THK DISPOSITION OF OUR PUBLIC LANDS 259 



June 30, 1883, brought into the Treasury of the United States 

 the smart amount of two hundred and thirty-three million dollars. 

 It is also true that, except for the period from 1830 to 1840, the 

 lands have been a drain upon, and not a resource of, our finances. 

 At the end of the financial year 1882-1883, the government was 

 out of pocket, so far as cash outlay and receipts are measures of 

 the value of the lands, in the sum of $126,428,484.89. The first 

 great item of expense is the extinguishment of the Indian title 

 m ownership. Since 1781 the United States government has 

 recognized the right of occupancy, but has asserted its sole pre- 

 rogative to acquire Indian lands. First and last, up to the end 

 of the fiscal year 1882-1883, it had paid two hundred and nine 

 millions of dollars for the interest of the Indian in his lands. 

 There have been grave acts of injustice in the manner of negotia- 

 tion and of payment, but no inferior race ever received more con- 

 sideration at the hands of the treaty-making power. The Indians 

 are still in possession of reservations comprising some of the 

 most favored lands in the West and embracing more than a 

 hundred and fifty million acres of land. A second source of ex- 

 pense has been the purchase-money paid for all the annexations 

 since 1802, except that of Oregon. The items taken together 

 make an outlay of upwards of eighty-eight millions. Surveys and 

 expenses of disposition add fifty-five millions. If a strict ar. 



to be made up, there should be added a proj>ortion of the 

 f maintaining the government, and the whole 

 cost of the Mexican War. 



Uns >ry as is the financial result of our puhlir-land 



policy, we must reilcrt that the sales account for but little more 

 than a fourth part of the total disposition. Perhaps we shall find 

 mainder so used as to give some indirect benefit \ 



reckoned in dollars and cent In the first four 



two sorts In 1796, and later, 



ion was made for the fulfillment of lon L '. promises 



the Revolutionary troops and to the Canadian refugees who 

 had taken rides \\ith the patriots. At the same time Congress 

 made gifts of small tracts of lan<! \iduals who had per- 



s to the republic. Thus Lafayette 



