Pennsylvania's Acceptance of the Act and Designation of Penn State as the Recipient

 

An act to accept the grant of public lands by the United States to the several States, for the endowment of agricultural colleges.

WHEREAS, By an act of Congress, passed the second day of July, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a grant of land was made to the several States and Territories, which may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts, equal to thirty thousand acres for each Senator and Representative in Congress to which the States are respectively entitled, by the apportionment under the census of one thousand eight hundred and sixty, which act of Congress requires that the several States, in order to entitle them to the benefit of said grant, should, within two years from the date of this act, express their acceptance of the same:

AND WHEREAS, the Legislature of Pennsylvania has already shown its high regard for the agricultural interests of the State, by the establishment of the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania, and by making liberal appropriations thereto; therefore,

Section 1.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the act of Congress of the United States, passed the second day of July, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, entitled "An act donating lands to the several States and Territories which may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts," be and the same is hereby accepted by the State of Pennsylvania, with all its provisions and conditions, and the faith of the State is hereby pledged to carry the same into effect.

Section 2.

That the Surveyor General of the State of Pennsylvania is hereby authorized and required to do every act and thing necessary to entitle this State to its distributive share of land scrip, under the provisions of the said act of Congress, and when the said scrip is received by him, to dispose of the same, under such regulations as the board of commissioners hereafter appointed by this act shall prescribe.

Section 3.

That the Governor, the Auditor General, and the Surveyor General are hereby constituted a board of commissioners, with full power and authority to make all needful rules and regulations respecting the manner in which the Surveyor General aforesaid shall dispose of the said land scrip, the investment of the proceeds thereof in the State stocks of this State, and apply interest arising therefrom as herein directed; and in general to do all and every act or acts necessary to carry into full effect the said act of Congress: Provided, That no investment shall be made in any other stocks than those of the United States or of this Commonwealth.

Section 4.

That until otherwise ordered by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, the annual interest accruing from any investment of the funds acquired under the said act of Congress is hereby appropriated, and the said commissioners are directed to pay the same to the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania for the endowment, support, and maintenance of said institution, which college is now in full and successful operation, and where the leading object is, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts.

Section 5.

That the said Agricultural College of Pennsylvania shall, on or before the first day of February of each year, make a report to the Legislature of the receipts and expenditures of the said institution for the preceding year.

APPROVED -- The first day of April, A.D. 1863.

Andrew Gregg Curtin