Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1884, BY A. L. BANCROFT & COMPANY, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 326466 PREFACE. THIS volume has been prepared with a view of furnishing in a compact and convenient form, a reliable work upon all the subjects embraced under our public land system. Each subject is treated in one or more chapters, as will be observed by reference to the table of contents. It has been the constant aim of the writer to give the practitioner not only all the statutes, but also to furnish him with an abstract of the principal decisions on each subject in cases determined by the higher courts of our country, with reference to or in any wise touching the public land laws of the United States. During the year 1880, the Public Land Codification Commissioners rendered their final report as such commissioners to Congress, which report embraced some two thousand printed pages in four volumes, the first being entitled "United States Land Laws, general and permanent;" the second entitled "The Public Domain;" and the last two embracing exclusively laws local and temporary in their character. The work of this commission has been of great assistance to the author, and from it he has quoted freely, and this he has done with all the greater pleasure knowing that the work of the commission has been inaccessible to the general public, and almost entirely so to such persons of the legal profession as have not been fortunate enough to be near some state or public library. Though the work now offered may be found imperfect in some particulars, yet it is hoped that many of our brother lawyers and practical business men will find it valuable. THE AUTHOR. Lands Raised to $2.50 per Acre Prior to January, 1861, Reduced to $43. Public Lands may be Offered for Sale in Such Proportions as the Minimum Price, how Fixed when Reservations are Sold. Lands in California Subject to Private Entry and Withdrawn, how Mistakes in Location of Warrants. $ 55. $56. Agreement and Acts Intended to Prevent Bids; Penalty. $57. Agreement to Pay Premiums to Purchasers at Public Sales. § 58. Recovery of Premiums Paid to Purchasers at Public Sales. $ 59. Discovery of Agreements to Pay Premium, by Bill in Equity. |