of a frontier life, and thus
aids in laying the foundation of new
| commOnwealths, renders signal ser
vice to his country and is entitled to
e SaT nd
laws secure that object, and large
" promote the general welfare They
should, therefore, be cherished as a
permanent feature of our land system.
Good faith requires us to give full ef-
feet to existing grants The time-hOn
ored and beneficent policy Of setting
apart certain sections of the public
land for educational purposes in the
States should be continued. When
ample provision shall have been made
for these objects, / submit, as a ques-
ton worthy of serious consideration,
whether the residue of our national
domain should not be wholly disposed
Of under the provisions of the Home
stead and pre-emption laws. In addi
tion to the swamp and oVerhoWed
lands granted to the State in which they
are situated, the lands taken under the
7 Agricultural College acts and for in
ternal improvements or improvement
purposes under the act of September,
1S41, and the acts supplemental there
to- there had been conveyed up to the
close of the asst fiscal year, by patent
or other equivalent evidence of title,
to States and CORPORATIONS, 2,7S3, ,625, 763
and 1-I00 acres for railways, canals and
wagon roads It is estimated that an
additional quantity of 174, 735, ,523 acres
is still due under grants for like uses.
The policy of thus aiding the States in
building works of internal improve
ment WAS inauguTated more than forty
years since on the grants to Indiana
and Illinois on the opening of the ca
nails to connect the waters of The Wa
bash with those of Lake Erie, anC
those of the Illinois with those of Lake
, Michigan. It was followed, with some
modification, in the grant to Illinois o.
alternate sections of public land within
certain limits of the Illinois Central
Railway. Fourteen States and sun
| dry corporations have received simi
, lar subsidies in cOnnec ion with rail
} ways completed or in process of con.
struction. AS the reserved sections art
; rated at double the minium price thG
sale ofihem at the enhanced prices b q
thus, in many instances, idemnified th,
Treasury for the granted lands. Ths
construction of some of these thorough
fares has undoubI edly given vigorous
impetus to the developemenL of our re
, sources, and the settlement of the
more distant portions of the country
]
much of our legislation in this regarC
has been characterized by indiscrimi-
nate and prOfuse liberality. The Uni
It'd States should not loan their credi
in aid of any enterprise undertaken
, | bY States or corporations unless the
projected works are of acknowledged
, material importance. l am strongly
inclined to the opinion that it is mex
prdient and unnecessary to bestoN
subsidies of either description, but
should Congress determine otherwise
earnestly recommend that the rights
Of settlers and of the public be more
effectually secured, and perfected by
appropriate legislation.
THE PATENT OFFICE.
During the year ending September
20, 1870, there wen filed III the Patent
Office 19, All applications for patents
g, 3,374 caveats, and 16O applications fol
the extension of patents; 1862 pat
ents, including Reissues and designs
were issued, IL ,094 extended, and / ,08l
F allowed but not issued, by reason of the
nOn-payment of the final fees. The re-
ceipts of the office during he fiscal yen
were S136, ,304 20 in excess of its expend-
itures.
THE CENSUS.
The work of the Census Bureau has
} been energetically prosecuted The
preliminary report, containing much
/
est, will be ready for delivery during
the present session. The remaining vol
umes will be completed with all the
: dispatch consistent with perfect accu.
racy in arranging and classifying the
} returns. We shall thus at no distant
day be furnished with an authetiC
record of our condition and resource
1t will, I doubt not, attest the growing
, prosperity of the country, although
: dur,n the decade which has just closed
it was so severely tried by the great
war waged to maintain it's integrity
and to secure and perPetuate our free
, institutions.
1, PENSIONS.
During the last fiscal year the sun
J paid to pensioners, including the cost
of disbursement, was S27, ,7sO, 81 IL, and
L 1853 bounty land " arrants S were issued
At its close, 19S, ,6S6 names were on the
pension rolls. The labors of the Pen
J sion Office have been directed to Sc
vere scrutiny of the evidence submit
{. in favor of lawful claims, and t
the discovery of fictitious claims here