If any person or persons owning such unpatented lands against which there has been entered liens, shall refuse or longer neglect to pay the said lien or that portion thereof which applies to the part of the original tract which such person or persons own, it shall be the duty of the secretary of internal affairs, after having satisfied himself as to the validity of the lien aforesaid, to take such action as he may deem proper to enforce the collection of the same, and for this purpose he is authorized to employ such assistance as he may deem necessary in the premises; or in case of refusal of any person or persons owning the lands against which such liens exist to pay the said amount due, the secretary of internal affairs may certify the amount of such claim of the Commonwealth to the Attorney General, whose duty it shall be to proceed to collect the amount due the Commonwealth by a scire facias sur liens, which shall be directed to the sheriff of the county wherein the land against which the lien is entered may be situated.