United States Statutes at Large/Volume 5/27th Congress/1st Session/Resolution 6
No. 6. A Joint Resolution making it the duty of the Attorney General to examine into the titles of the lands or sites for the purpose of erecting thereon armories and other public works and buildings, and for other purposes.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,Attorney Gen. to make the examination, and report to the President. That it shall be the duty of the Attorney General of the United States to examine into the titles of all the lands or sites which have been purchased by the United States, for the purpose of erecting thereon armories, arsenals, forts, fortifications, navy yards, custom-houses, light-houses, or other public buildings of any kind whatever, and report his opinion as to the validity of the title in each case, to the President of the United States.
Title-papers to be furnished to the Attorney General.2. Resolved, That it shall be the duty of all the officers of the United States having any of the title-papers to the property aforesaid in their possession, to furnish them forthwith to the Attorney General, to aid him in the investigation aforesaid.
Public money not to be expended on any site hereafter purchased, until, &c.3. Resolved, That no public money shall be expended upon any site or land hereafter to be purchased by the United States for the purposes aforesaid, until the written opinion of the Attorney General shall be had in favor of the validity of the title, and also the consent of the Legislature of the State in which the land or site may be shall be given to said purchaser.
District Attorneys to furnish assistance.4. Resolved, That it shall be the duty of the District Attorneys of the United States, upon the application of the Attorney General, to furnish any assistance or information in their power in relation to the titles of the public property aforesaid lying within their respective districts.
Secretaires of the Executive Departments to procure additional evidence.5. Resolved, That it shall be the duty of the Secretaries of the Executive Departments, upon the application of the Attorney General, to procure any additional evidence of title which he may deem necessary, and which may not be in the possession of the officers of Government; the expense of procuring which to be paid out of the appropriations made for the contingencies of the Departments respectively.
To apply to the State Legislatures for jurisdiction over said lands, &c.6. Resolved, That it shall be the duty of the Secretaries of the Executive Departments, respectively, under whose direction any lands for the purposes aforesaid may have been purchased, and over which the United States do not possess jurisdiction, to apply to the Legislatures of the States in which the lands are situated, for a cession of jurisdiction, and in case of refusal, to report the same to Congress at the commencement of the next session thereafter.
Approved, September 11, 1841.