New Orleans Republican., 1873-08-12

(IGSDO1StDfE
IN the Comm 0t'OnS.
Immigration.
EDITOR REPUBLICANS:
So much has already been sail on the
subject of immigration to this State. and
the subject has been so we'll handled, that
feel my poor suggestion which am about
to make will have bu: little effect; how
ever, as every little helps, you viii, trust,
permit me to trespass on your valuable
time ard space, pleading my subjec: as an
excuse.
All that has been heretofore said Oh this
subject was. as rule. by men deeply in
terested in lands. being large owners them
selves, and the sEpposition among many is
that the cause of immigration is merely
adopted FOR personal ends, believing i: TO
be the only means Of disposing of tnei. pos
sessions. Now. be this az It may. it can not
| inj ure the State, tor immigration induced
under any honest circumstances is favor
abba to every one having the welfare of ou:
| Sta to a. heart; but should not the fact be
| made known that these are no: the only in
|
millions of acres of good arabic land IN this
State belonging to the United States, which
| ia offered at q price far below any ything yet
offered by any government ON the face OF
| the EARTH simple reference to the act of
Congress of May 90. 1862. vii! show the
| above fact.
Again. should not also the fact be made
| known, that the titles to several thousand
acres Of the land in this State were derived
from foreign governments, long before
Louisiana became the property OF the
United States: that great portion of these
are to-day owned by such men as have
above referred to, and that their titles, SO
far from being complete, are III danger OF
revertlng to the United States within the
next two years. and becoming public land,
from the fact that, at the expiration Of that
time. the United States will refuse to con-
firm them-and all through the neglect of
the owners to have their claims presented
for confirmation.
As proof of my assertion, it will be I'M
necessary for me to refer to any of the in
terror parishes of the State, although the
great est quantity of such lands are located
there. but simply to look at or own Sec
tion, and the most valuable portions of its
lands.
BY reference to plat Of survey recently
made by authority of the United States,
and now on file in the office Of the Surveyor
General, in this city, it will be seen that the
lands now occupied by the Mechanics and
Agricultural Fair Association and Louisiana
Jockey Club, as also that owned by the
Canal Bank of this city, and through which
now runs what is commonly called the
New basin" remains yet unconfrmed.
These lands were originally obtained
from the French or Spanish governments,
and by the treaty between those govern
ments and the government of the United
States the titles thereto we're to be pro-
tected az far as possible, and Congress &C
cordingly passed an act, in 1865, believe,
requir ing all persons owning or occupying
such lands to produce, within a stated
time, their titles, SO that they might be
confirmed, thus enabling the United States
to know what lands really belonged to it. |
This act was revived at different times, and |
other acts were passed. declaring that if |
within certain period any such titles were
not pres ented the lands covered by them |
would be declared public and made subject |
to entry at the ordinary minimum price Of |
public lands. In great many cases these |
different: acts were unheeded, and il June |
Of last year Congress passed another act, |
extending tie time for three years. thus |
placing it within the reach Of all owning |
such lands to present their claims and have |
them acted upon.
Now in quoting the Jockey CLUB aud !
Canal Bank properties as an example Of my
argument. DO not pretend tor moment
to doubt the perfect validity Of their titles.
l have merely done so to show what great |
necessity there is for establishing beyond !
doubt that the titles to such lands are valid |
before vesting them in others. AID espe-
cially immigrants.
The commissioners appointed 10y the United
States for the purpose of acting upon such
claims, are the registrar and receiver os the
land Office here, whose duty it is TO report
on these to Congress within the next two
years. and at whose office the present sta
tus Of such lands may be determined, and
all instructions necessary for the modus
onerandi may be had T.