Miscellaneous Documents and Reports

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Subject

An 1852 report from the Secretary of the Interior to the United States Senate providing a copy of the September 11, 1851, instructions given to the commissioners appointed under the 1851 act to ascertain and settle the private land claims in California, along with the instructions given to the California Surveyor General.

Description

The 1852 report from the Secretary of the Interior transmitting to the United States Senate the September 11, 1851, instructions given to the California land commissioners appointed pursuant to the act of Congress approved on March 3, 1851, entitled, “An act to ascertain and settle the private land claims in the State of California.” In addition to settling and recognizing bona fide valid titles, the instructions made note that: “The growth and prosperity of California materially depends upon a speeding and just settlement of the claims to land within her limits and the separation of all private property from the public domain, so that the public lands in that State may be disposed of as Congress may hereafter direct, without danger of conflict in title, or interference with the rights of individuals.” The Secretary indicated the Commissioners in deciding the validity of claims would be governed by the Treaty of Guadalupe, Hidalgo pointing specifically to the eighth and ninth articles of the treaty. Also included was a copy of the instructions that had been transmitted to the surveyor general of California on September 11, 1851.

Source

Federal Reserve Archives

Format

PDF File

Language

English

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | Education | Law | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Original Format

Paper

Document Type

Report

1852, February 3 - Report of Secretary of Interior Communicating Instructions to California Land Commissioners

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