Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

THIRTIETH CONGRESS—SECOND SESSION.
H. R. 661.
(No report.)
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
December 12, 1848.
Mr. Vinton, on leave, introduced the following bill; which was read
twice, and referred to the Committee on Public Lands
December28, 1848.
Reported back without amendment, laid upon the table, and ordered to be
printed.
A BILL
Granting lands to certain States therein named to aid them in
the construction of roads, canals, and the improvement of
their rivers.

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9 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled, That there be, and is hereby, granted to each
of the following named States, namely, Michigan, Wis-
consin, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, for the purpose of
aiding said States, respectively, in making roads, canals,
and in the improvement of the navigation of the rivers
within their respective limits, a quantity of public land

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4 equal in amount to several grants made by the Con-
gress of the United States to the State of Ohio, for like
purposes. The selection of the lands hereby granted to
each of said States may be made under the authority, and
by the direction, of the governor thereof, from any lands
within the State belonging to the United States, which
may, at the time of selection, be subject to entry at private
sale at the minimum price of the public lands, in tracts of
not less than one entire section, always conforming in the
selection to the public surveys of said lands; and no lands
shall be selected not at the time subject to entry at private
sale as aforesaid. The said lands to be selected within
two years from the passage of this act; and all lands so
selected shall, within that time, be reported by the gov-
ernor selecting the same to the office of the register of the
land district in which the land lies; and no land shall be
deemed to be selected till such report be made, and the
selection confirmed by the Secretary of the Treasury of
the United States; and, from the time of such confirma-
tion, the title to the lands so selected and confirmed shall
vest in the State by which the same were selected.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That any land
heretofore granted to either of the above named States, to
aid such State in the construction of roads, canals, or the
improvement of the navigation of any river within its

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5 limits, whether the same has been appropriated to that
purpose, or been by said State, with the consent of Con-
gress, appropriated to any other use since the making of
such grant, shall be taken and deemed to be in part satis-
faction of the grant made to said State in the preceding
section of the act; and such State shall select such quan-
tity of land only, by virtue of this act, as with the lands
heretofore granted to it for the purpose aforesaid, will be
equal in amount to the lands granted as aforesaid to the
State of Ohio.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the lands
hereby granted to the said several States shall be subject
to be disposed of by the legislatures thereof, for the pur-
poses above expressed, and for no other use whatever, at
a price not less than the minimum price of the public
lands at private entry; and the said States, respectively,
shall have power to grant titles in fee simple to the pur-
chasers of said lands so, as aforesaid, selected and con-
firmed.
AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MR. DUNCAN.
Sec. 4. And it be further enacted, That there be,
and is hereby, granted to each of the other States of this
Union, for the purpose of aiding such States, severally,
in making roads, canals, and internal improvement of
the navigation of the rivers within their respective limits,

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3 in like manner, a quantity of public land equal in amount
to the several grants made by the Congress of the United
States to the State of Ohio, for like purposes, to be se-
lected in like manner from any of the public lands in any
of the territories of the United States.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That all the
lands given by this act shall be subject to taxation, ex-
actly as if they had been sold and patented to individuals.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there be, and is hereby, granted to each of the following named States, namely, Michigan, Wis- consin, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, for the purpose of aiding said States, respectively, in making roads, canals, and in the improvement of the navigation of the rivers within their respective limits, a quantity of public land
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10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4	equal in amount to several grants made by the Con- gress of the United States to the State of Ohio, for like purposes. The selection of the lands hereby granted to each of said States may be made under the authority, and by the direction, of the governor thereof, from any lands within the State belonging to the United States, which may, at the time of selection, be subject to entry at private sale at the minimum price of the public lands, in tracts of not less than one entire section, always conforming in the selection to the public surveys of said lands; and no lands shall be selected not at the time subject to entry at private sale as aforesaid. The said lands to be selected within two years from the passage of this act; and all lands so selected shall, within that time, be reported by the gov- ernor selecting the same to the office of the register of the land district in which the land lies; and no land shall be deemed to be selected till such report be made, and the selection confirmed by the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States; and, from the time of such confirma- tion, the title to the lands so selected and confirmed shall vest in the State by which the same were selected. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That any land heretofore granted to either of the above named States, to aid such State in the construction of roads, canals, or the improvement of the navigation of any river within its
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5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5	limits, whether the same has been appropriated to that purpose, or been by said State, with the consent of Con- gress, appropriated to any other use since the making of such grant, shall be taken and deemed to be in part satis- faction of the grant made to said State in the preceding section of the act; and such State shall select such quan- tity of land only, by virtue of this act, as with the lands heretofore granted to it for the purpose aforesaid, will be equal in amount to the lands granted as aforesaid to the State of Ohio. Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the lands hereby granted to the said several States shall be subject to be disposed of by the legislatures thereof, for the pur- poses above expressed, and for no other use whatever, at a price not less than the minimum price of the public lands at private entry; and the said States, respectively, shall have power to grant titles in fee simple to the pur- chasers of said lands so, as aforesaid, selected and con- firmed. AMENDMENT OFFERED BY MR. DUNCAN. Sec. 4. And it be further enacted, That there be, and is hereby, granted to each of the other States of this Union, for the purpose of aiding such States, severally, in making roads, canals, and internal improvement of the navigation of the rivers within their respective limits,
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6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3	in like manner, a quantity of public land equal in amount to the several grants made by the Congress of the United States to the State of Ohio, for like purposes, to be se- lected in like manner from any of the public lands in any of the territories of the United States. Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That all the lands given by this act shall be subject to taxation, ex- actly as if they had been sold and patented to individuals.