functionary, to be exercised under a sound discretion. Let the terms of sale be liberal as to time, having the price well secured and bearing interest. The Trustees believe that many of the lands already located could be now sold to advantage; and that the interest on such sales will greatly exceed the rents that can be derived from the lands, and will increase the fund much more rapidly than by any enhance ment of price which can be reasonably expected from holding the

lands.

The Board has ascertained that patents are not issued for these or any other lands granted to the State by Congress. It is therefore submitted for your consideration that the State ought to have some higher evidence of title than a Commissioner's or Register's certifi cate. The law making the donation, fixes the quantity, but does not identify the location, or else that would be a sufficient grant. It would seem therefore as necessary to have a patent to show that the General Government had conveyed its title in these lands, as it is in any other case. Congress will authorize this to be done upon the proper

application.

The Trustees ardently desire to see the cause of education occupy a large share of the public attention, and would cheerfully contribute all in their power by introducing the subject prominently in the present report, did they not consider it more proper to confine themselves to the more immediate object of their appointment, which is to secure and enlarge the education fund, and thus lay broad the foundation upon which all future success must rest. To divert the public mind from these preliminary measures, and create the impression that we are ready to embark upon some splendid scheme of public education, would be most injudicious. Had the munificent donations of Congress been properly secured, and faithfully managed for the last twenty years, we might now have been in a position to introduce some system of common education, as well as to begin with our Seminaries of a higher order. But the commencement of these glorious mea sures must be a little longer deferred, while we content ourselves at present, to avoid the reproach of those who follow us, by our diligence in securing a fund that shall be an honor to Florida, and adequate to the education of her children in all time to come.

Here the Board will close their annual report on the Seminary Lands and Funds under their care: but as your Excellency has requested that the President should connect with it a statement of the other donations of Congress, for a "Seat of Government," "Common Schools," and "Internal Improvements, so as to bring the whole subject of our PUBLIC LANDS into one document, such statement is hereto appended, with great pleasure, marked (D.); in which the subjects are classed under their respective heads, closing with an aggre gate of the whole amount of locations that remain to be made, so far as they are ascertained, while I have the honor to subscribe myself your Excellency's obedient servant,

BENJ. F. WHITNER, President of Trustees of Seminary Lands.

(A.)

Statement of Seminary Lands in Florida, located under Acts of Congress, 3d March, 1823, and 29th January, 1827.

(B.)

Statement of Seminary Funds.

Amount paid into the General Fund of the Territorial
Treasury for rents of 1829,

Amount paid into the School Fund of the Territorial
Treasury for rents of 1831 and 1832,

Received from distribution of sales of public lands, as re-
ported last year,

Leases for 1844, in Gadsden county, collected by

Dr. White,

Do

yet due,

Leases for 1845, in Gadsden county,

Do 1844 and 1845, in Jackson county,

$55 35

85 25

1736 29

$120 00

218 00-338 00

572 00

112 00

2,898 89

These Funds are disposed of as follows:

In the General Fund, in Territorial Treasury,

$55 35

In the School Fund, in Territorial Treasury, consis

ting of Territorial Scrip and Bank of Florida bills, 85 25-140 60 Loaned, 27th Dec., 1844, at 8 per cent. on mortgage of

real estate,

Paid for blank leases, &c.,

Paid for postages, paper and blank book, in 1844,
In the hands of T. Baltzell Esq.,*

Paid for postages, paper and blank books, in 1845,

Amount yet due in Gadsden, on leases for 1844 and 1845,

Cash in hands of the President of the Board,

115 85

$2,898 89

• Judge Baltzell has a charge for professional services unadjusted. He had also purchased two setts of the New York School Library, as stated in his last annual report, at a cost of $41 75, an expenditure which will doubtless meet with general approbation, but which requires the sanction of the Legislature before it can be properly brought into the account.

(C.)

Statement of Lessees and Rents of Seminary Lands for 1845.

J. G. Roulhac, rent free, 00 00||T. M. White,

77 50

24th May, 1824-Congress granted one quarter section for the Seat of Government, and authorized it to be laid out and sold; also directed 3 contiguous sections to be selected and reserved from sale. (L.)

8th February, 1827-Congress authorized the sale of one of these

sections, the other two to be reserved, until Florida becomes a State. (K.)

2d, March, 1829-Congress designated six sections (besides the one laid off for the seat of government) as granted to Florida, two of these, with a reserve at the water fall, to be reserved for and ves ted in the State, the rest authorized to be sold. (H.)

3d March, 1845-Congress granted "eight entire sections," "for the purpose of fixing the seat of government." (E.)

3d March, 1845-Congress granted "section 16 in every township," "or other lands equivalent thereto," "for the use of the inhabitants of such township, for the support of public schools." (E.)

15th June, 1844-Congress granted the power, where 16th sections are included in private claims, to select other adjacent lands, within the land district, which have been offered at public sale and remain unsold. (G.)

20th May, 1826-Congress provided for the selection of other lands, for fractional townships, where there are no 16th sections.(I.)

NOTE.-Congress, by act of 2d March, 1827, authorized the State of Alabama, with the consent of the inhabitants of each township, to sell the 16th sections, and invest the proceeds in some permanent fund, so that each township shall have the interest of the proceeds of its own section; and where this is insufficient to support a school, the fund is to accumulate until it is sufficient.

And by act of 26 February, 1845, Alabama was further authorized to select other lands, in lieu of 16th sections reserved or otherwise disposed of by Congress, "in sections, half sections, quarter sections, or previously defined fractions."

It is deemed unnecessary to recapitulate the various acts of the Legislative Council respecting the School Lands, and it would greatly extend this communication, already become quite voluminous.

As far as could be conveniently ascertained, there are one hundred and fifteen townships in Florida (some of them fractional) within the surveys already made, where the 16th sections are covered by pri vate claims regularly established by law. Of these, 35 are believed to be west of the Apalachicola; 44 between the Apalachicola and Suwannee, and 36 east of Suwannee.

(D.)

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

4th September, 1841--Congress granted to each new State (enumerated or hereafter admitted into the Union) 500,000 acres, for pur poses of internal improvement, the selection to be made within its limits in such manner as the Legislature shall direct, to be located in parcels of not less than 320 acres each, on any public lands not specially reserved, as soon as surveyed. (J.)