John Archibald Campbell

“ There is, obviously, a definite purpose declared to consecrate the same central section of every township of every State which might be added to the federal system, to the promotion 'of good government and the happiness of mankind,' by the spread of 'religion, morality, and knowledge,' and thus, by a uniformity of local association, to plant in the heart of every community the same sentiments of grateful reverence for the wisdom, forecast, and magnanimous statesmanship of those who framed the institutions for these new States, before the constitution for the old had yet been modelled. ”

“ There could be no reason for limiting the power of the President to a single class of the public lands, and to exclude him from another in the same district. We conclude that this act does not withdraw the mineral lands from the compact with Michigan.
Did the execution of the lease by the secretary of war, in 1845, before the survey of the lands, dispose of these lands so as to defeat the claim of the State? The Minnestoa Mining Company, at the date of the act of March 1, 1847, held the unexpired lease by assignment, and continued to perform its conditions until their patent was issued. ”

“ These statutes indicate a policy to withdraw from sale lands containing these minerals. But the compacts have been made without such a reservation, nor has the usage of the land-office interpolated such an exception to the general grant of the section No. 16 for the use of schools.
The grant of the section No. 16 for the use of schools can be executed without violating the spirit of the legislation upon salt springs or lead mines, and, as we have seen, no statute prior to the admission of Michigan to the Union contains an appropriation or reservation of other mineral lands. ”