148 HOW TO GET A FARM, 



disapproval. In some of the States these lands were 

 granted to the counties in which they were found, by the 

 State Legislatures. The counties, in some instances, en 

 tered into contracts with the agents for the purp9se of se 

 lecting those lands for them. It is said that, in some in 

 stances, these agents went into the fields and selected all 

 the good vacant land which they could find, irrespective of 

 its character, whether swamp or otherwise. These agents, 

 by contract, were allowed, say ten or fifteen cents an acre 

 in some instances, and in others one-fourth and one-third 

 of the lands found. Under these tempting inducements, 

 some swamp lands have been found on the tops of high 

 hills and mountains. If these lists of selections by these 

 agents should have been sanctioned by the Department, 

 this class of speculators would have made from $250 to 

 $50,000 a day. On the 3d of March, 1857, an act was 

 passed in relation to these selections, which the Depart 

 ment of the Interior holds does not relate to selections of 

 lands made after the date of the act itself. It seemed to 

 be the design of this act of 3d of March, 1857, to confirm 

 to the several States such lands as may have been selected 

 under the act of 28th September, 1850, which had hereto 

 fore been reported to the Commissioner of the General 

 Land-office, so far as then vacant and unappropriated, and 

 not interfered with by actual settlement. Selections which&quot; 

 have been made since the date of this act, it will be per 

 ceived, have not been confirmed thereby. Some of these 

 parties, who have expected to be benefited by this act of 

 1850, will find themselves sadly disappointed.&quot; 



In the overflowed region along the Mississippi 

 river, for the reclamation of which the law was 

 originally intended, and where it went earliest into 

 operation, the effect was speedy and very remark- 



