# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 4/18th Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 83

Chap. LXXXIII.—An Act to extend the time for the settlement of private land claims in the territory of Florida, to provide for the preservation of the public archives in said territory, and for the relief of John Johnson.
Act of April 22, 1826, ch. 29. The Secretary of the Treasury, when satisfied that John Johnson, of Indiana, did enter, through mistake, certain half quarter sections of land, shall issue to him a patent for two others.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, when the Secretary of the Treasury shall be satisfied that John Johnson, of Indiana, did enter, at the Brookville land office, in said state, the east half of the north-east quarter of section thirty-five, and the west half of the north-west quarter of section thirty-six, in township seventeen, north, in range four, east, by mistake, instead of the east half of the south-east quarter, and the west half of the south-west quarter of the same sections, it shall be lawful for a patent to be issued to the said John Johnson for the two last-mentioned half quarters, so intended to be entered, on his relinquishing to the United States his interest in, and surrendering the patent issued for, the two first-mentioned half quarters, in such manner as shall be directed by the Secretary of the Treasury.
The commissioners of land claims in east Florida, to continue their session.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the commissioners appointed to ascertain claims and titles to land in East Florida, be, and they are hereby, authorized to continue their session until the first Monday of January, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-six, under the same laws, ordinances, and regulations, heretofore established for their government.
Part of the act extending the time for the settlement of private land claims in Florida, repealed. Act of Feb. 24, 1824, ch. 25.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That so much of the act, entitled “An act to extend the time limited for the settlement of private land claims in Florida,” as renders void all claims to land in said territory, not filed on or before the first day of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-four, be, and the same is hereby, repealed, and it shall be lawful for claims to be filed before the board of commissioners in East Florida, any time prior to the first day of November, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five.
Two additional clerks for the board of commissioners of East Florida.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That there shall be appointed two additional clerks to the board of commissioners of East Florida, to each of whom shall be allowed the sum of seven hundred dollars, to be paid quarterly by the treasury of the United States.
Compensation of the commissioners.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That each of the commissioners appointed for the examination of claims in East Florida, be allowed at ​the rate of two thousand dollars per annum, in full for their services, to be paid quarterly at the treasury of the United States, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated:Proviso. Provided, however, That no one of said commissioners shall be entitled to draw any portion of the compensation hereby allowed him, except on showing an actual and faithful performance of the duties required of him.
Duty of the late commissioners and their clerk. Duty of the register and receiver.Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the late commissioners for the examination of titles and claims to lands in West Florida, and of their clerk, to deliver to the register and receiver of the land office for the western land district of Florida, all records, evidence, and papers, in the possession of them, or either of them, relating to said titles and claims. And it shall be the duty of said register and receiver to examine and decide on all titles and claims to land in West Florida, not heretofore decided upon by said commissioners, subject to the limitations, and in conformity with the provisions of the acts of Congress heretofore passed on that subject.
Claimants, where their claims have not heretofore been decided on, permitted to file them, &c., with the register and receiver, before Nov. 1.Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That the several claimants to lands, in said district, where claims have not been heretofore decided on, be permitted to file their claims, and the evidence in support of them, with the register and receiver of said district, at any time before the first day of November next, whose duty it shall be to report the same, with their decision thereon, to the [[w:United States Secretary of the Treasury|Secretary of the Treasury}}, on or before the first day of January next, to be laid before Congress at the next session.
The register and receiver empowered to appoint their clerk.Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That the said register and receiver shall have power to appoint their clerk, and prescribe his duties, and who shall be allowed, in full compensation for his services, the sum of eight hundred dollars, and said register and receiver shall each be allowed the sum of one thousand dollars for the performance of the duties required of them by this act, which said several sums of money shall be paid said register and receiver, and their clerk, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, whenever the business is completed, and the report approved by the Secretary of the Treasury.
The President to appoint two keepers of the public archives in Florida.Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized to appoint two officers, to be called the keepers of the public archives in the territory of Florida, one of whom shall keep his office at St. Augustine, in East Florida, and the other at Pensacola, in West Florida.
Officers to give bond and security for the faithful performance of their duties.Sec. 10. And be it further enacted, That the said officers shall each give bond and security in the sum of twenty thousand dollars, for the safe keeping and preservation of the said archives, and for the faithful performance of the duties of their respective offices, and the translation of such of the records and documents as are hereinafter provided for, and shall each receive a salary of five hundred dollars, to be paid quarterly from the treasury of the United States.
Officers to cause a complete translation, &c., of the Spanish records having relation to the land claims.Sec. 11. And be it further enacted, That the said officers shall cause to be made a faithful and complete translation and record of all the Spanish records, and documents delivered to them, and having relation to land claims derived from the Spanish and British governments, distinguishing and keeping separately those which relate to grants made within the district of Baton Rouge, Mobile, north of latitude thirty-one, and those made within the present limits of Florida; a complete descriptive list of each of which translations and records, when completed, shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the Treasury, and the said officers shall, severally, be entitled to receive from the treasury of the United States, on the completion of the work, a compensation at the rate of ten cents for each hundred words by them translated and recorded.
Officers to deliver copies or translations to individual applicants.Sec. 12. And be it further enacted, That the said officers shall make out and deliver to individual applicants, copies or translations of any ​documents in their said offices, on being paid for the same at the rate of six and one fourth cents for each hundred words.
Appropriations.Sec. 13. And be it further enacted, That the several sums of money hereby appropriated, shall be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Approved, March 3, 1825.