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[Governors Message relating to Public Lands]

To the Senate and House of Representatives,

I lay before you a copy of the report of the Commissioners of Massachusetts and this State, showing their progress in dividing the public lands, together with copies of the documents and plan therein referred to.

As a portion of these lands are now held in severalty by this State, the Legislature will perhaps deem it advisable to adopt some plan for their management and sale, as well as for the better preservation of the timber. Many of the reserved lots, which have fallen to the share of this State, being in towns already settled with an enterprising population, may probably be sold to actual settlers, at an advantageous rate. - Indeed it is desirable that all our public lands should be disposed of, to those who will settle on and improve them, rather than to the speculator. - There are no documents in the possession of this State, by which the value and situation of these reserved lots can be ascertained, or by which it can be determined whether, as is required by the several grants, they bear an equal proportion in quality to the residue of the tract granted. -

There have likewise been assigned to this State sundry agreements for the sale of lands, and the moneys now due, or which may hereafter become due thereon. - Whenever the several payments thereby secured shall have been completed, the purchasers will be entitled to deeds, according to the terms of their respective contracts. - It will therefore be necessary to make the requisite provision for the execution of such deeds, so far as it is to be done on the part of this State.

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