LAND GRANTS IN AID OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS. 167 
and the second to connect the waters of the Illinois River with those of 
Lake Michigan. A quantity of land, equal to one-half of five sections in 
width on each side of said canals, was granted, reserving to the United 
States each alternate section. The canals were to remain public highways 
for the use of the Government, free from toll or other charge whatever; 
were to be commenced in five years, and completed in twenty years, or the 
States were bound to pay to the United States “the amount of any lands 
previously sold”, and the titles of the purchasers under the States were to 
be valid. 
As soon as the lines of the canals were fixed and the selections of land 
were made, the States had power to sell, and give fee simple title to the 
whole or any part of the lands. 
These may, properly, be considered the initiatory concessions of lands 
in favor of internal improvements. 
As stated, a grant for right of way had been made, but that right was 
solely one of use and occupancy. In this case the right of the States to 
sell became absolute. upon the selection of the lands. To be sure, they 
were liable to repay the Government the price received by the sale of any 
of the lands, but the titles of their purchasers were to be in “fee”; and by 
such right of disposal they were enabled to realize at once on their grant, 
and thereby secure a speedier construction of the canals. 
On the same day (March 2) there was also granted to Indiana a 
certain strip of land formerly held by the Pottawatamie Indians, or the 
proceeds from the sale thereof, to be applied in building a road from Lake 
Michigan, via Indianapolis, to some convenient point on the Ohio River. 
On the next day (March 3) an act was approved granting to Ohio 
one-half of two sections along the entire line of a road to be constructed 
from Sandusky to Columbus. 
By an act approved May 23, 1828, a grant of 400,000 acres of “the 
relinquished lands” in certain counties in Alabama was made in aid of the 
improvement of the Tennessee and other rivers in that State; and in case 
that amount of “said relinquished lands” could not be found unappro- 
priated, the necessary quantity could be selected from another section of 
the State. Provision was made for the sale of the lands, at the minimum 
