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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
doing this, gentlemen, or in urging my objections to the operations of the Board as it was constituted, I would not be understood as imputing the slightest degree of blame to any one of the members compoRing that tribunal. In their acts and decisions, I am satisfied they were influenced by none other than the strictest principles of integrity and good faith, both to the Government and to the claimants that came before them; nor do I attribute to them a disposition to assume a jurisdiction beyond what they conceived was forced upon them by the Act itself. The duties imposed were arduous and unpleasant, and not such as they might desire to increase. It may be proper to -remark in addition to what I have already said on the subject, that by the 4th. s8ction of this Act, the Board was directed to state in its decisions whether the claimants were entitled to the promissory notes of the Government or not, and it was made the duty of the Auditor to whose office the decisions were returned to issue to the claimants the proper certificates or drafts for the same. Under this provision drafts issued by the Auditors to the amount of fifty six thousand eight hundred and forty-three dollars and fifty three cents, were paid at the Treasury in the promissory notes of the Govern- ment before I was aware that such a course had been adopted. A& soon however as I was apprized of the fact, I ordered that no furth2r claims of tbis character be paid, inasmuch as no appropriation had been made by Congress for this particular object.- None since have been paid_; but some of them have been received in settlement for lots sold in the city of Austin. It will therefore, among other duties con- nected with this object, devolve upon Congress to make such provision for the ultimate payment of such of these certificates and drafts as may yet remain in the hands of the claimants. (See the second Auditors Report 94 herewith submitted.) From the Report 95 of the Commissioner of the General Land Office. which with ifs accompanying documents will be laid before you, you will perceive that as yet, no patents have been issued for land in con- formity with the 20th. and 36th. Sections of the law 96 of December 14, 1837. This has not proceeded from any disposition on the part of the Executive to withhold from claimants any of their just rights, but has been occasioned. by the impracticability of executing the law, without creating embarassments in the Land Office, and producing much indi- vidual and public detriment. The President has always had a sincere desire to carry out the law, both because of the deep solicitude which pervades the public mind on the subject, as well as for the benefits which would result to the revenue of the country from the taxes which would arise from the lands when patented; but for the want of. con- nected maps of the different counties which most of the surveyors had. neglected to return, the work if commenced I could not have progressed to any beneficial extent; and as an early suspension of it, when once begun would probably have given rise to greater dissatisfaction in the community, than a further delay in the commencement; it was upon consultation with the head of that Department, deemed best to defer "'In the Texas archives, "Financial Affaira Papers," under date of Oct. 24, 1839. "'This report is not found among the Texas archivea. "'PrinteJ in Gammel, H. P. N., Laws of Te[l!Qs, I, 1404.
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