That all the lands within the territory as ceded to the United States,
and not reserved for or appropriated to any of the before-mentioned
purposes or disposed of in bounties to the officers and soldiers of the
American Army, _shall be considered as a common fund for the use and
benefit of such of the United States as have become or shall become
members of the confederation or federal alliance of the said States,
Virginia inclusive, according to their usual respective proportions in
the general charge and expenditure, and shall be faithfully and bona
fide disposed of for that purpose, and for no other use or purpose
whatsoever_.


Within the years 1785, 1786, and 1787 Massachusetts, Connecticut, and
South Carolina ceded their claims upon similar conditions. The Federal
Government went into operation under the existing Constitution on
the 4th of March, 1789. The following is the only provision of that
Constitution which has a direct bearing on the subject of the public
lands, viz:


The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules
and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging
to the United States, and nothing in this Constitution shall be so
construed as to prejudice any claims of the United States or of any
particular State.


Thus the Constitution left all the compacts before made in full force,