52 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



eighteen hundred and sixty-two, for the endowment of colleges for 

 tlie benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts," and ajiproved 

 March eighteenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-three. 



ADJUSTMENT OF IRREGULARITIES IN THE SALE OF AGRICULTURAL 



COLLEGE LANDS. 



Preamble. § 5:380. 1879,]). 318, May 28, J. li. No. 28. Whereas, By an 



act of the legislature, approved February twenty-fifth, in the year 

 of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, the State 

 of Michigan accepted a donation of public lands from the United 

 States, to be used for the endowment of colleges for the benefit of 

 agriculture and the mechanic arts ; 



And whereas, By a further act of the legislature, approved 

 March eighteenth, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun- 

 dred and sixty-three, the governor, auditor general, secretary of 

 State, State treasurer, attorney general, and commissioner of the 

 State land office, were constituted and designated as the asfricult- 

 ural land grant board, with full power and authority to control and 

 dispose of said lands ; 



And whereas Said act further provided, that by direction of 

 said land grant board, the commissioner of tlie State land office 

 might sell said lands in the manner therein provided; 



And whereas. The commissioner of the State laud office has 

 sold large quantities of said lands without having obtained the for- 

 1 .al or official direction of said land grant board to make such sales; 



And whereas. It is alleged that all such sales are irregular; 



And whereas, The lands thus sold are i)rincipal]y held or occu- 

 pied by innocent parties, many of whom having made valuable 

 improvements [improvement] thereon, whose rights and interests 

 in the premises demand the })rotection of the State; therefore, belt 



Resolved hy the Senate and Ho^ise of lUpresentaiives of the State 

 of Michigan, That the agricultural land grant board be, and they 

 are hereby authorized and instructed to examine into the matter of 

 said alleged irregular sales of agricultural college lands, and to 

 adjust and determine the same, and to confirm all such sales of 

 said lands as shall appear to said board, to have been made in 

 accordance with the terms and conditions of section number three 

 (3) of said act, the same being section three thousand nine hundred 

 and twenty-nine of the Compiled Laws of eighteen hundred and 

 seventy-one ; 

 Power of board. -^nd resoIved further, That if the said board shall find that any 

 of such sales of said lands shall have been made at a less price per 

 acre than provided for in the section last referred to, then it is 

 hereby made the duty of said board to elect wliether they will 

 receive from the purchaser or purchasers, or other partv or parties 

 holding under them, the full purchase price contemplated by the 

 said section, and confirm such sales, or take such further measures 

 as they shall deem proper for the protection of the interests of the 

 State: Provided, however, That if any such sales are canceled, 

 either by the action of said board or by the decree of any court of 

 competent jurisdiction, then the amount of money to be refunded 



Board Instruc- 

 ted to investi- 

 gate. 



