duty of the Government to use all its constitutional power to improve
the means of intercourse with them. The importance of opening "a line
of communication, the best and most expeditious of which the nature of
the country will admit," between the Valley of the Mississippi and the
Pacific was brought to your notice by my predecessor in his annual
message; and as the reasons which he presented in favor of the measure
still exist in full force, I beg leave to call your attention to them
and to repeat the recommendations then made by him.

The uncertainty which exists in regard to the validity of land titles
in California is a subject which demands your early consideration.
Large bodies of land in that State are claimed under grants said to
have been made by authority of the Spanish and Mexican Governments.
Many of these have not been perfected, others have been revoked, and
some are believed to be fraudulent. But until they shall have been
judicially investigated they will continue to retard the settlement
and improvement of the country. I therefore respectfully recommend
that provision be made by law for the appointment of commissioners to
examine all such claims with a view to their final adjustment.

I also beg leave to call your attention to the propriety of extending
at an early day our system of land laws, with such modifications as
may be necessary, over the State of California and the Territories of
Utah and New Mexico. The mineral lands of California will, of course,
form an exception to any general system which may be adopted. Various
methods of disposing of them have been suggested. I was at first
inclined to favor the system of leasing, as it seemed to promise the
largest revenue to the Government and to afford the best security
against monopolies; but further reflection and our experience in
leasing the lead mines and selling lands upon credit have brought