nesota to form a constitution and State government preparatory to their admission into the Union, on an equal footing with the original States," approved February twenty-sixth, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven. (a) March 3, 1857. each authorized sota. No. 1855.-AN ACT for the relief of Joseph Irish, William Sturgis, and Bartholomew Baldwin. Be it enacted, &c., That Joseph Irish be and he is hereby authorized Wm. Sturgis, to enter the northwest quarter of section thirty-six, township twentyand Bartholo- eight, range twenty-two; that William Sturgis be and he is hereby mew Baldwin, authorized to enter the east half of the northeast quarter, and the northto enter certain west quarter of the northeast quarter, and the northeast quarter of the land in Minne- northwest quarter of section thirty-six, in township thirty-five north, of range thirty west, containing one hundred and sixty acres; that Bartholomew Baldwin be and he is hereby authorized to enter the southeast quarter of section thirty-six, township twenty-seven, range twenty-two, upon payment by said Joseph Irish, William Sturgis, and Bartholomew Baldwin, of the usual minimum of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre; and the Commissioner of the General Land Office is directed to issue patents on said entries. Other school SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the superintendent of public lands to be se- schools in the Territory of Minnesota is hereby authorized to select, in lected in lieu equal amounts, other lands in said Territory for the use of public schools, in lieu of the lands herein granted. (a) thereof. (a) See Nos. 1834, 1835, 1838, 1842, 1851, 1852, 1856, 1860, 1863. March 3, 1857. No. 1856.-A RESOLUTION relative to sections sixteen and thirty-six, in the TerriVol. 11, p. 254. tories of Minnesota, Kansas, and Nebraska. Where sections town sites before Resolved, &c., That where any settlements, by the erection of a dwell16 or 36 have been ing-house, or the cultivation of any portion of the land, shall have or shall be set- been or shall be made upon the sixteenth or thirty-sixth sections (which tled or taken as sections have been reserved by law for the purpose of being applied survey, &c., in to the support of schools in the Territories of Minnesota, Kansas, and Minnesota, Kan- Nebraska, and in the States and Territories hereafter to be erected sas, or Nebraska, out of the same) before the said sections shall have been or shall be other school lands to be se. surveyed; or when such sections have been or may be selected or lected in lieu occupied as town sites, under and by virtue of the act of Congress ap thereof. proved twenty-third of May, eighteen hundred and forty-four, or reserved for public uses before the survey, then other lands shall be selected by the proper authorities, in lieu thereof, agreeably to the provisions of the act of Congress approved twentieth May, eighteen hundred and twenty-six, entitled "An act to appropriate lands for the support of schools in certain townships and fractional townships not before provided for." (a) And if such settler can bring himself, or herself, within the provisions of the act of fourth of September, eighteen hundred and forty-one, or the occupants of the town site be enabled to show a compliance with the provisions of the law of twenty-third of May, eighteen hundred and forty-four, then the right of preference granted by the said acts, in the purchase of such portion of the sixteenth or thirty-sixth sections, so settled and occupied, shall be in them respectively, as if such sections had not been previously reserved for school purposes. (b) (a) See Nos. 1834, 1835, 1838, 1842, 1851, 1852, 1855, 1860, 1863. (b) See Nos. 1836, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1845, 1847, 1850, 1853, 1866, 1868, 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1879, 1880, 1887, 1890, 1895, 1898, 1900, 1901, 1904, 1905, 1909, 1917. May 11, 1858. No. 1857.-AN ACT for the admission of the State of Minnesota into the Union. Whereas an act of Congress was passed February twenty-six, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, entitled "An act to authorize the people of the Territory of Minnesota to form a constitution and State government preparatory to their admission into the Union on an equal footing with the original States;" and whereas the people of said Territory did, on the twenty-ninth day of August, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, by dele gates elected for that purpose, form for themselves a constitution and State government, which is republican in form, and was ratified and adopted by the people, at an election held on the thirteenth day of October, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, for that purpose: therefore Be it enacted, &c., That the State of Minnesota shall be one, and is Minnesota adhereby declared to be one, of the United States of America, and admit- mitted. ted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States in all respects whatever. * SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That from and after the admission of Laws of the the State of Minnesota, as herein before provided, all the laws of the United States exUnited States which are not locally inapplicable shall have the same force and effect within that State as in other States of the Union. (a) * (a) See Nos. 487, 1832, 1834, 1852. tended over it. No. 1858.-AN ACT amendatory of an act entitled "An act to establish two addi. tional land districts in the Territory of Minnesota," approved July eighth, eighteen hundred and fifty-six. May 11, 1858. Southern boun trict. Be it enacted, &c., That so much of an act entitled "An act to establish two additional land districts in the Territory of Minnesota," approved dary of NorthJuly eighth, anno Domini eighteen hundred and fifty-six, as defines the western land dissouthern boundary of the Northwestern land district, on the west side of the Mississippi River, be, and the same is hereby, repealed, and in lieu thereof the following boundaries are established, to wit: Commencing at the point on the eastern side of the Mississippi River where the present south line touches the river; thence down said river to the point opposite the intersection with the river of the eighth standard parallel; thence along said parallel to the point of intersection of guide meridian number four; thence along said guide meridian to the seventh standard parallel; thence west along said seventh parallel to the Sioux Wood River; thence north to the line heretofore established. western and SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the line dividing ranges twenty- Boundary be three and twenty-four be the boundary-line between the Northwestern tween North. and Northeastern land districts in lieu of the range line between eight- Northeastern een and nineteen, as heretofore established in the above-recited act. (a) land districts. (a) See Nos. 630, 1833, 1836, 1837, 1839, 1849, 1850, 1884, 1885, 1897, 1899. No. 1859.-AN ACT to amend an act entitled "An act to authorize the President of the United States to cause to be surveyed the tract of land, in the Territory of Minnesota, belonging to the half-breeds or mixed-bloods of the Dacotah or Sioux nation of Indians, and for other purposes," approved seventeenth July, eighteen hundred and fifty-four. May 19, 1858 Minnesota, west Be it enacted, &c., That the act approved seventeenth July, eighteen The half-breed hundred and fifty-four, above referred to, chapter eighty-three, be, and tract of land in the same is hereby, amended, so that the body of land known as the of Lake Pepin half-breed tract, lying on the west side of Lake Pepin and the Missis- and the Missis sippi River, in the Territory of Minnesota, and which is authorized to sippi, made subbe surveyed by the said act of eighteen hundred and fifty-four, shall be ject to the laws subject to the operation of the laws regulating the sale and disposition pre-emption, &c. relating to sales, of the public lands; and settlements heretofore made thereon are declared valid so far as they do not conflict with settlements made by half-breeds, and that the settlers shall have the benefit of the preëmption laws of the United States, any location of half-breed scrip thereon, after the date of the settlement, notwithstanding: Provided, The declaration of preemption be filed within three months after public notice is given of the passage of this act in the proper land district: And pro- Proviso. rided, That when two or more persons have settled on the same quarter section, prior to the passage of this act, they shall be permitted to enter the same, and the rights of each shall be determined according to the provisions of the act relating to preëmptions, passed March third, eighteen hundred and forty-three. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the provisions of this act shall Act not to apnot extend to any tract or subdivision, within the body of land afore- ply to lands in said, which shall have been settled upon in good faith by, and is in the actual occupancy of half-breeds, Occupancy of, any of the said half-breeds or mixed-bloods; which lands, &o. 30 settled upon and occupied by the half-breeds, are hereby expressly Jan. 19, 1859. declared to be subject to no other disposition than location by the "certificates" or "scrip" authorized to be issued by the said act of eighteen hundred and fifty-four, for the benefit of said Indians. Nor shall the provisions of this act extend to any lands which may have been located prior to its passage with half-breed scrip, with the consent of the settlers thereon. (a) (a) See Nos. 1841, 1848. No. 1860.-AN ACT for the relief of Martin Layman. Be it enacted, &c., That Martin Layman be, and he is hereby, authorMartin Layman ized to enter the southwest quarter of section thirty-six, township authorized to en- twenty-nine north, range twenty-four west, in the Minneapolis land ter a quarter-sec- district, in the State of Minnesota, upon payment, by said Martin Laytion of land in Minnesota. man, of the usual minimum of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, and the Commissioner of the General Land Office is directed to issue a Other lands to patent on said entry. be selected in lieu thereof for schools in Minnesota. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the superintendent of public schools in the State of Minnesota is authorized to select an equal amount of other lands in said State for the use of public schools in lieu of the lands herein granted. (a) (a) See Nos. 1834, 1835, 1838, 1842, 1851, 1852, 1855, 1856, 1863. March 12, 1860 Provisions of sota and Oregon. Proviso. No. 1861.-AN ACT to extend the provisions of "An act to enable the State of Arkansas and other States to reclaim the swamp lands within their limits" to Min. nesota and Oregon, and for other purposes. Be it enacted, &c., That the provisions of the act of Congress entitled act of 1850 ex- "An act to enable the State of Arkansas and other States to reclaim the tended to Minne-swamp lands' within their limits," approved September twenty-eight, eighteen hundred and fifty, be, and the same are hereby, extended to the States of Minnesota and Oregon: Provided, That the grant hereby made shall not include any lands which the Government of the United States may have reserved, sold, or disposed of (in pursuance of any law heretofore enacted) prior to the confirmation of title to be made under the authority of the said act. Selections un when to be made. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the selection to be made from der said act, and lands already surveyed in each of the States including Minnesota and the act of 1849, Oregon, under the authority of the act aforesaid, and of the act to aid the State of Louisiana in draining the swamp lands therein, approved March second, one thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, shall be made within two years from the adjournment of the legislature of each State at its next session after the date of this act; and, as to all lands hereafter to be surveyed, within two years from such adjournment, at the next session, after notice by the Secretary of the Interior to the governor of the State, that the surveys have been completed and confirmed. No. 1862.-AN ACT for the relief of George F. Brott. May 26, 1860. Vol. 12, p. 843. Be it enacted, &c., That George F. Brott be, and he is hereby, authorized to enter the following-described lands, to wit: Lots numbered one, George F. Brott two, three, and four, and the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter, to enter certain and west half of southwest quarter of fractional section thirteen; and lands in Minne- the south half of the northeast quarter, and the southeast quarter of the sota. northwest quarter, and the east half of the southeast quarter of section number fourteen; and the east half of the northeast quarter of section number twenty-three, and lot number one, in section twenty-four, all in township number one hundred and twenty-four north, of range number twenty-eight west, in the district of lands subject to sale at the land office at St. Cloud, Minnesota; said tracts containing five hundred and sixty-two and twenty-hundredths acres, upon the payment by the said Brott of the usual minimum of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre therefor: Provided, That said entry shall in no wise interfere with or embrace any land to which there is a valid subsisting claim under the preemption laws of the United States; and the Commissioner of the General Land Office is directed to issue a patent on said entry. No. 1863.-AN ACT for the relief of Eben S. Hanscomb. June 21, 1860. Vol. 12, p.864. Be it enacted, &c., That Eben S. Hanscomb be, and he is hereby, authorized to enter the southeast quarter of section sixteen, township Eben S. Hanstwenty-eight north, range twenty-four west, in the district of lands comb may enter subject to sale at Forest City, State of Minnesota, upon the payment land in Minnesoby said Hanscomb of the usual minimum of one dollar and twenty-five ta, &c. cents per acre; and the Commissioner of the General Land Office is directed to issue a patent on said entry: Provided, however, That no bonafide claim, or right of any other parties, or of the State of Minnesota to said land, shall be in any wise prejudiced or affected by the terms of this act, until their assent shall have been first obtained. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the superintendent of public Superintendent schools in the State of Minnesota is authorized to select an equal quan- of schools to setity of other lands in said State, for the use of public schools, in lieu of the lands herein granted. (a) (a) See Nos. 1834, 1835, 1838, 1842, 1851, 1852, 1855, 1856, 1860. No. 1864.-AN ACT donating to the States of Minnesota and Oregon certain lands reserved by Congress for the Territories of Minnesota and Oregon for university purposes. lect land in lieu thereof. March 2, 1861. Vol. 12, p. 208. sity. Be it enacted, &c., That the lands reserved for the use of a university Grants to Minin the Territories of Minnesota and Oregon under section second of an nesota and Oreact of Congress passed February nineteenth, one thousand eight hun- gou for univerdred and fifty-one, entitled "An act to authorize the legislative assemblies of the Territories of Oregon and Minnesota to take charge of the school lands in said Territories, and for other purposes," be hereby donated to the States of Minnesota and Oregon for the use of said uni-` versity. (a) (a) See Nos. 1835, 1852, 1891. July 12, 1862. Preamble. No. 1865.-A JOINT RESOLUTION authorizing the State of Minnesota to change the line of certain branch railroads in said State, and for other purposes. Whereas, by an act of Congress, approved March third, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, there was granted to the Territory of Minnesota lands to aid in the construction of a railroad from Stillwater, via St. Paul and St. Anthony, to a point between the foot of Big Stone Lake and the mouth of Sioux Wood River, with a branch, via St. Cloud and Crow Wing, to the navigable waters of the Red River of the North, the northern terminus of which was fixed by the legislature of said Territory at St. Vincent; and whereas it is now believed that the public interests require a change of location of a part of said branch road: ThereforeBe it resolved, That in lieu of that part of the railroad grant to Minne- New grant of sota Territory by act of Congress, approved third March, eighteen hun- land to Minnedred and fifty-seven, which extends northwesterly from the intersection sota for railroad. of the tenth standard parallel with the fourth guide meridian, there shall be granted to the State of Minnesota the alternate sections within six-mile limits of such new branch line of route as the authorities of the State may designate, having its southwestern terminus at any point on the existing line, between the Falls of Saint Anthony and Crow Wing, and extending in a northeasterly direction to the waters of Lake Superior, with a right of indemnity between the fifteen-mile limits thereof, provided this resolution shall take effect from the filing in the General Land Office of the acceptance by the authorities aforesaid of such substitution; whereupon the land north of the intersection aforesaid in the grant as authorized by the said act of third March, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, being by said acceptance disencumbered of the railroad grant, shall be dealt with as other public lands of the United States. (a) (a) See Nos. 1840, 1844, 1853, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1881, 1882, 1886, 1889, 183, 1896, 1902, 1906, 1911, 1915, 1917. No. 1866.—AN ACT for the relief of preemptors on the home reservation of the July 14, 1862. Certain settlers pre-emptors. extinguished, and prior to the setting apart by legal divisions of the said Indian home reservation, under the second article of the treaty of the twenty-seventh of February, eighteen hundred and fifty-five, and that by reason of the setting apart of said home reservation they were forced from their settlements and subjected to loss and damage by the destruction of their improvements; therefore Be it enacted, &c., That it shall and may be lawful for each of such in the Blue-Earth settlers, within three months from and after the passage of this act, to region, Minne- file his declaratory statement with the proper register and receiver, desota, may perfect their rights as scriptive of the tract so settled upon and improved; and under such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior, said settler shall be permitted to establish his claim by the production of testimony showing compliance with all the requirements of the preemption law up to the period when said settler was ousted by reason of the premises falling within the aforesaid Indian home reservation; that the testi mony required under this act shall be the affidavit of the claimant himself, taken before the register and receiver, and shall show the date of the commencement and the period of continuance of his improvements, the extent of the same, size of his habitation, the time and labor required in its construction, extent of other improvements, and the cost to him and value of the same, and value of crop derived from the same. The affidavit to be corroborated by disinterested testimony. (a) Secretary of of claim. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That upon the return of such testiInterior to deter- mony to the Department, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the mine on validity Interior finally to adjudge the validity or invalidity of each claim; and in regard to those shown to be bona fide under the preemption law, to report a list of the same, with all the testimony, to Congress, stipulating such award as should be paid as damages growing out of the loss and destruction of such improvements, by reason of the appropriation of such settlements to the Indian reservation, as aforesaid: Provided, That the land officers of the local land office herein mentioned shall not receive any additional pay or fees for the services hereby required of them. Land officers to have no additional fees. (a) See Nos. 1836, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1845, 1847, 1850, 1853, 1856, 1866, 1868, 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1879, 1880, 1887, 1890, 1895, 1898, 1900, 1901, 1904, 1905, 1909, 1917. Feb. 16, 1863. No. 1867.—AN ACT for the relief of persons for damages sustained by reason of Treaties with Whereas the United States heretofore became bound by treaty stipulations to the Sisseton, Wahpaton, Medawakanton, and Wa[h]pakoota bands of the Dakota or Sioux Indians to pay large sums of money and annuities, the greater portion of which remains unpaid according to the terms of said treaty stipulations; and whereas during the past year the aforesaid bands of Indians made an unprovoked, aggressive, and most savage war upon the United States, and massacred a large number of men, women, and children within the State of Minnesota, and destroyed and damaged a large amount of property, and thereby have forfeited all just claim to the said moneys and annuities to the United States; and whereas it is just and equitable that the persons whose property has been destroyed or damaged by the said Indians, or destroyed or damaged by the troops of the United States in said war, should be indemnified in whole or in part out of the indebtedness and annuities so forfeited as aforesaid: Therefore Be it enacted, fc., That all treaties heretofore made and entered into certain Sioux In- by the Sisseton, Wahpaton, Medawakanton, and Wahpakoota bands of dians annulled in Sioux or Dakota Indians, or any of them, with the United States, are part. hereby declared to be abrogated and annulled, so far as said treaties or any of them purport to impose any future obligation on the United States, and all lands and rights of occupancy within the State of Minnesota, and all annuities and claims heretofore accorded to said Indians, or any of them, to be forfeited to the United States. Certain land to SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Interior is be set apart for hereby authorized to set apart of the public lands, not otherwise approIndians who aid- priated, eighty acres in severalty to each individual of the before-named ed the whites. bands who exerted himself in rescuing the whites from the late mas |