Texas Surveyors Practice Exam

Why did Sam Houston veto the creation of the General Land Office?

1. He believed settlers needed to pay for their land

2. He was concerned about conflicting grants with prior claims

3. He thought land should be reserved for Native Americans

4. He wanted to create stricter regulations for land use

The correct answer is: He was concerned about conflicting grants with prior claims

Sam Houston's veto of the creation of the General Land Office stemmed from his concern about conflicting grants with prior claims. During the period of Texas history in question, there was a complex landscape of land ownership due to various grants made under different authorities before Texas achieved independence. Houston recognized that establishing a centralized office to manage land could inadvertently lead to disputes between settlers and holders of previous land claims, especially since many land titles were not well-documented or verified. By vetoing the proposition, Houston aimed to protect the rights of individuals who had pre-existing claims and to prevent legal conflicts that could arise from the overlapping jurisdictions of land grants. This issue was particularly sensitive in the wake of the Texas Revolution and the subsequent influx of settlers, which made the need for careful management of land rights paramount to maintaining order and stability in the growing republic.