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Show SPANISH AND MEXICAN LAND GRANTS 465 that committee, reported a bill entitled, ‘‘A Bill to establish a United States Land Court and to Provide for a Judicial investigation and settlement of private land claims in the Territories of Arizona, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico, and in the states of Colorado and Nevada,’’ and on the same day Senator Ransom, chairman of a similar committee of the senate, reported the bill introduced by himself and amended by the committee, entitled, ‘‘A Bill to establish a United States Land Court and to Provide for the Settlement of private land claims in certain states and territories.’’? While these bills differed in details, and also in some important particulars, still they agreed in the general principles involved. All recognized, however, the danger which lay in the difficulty of obtaining consideration of the bills in time to secure the passage of some measure by both houses before the close of the session. President Harrison Sent a special message to congress on the subject and on the 3d day of March, 1891, a bill entitled ‘‘An act to Establish a Court of Private Land Claims in certain States and Territories’’ having passed both houses of congress, received the executive approval. The official existence of this tribunal was begun by its formal organization at Denver, Colorado, July 1, 1891, and ceased, by COURT OF PRIVATE LAND CLAIMS operation of law, June 30, 1904.8 The court was strictly non-partisan in its composition. Three of the five justices were from the repub- of the lican and two from members was from republican One the democratic party. a southern and one of the oo ber, and containing 6,643,938 acres, which were withdrawn from entry until as to their title was rendered; this report set forth the existing Situation and the need of speedy relief. ‘‘What is most needed,’’ said the Secretary of the interior in his report, ‘‘is legislation that will put in motion final decision machinery which, within a reasonable time, would settle finally public and The message of the president Private rights growing out of said claims.’’ urged Immediate action on the part of congress, and concluded as follows: ‘The entire community where these large claims exist, and all of our people are interested in an early and final settlement of them. No greater Can rest upon the energies of a people or the development of a new incubus country than that resulting from unsettled land titles. The necessity for legislation 18 80 evident and so urgent that I venture to express the hope that relief will The message of the president ® Siven at the present session of congress.’’ ac great weight, and the differences between the proposed pending just bill passed at wee house and senate were reconciled and the amended measures at the close of the congressional year, receiving the executive approval on the 3d of March, 1891. ie. justi oo. The chief and associate @ justices o f this court were Joseph R. Reed, ee chiefae justice, from Iowa; associate justices, Thomas C. Fuller, North Carolina; Wil . |