Samuel Nelson

“ On the 6th April, 1850, the Secretary of the Interior, whose department had in the meantime been established, and to which the supervision and control of the General Land Office had been assigned, reversed the previous decision of the Secretary of the Treasury, and determined that the grant did not extend beyond the Raccoon Fork. But he directed that the lands should be reserved from sale which were embraced within the State's selections. ”

“ The serious conflict of opinion among the public authorities on the subject made it the duty of the land officers to withhold the sales and reserve them to the United States till it was ultimately disposed of. ”

“ Otherwise its object might be utterly defeated. Hence, immediately upon a grant being made by Congress for any of these public purposes to a State, notice is given by the commissioner of the land office to the registers and receivers to stop all sales, either public or by private entry. Such notice was given the same day the grant was made, in 1856, for the benefit of these railroads. That there was a dispute existing as to the extent of the grant of 1846 in no way affects the question. ”