HISTORICAL NOTES OF THE UNITED STATES LAND OFFICE.
[By Hon. H. M. Rice, of St. Paul.]
On the 26th day of January, 1796, when the American Congress was in session in Philadelphia, a Bill was reported for establishing land offices for the sale of lands in the North-western Territory. It was under discussion until April of the same year in the House of Representatives. A great diversity of opinion existed; some were in favor of selling in small tracts of fifty acres—others contended that none should be surveyed or sold in less than township tracts. Some favored a Bill that would retain the lands for actual settlers, others were for disposing of as much of the public domain as possible, and at the highest price, for the purpose of paying the public debt. For a long time, they could not agree upon the price. Mr. Williams, of New York, said “it was as necessary that the country should be settled as that the land should be sold. Or shall it be said that the honest, industrious settlers shall make roads, bridges, and other improvements, whilst the rich holders keep their lands in hand until these improvements are made, in order to increase the value of them?” Mr. Williams, undoubtedly, took a correct view of the case. The Bill, as finally agreed upon, established the office of Surveyor General, under the following title: “An Act providing for the sale of the Lands of the United States, in the Territory North-west of the river Ohio, and above the mouth of Kentucky river.” On the 18th of May, 1796, the Bill was approved by receiving the signature of George Washington. The office was first opened at Marietta, Ohio, under Rufus Putnam, Surveyor General. In 1804 it was removed to Vincennes;—in 1805 to Cincinnati;—in 1814 to Chillicothe;—in 1829 it was removed back to Cincinnati, where it remained until 1845, when it was removed to Detroit. In May, 1857, the office was again, and for the last time, removed to St. Paul. It now has in its custody the original correspondence for its establishment in 1796, which, undoubtedly, contains many important facts and reminiscences that would not only fully pay for their perusal, but might furnish historical points of great value. Through it, the past and present are connected. There can be found the workings under the original act under which no lands could be surveyed in tracts of less than 640 acres, nor sold for less than two dollars per acre; and out of this has grown our admirable system, which places within the reach of every man a home, be he rich, or be he poor.
THE GEOGRAPHY OF PERROT;
SO FAR AS IT RELATES TO MINNESOTA AND THE REGIONS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT.
[Prepared by A. J. Hill, of St. Paul, and accepted for publication by the Minnesota Historical Society.]