[Duke C.]

Language in the Nevada Constitution has created much misunderstanding:

"That the people inhabiting said territory do agree and declare that they forever disclaim all right and title to the unappropriated public lands lying within said territory, and that the same shall be and remain at the sole and entire disposition of the United States …"

This would seem to say that the residents of Nevada were disclaiming all land held by Congress in perpetuity.

Not true. This clause appears in EVERY States' Constitution. Congress needed to ensure that they were delivering clear title to the newly sovereign State. They never followed through, probably because they were busy with the Civil War. And no-one has noticed, until now.

So Congress has a Constitutional duty to dispose of the land they hold to Nevada, a Sovereign State. It wont be easy.

[Karl Spooner]

This clause appears in EVERY States' Constitution.

Would it be possible to demonstrate that without going to too much trouble?

[Beagle8U]

” forever disclaim all right and title to the unappropriated public lands lying within said territory, and that the same shall be and remain at the sole and entire disposition of the United States”

You are missing the ‘unappropriated’ part.

Some of it had been appropriated to ranchers like Bundy. They don’t own it, just the rights to use it for ranching.