The surveyorgeneral of New Mexico in 1874 strongly painted the existing state of affairs (Report Commissioner General Land Oflice. 1874. page 113): For want of a feeling of security as to title. sales of land. either by Governmient or grant claimants. in such regions is practically closed out. and will so remain until some relief is afforded by Congress. The Commissioner of the General Land Office in his report for 1876. jised this language (page 27): In addition to the foregoing. I might add. that while theso private land claims remain in their present unsettled condition it will continue to retard emigration to and settlement in said Territories. for. utlil the titles thereto are ascertained. and the land segregated from the public domain. it will be impossible to determine which is public land subject to appropriation and settlezncut under the publicland laws and which is not. The surveyorgeneral in the same year thus spoke of the increase of difficulty with lapse of time (Report Commissioner General Land Office. 1876. page 231): The longer the investigation of these titles and adjustment of these claims arc deferred the more difficult does it become to distinguish between the legitimate and the illegitimate grants. and the greater the opportunity for perpetrating frauds and imposing manufactured paper titles upon the (ovcrnment. It is also an injustice to the proper claimant who desires to perlct his title. as it becomes more difficult to prove up his case as time lapses. and should lie desire to dispose of his estate.
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emigration