Year: 1860

The Land Sales.


The following remonstrance against the
land sales, drawn up by Hon. @. q. An
drews, is being extensively signed in Stearns
county and vicinity: ~ ''' ~ y
To his ErceHency, James Buchanan, Presidentof


the United States:


The undersigned citizens of Stearns
county, in the State of Minnesota, respect
fully and earnestly request that the sale of
public lands advertised to take place at the
st. Cloud Land Office, on the 18th of Ocl
tober next, may be postponed for at least
one year. -----


The reasons for this request are:
l. That OF the number of actual settlers
who have not already paid for the land
they have settled upon, not more than one
in twelve on an average will be able to do
so previous to the proposed public sale
without ruinous sacrifice of their property.
Some will be able to make payment by
mortgaging their property. But many set
tiers will be compelled wholly to abandon
their claims, including their homes, with
the improvements which they have made
thereon by the toll of from one to three
years. The individual hardship and dis
tress of this alternative will amount to
public calamity. The reverses which led
to the Strengthened circumstances of many
frontier settlers were reported to you last
year and though by the increasing pros
perity OF the past and the present year,
many have been able to make payment for
their lands, and have done so, yet there are
large number who have not recovered
from these reverses which were doubly
severe in this region from the loss of crops
during two seasons. The depredations also
committed by the Indian tribes in killing
and carrying away the live stock of the
settlers have been more serious damage
than has been brought to the public ear.
Thousands of dollars have in this way been
taken from the more remote settlers, for
which no compensation has been made.
Nor have our settlers employed all their
time for their individual gain. Much of
their toll has been bestowed in building
roads and bridges and they have thus en-
riched the common domain at their own
expense Furthermore, the lands advertised
to be sold embrace the claims of many who
have made settlement within the past year,
and who could hardly be expected at so
short notice to make payment.


The provision in the compromise Home
stead bill which passed both Houses of Con.
gress by an almost unanimous vote, that
present settlers should have their land at
reduced price, with two years time in which
to make payment, was hailed with great
delight on the frontier, and has produced
feeling OF security to the settler, inasmuch
as it seemed to be a remonstrance by the
whole country against coercive sale of the
lands, and which might properly influence
your discretion as to the time of bringing
them into market


2. The undersigned would submit that
aside from the distress which would befall
individual settlers by the proposed sale, the
misfortune of the frontier would tend to
| discourage others from coming upon the
public lands, and thus seriously check inn
migration.


3. But one of the chief reasons to be
urged for the pOstponement of the sale is,
that after the sale takes place the lands,
which remain unsold, will be subject to
priuate entry by non residents and specula-
tors. A large portion of the most valuable
lands in the limits of the State would then
fall into the hands of capitalists and remain
unoccupied, unimproved and wild. The
disastrous effects of such policy have al
ready been experienced on the east side of
the Mississippi, where extensive and fertile
prairies now lie unimproved. Judging from
the past development of this portion of the
country west of the Mississippi, it may rea-
sonably be expected that if the fertile lands
extending to the Red River of the North
are reserved for actual settlers, they will in
few years be converted into cultivated
fields, and thus contribute to our progress
and prosperity. But if they are so soon to
become the subject of speculation and to
remain unoccupied, the welfare of our State
will be intellectually retarded.


4. The undersigned feel the more justified
in their request because they are convinced
that no material increase to the treasury of
the United States will accrue by reason of
the proposed sale. 1t is an almost univer-
sal practice to pay for the public lands with
land warrants, and settlers will undoubtedly
continue to pre-empt with warrants instead
of money.


The undersigned will not undertake to
represent more at length the reasons which
make them profoundly earnest and sincere
in soliciting your interposition to postpone
the proposed sale of the public lands They
make this appeal for the benefit of thousands
on the frontier who would not ask indul>
gence at any risk OF the public good; and
they cherish an ardent expectation that you
will grant their request.


Late from California and Oregon.