Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund v. St. Johns Railway Co.

Citations

• 16 Fla. 531

Syllabus

<p>1. Tiie Legislature intended that the trust created by the 2d section of tiie Internal Improvement Act should be subject to, and to some extent controlled by its subsequent provisions.</p> <p>S. The 29th section of this act reserving to the General Assembly the power to grant alternate sections-of swamp and overflowed lands to railroad companies to the extent therein mentioned, operated as a limitation upon tiie trust and the power of the Trustees.</p> <p>3. .The 13th section of the charter of-tlie St. Johns Railway Company donating alternate sections of swamp and overflowed lands to this company for six miles on each side of its road, harmonizes with the principles and purposes of tito act of Congress granting these lands and with the express provisions of the Internal Improvement Act of this State, and does not impair the obligation of any contract between jhe creditors of the trust fund and the State or Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund.</p> <p>4. The power of one Legislature is not limited by the act of an antecedent one, unless the act of the first is of such character as to eallinto operation a constitutional limitation upon the power of the second. The Internal Improvement Act is not organic law.</p>