Whereas some of the congregations and religious societies in towns laid off by the board of commissioners of the Illinois & Michigan Canal have erected churches on lots in such towns parts of which are held by individuals, and the act entitled “an act to provide for the dedication of lots, in towns situated on Canal lands, to public purposes approved, February 28^th 1839,[”] does not authorize said Canal Commissioners to divide such lots and donate to such religious societies and congregations a part of such lots. Therefore

section 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General assembly That the board of Commissioners of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, be and they are hereby authorized under the act to which this is an amendment to donate and give to religious societies and congregations when they may request it, a part of any lot, in lieu of the whole, which by said act they are authorized so to donate, to hold[,] use[,] and occupy the same for the purposes and on the conditions in said act mentioned.

section 2. That when any person shall have been the purchaser from the state or the assignee of any such purchaser of any portion of any such lot, another part of which is claimed by any religious

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society or congregation under the act to which this is an amendment, the said commissioners shall give to such purchaser, his or her assigns a certificate of purchase for such portion of such lot held by him or them upon his or their compliance with the terms of the act an act entitled “an act for the relief of purchasers of canal lots and lands” “approved March 2^d 1839,” at a price which such part of said lot shall bear in value to the amount due the state on the whole of such lot.