Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

THIRTIETH CONGRESS—FIRST SESSION.
H. R. 349.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
March 20, 1848.
Mr. Albert G. Brown, on leave, introduced the following bill: which
was read twice, and referred to the Committee on Public Lands.
July 19, 1848.
Mr. W. R. W.Cobb, from the said committee, made an adverse report
thereon, when it was laid on the table.
A BILL
To grant a quantity of land to the State of Mississippi, for
the purpose of improving the navigation of certain rivers in
that State.

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11 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled, That there be, and hereby is, granted to the
State of Mississippi, for the purpose of aiding said State
in improving the navigation of the following rivers, to
wit: Pearle, Pascagoula, Leafe, Chickasawha, and
Homo Chitto, a quantity of land equal to one-half of five
sections in width, on each side of said rivers, respectively,
from their mouths to the head of steamboat navigation on
each, and reserving each alternate section now vacant to
the United States, that is to say, each alternate section

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36 of vacant and unappropriated lands, for five sections in
width, on each side of Pearl river, from its mouth to a
point opposite Philadelphia, in the county of Neshoba;
a like quantity on each side of Pascagoula river, from its
mouth to the junction of the Chickasawha and Leafe
rivers; a like quantity on each side of Leafe river, from
its confluence with the Chickasawha to a point opposite
Ellisville, in the county of Jones; a like quantity on each
side of the Chickasawha, from its junction with the
Leafe to Enterprise, in the county of Clarke; and a like
quantity on each side of the Homo Chitto, from its mouth
to Hornsby’s Ferry, in the county of Wilkinson; all of
said lands to be selected by the Commissioner of the
General Land Office, under the direction of the President
of the United States, and being so selected, may be dis-
posed of by the legislature of Mississippi, for the pur-
poses aforesaid, and no other: Provided, That each of
said rivers shall forever remain a public highway for the
use of all citizens of the United States, free from all tolls,
or other charges of every kind: And provided, further,
That said improvements shall commence within two
years, and be completed within five years, from the pas-
sage of this act, or the State shall be bound to pay the
United States, at the rate of one dollar and twenty-five
cents per acre, for such of the above described lands as

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6 may have been sold under this act, and title to the
purchaser under the State shall be valid.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That it shall be
the duty of the Commissioner of the General Land Of-
fice, within six months after the passage of this act, to
report to the governor of the State of Mississippi a list
of the lands to which the State is entitled under this act.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That said State,
under the authority of the legislature thereof, after the re-
port of the commissioner as aforesaid, shall have power
to sell and convey the whole, or any part of said lands,
and to give a title in fee simple therefor, to whomsoever
shall purchase the whole, or any part thereof.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there be, and hereby is, granted to the State of Mississippi, for the purpose of aiding said State in improving the navigation of the following rivers, to wit: Pearle, Pascagoula, Leafe, Chickasawha, and Homo Chitto, a quantity of land equal to one-half of five sections in width, on each side of said rivers, respectively, from their mouths to the head of steamboat navigation on each, and reserving each alternate section now vacant to the United States, that is to say, each alternate section
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12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36	of vacant and unappropriated lands, for five sections in width, on each side of Pearl river, from its mouth to a point opposite Philadelphia, in the county of Neshoba; a like quantity on each side of Pascagoula river, from its mouth to the junction of the Chickasawha and Leafe rivers; a like quantity on each side of Leafe river, from its confluence with the Chickasawha to a point opposite Ellisville, in the county of Jones; a like quantity on each side of the Chickasawha, from its junction with the Leafe to Enterprise, in the county of Clarke; and a like quantity on each side of the Homo Chitto, from its mouth to Hornsby’s Ferry, in the county of Wilkinson; all of said lands to be selected by the Commissioner of the General Land Office, under the direction of the President of the United States, and being so selected, may be dis- posed of by the legislature of Mississippi, for the pur- poses aforesaid, and no other: Provided, That each of said rivers shall forever remain a public highway for the use of all citizens of the United States, free from all tolls, or other charges of every kind: And provided, further, That said improvements shall commence within two years, and be completed within five years, from the pas- sage of this act, or the State shall be bound to pay the United States, at the rate of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, for such of the above described lands as
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37 38 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6	may have been sold under this act, and title to the purchaser under the State shall be valid. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the Commissioner of the General Land Of- fice, within six months after the passage of this act, to report to the governor of the State of Mississippi a list of the lands to which the State is entitled under this act. Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That said State, under the authority of the legislature thereof, after the re- port of the commissioner as aforesaid, shall have power to sell and convey the whole, or any part of said lands, and to give a title in fee simple therefor, to whomsoever shall purchase the whole, or any part thereof.