[The following official opinion, though inadvertently omitted in its proper place, is deemed of sufficient importance to be inserted here.]
The bill for establishing a National Bank, undertakes, among other things,
1. To form the subscribers into a corporation.
2. To enable them, in their corporate capacities, to receive grants of land; and so far, is against the laws of Mortmain.*
* Though the constitution controls the laws of Mortmain, so
far as to permit Congress itself to hold lands for certain
purposes, yet not so far as to permit them to communicate a
similar right to other corporate bodies.
3. To make alien subscribers capable of holding lands; and so far, is against the laws of Alienage.
4. To transmit these lands, on the death of a proprietor, to a certain line of successors; and so far, changes the course of Descents.
5. To put the lands out of the reach of forfeiture or escheat; and so far, is against the laws of Forfeiture and Escheat.
6. To transmit personal chattels to successors in a certain line; and so far, is against the laws of Distribution.