# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 3/17th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 55

Chap. LV.—An Act providing for the disposal of the public lands in the state of Mississippi, and for the better organization of the land districts in the states of Alabama and Mississippi.
The tract of country ceded by the Choctaws, on the 18th October, 1820, formed into a land district. Land office. A register and receiver to be appointed, who are to give bond with security, to receive similar compensation, and perform like duties, as other registers and receivers, &c. Proviso.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all that tract of country which was ceded to the United States by a treaty with the Choctaw Indians, held on the eighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty, near Doake’s Stand, in the state of Mississippi, be, and the same is hereby, formed into a land district; and for the disposal of the public lands in said district, a land office shall be established within the same, at such convenient place as the President of the United States may direct and appoint; and for said office a register and a receiver shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, who shall severally give bond with security, before entering on the duties of their respective offices, in like manner and for like sums, shall receive similar compensation, fees, and emoluments, and shall perform similar duties, and possess similar powers, with all other registers and receivers of public moneys of the Untied States, appointed by law for the disposal of the public land; and shall, in all respects, be governed by the laws of the United States providing for the disposal of the public land: Provided, however, That the first sale of the lands within the district aforesaid may be held at such convenient place within the district west of Pearl river, as the President of the United States may appoint. And provided also,Proviso. District of Pearl river. That the President may, if it should be necessary, in consequence of the establishment of a new basis meridian, attach a portion of the land otherwise belonging to the district established by this act to the district west of Pearl river.
The President may cause so much of the land, &c., surveyed, to be sold as other public lands. Except section No. 16, for the use of schools in each township, &c. Patents to issue as in other cases.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized, when he shall think proper, to cause so much of the land within the district created by this act, or which may be attached to the district of Pearl river, and which may be surveyed, to be exposed to sale, on the same terms and conditions, and in the same manner as all other public lands of the United States, with the exception of section numbered sixteen, in each township, which shall be reserved for the use of schools within the same; and of such other reservations as now may, or hereafter may, exist, by virtue of any act of cession, treaty or law of the United States: and for the lands so sold, patents shall issue on the terms and conditions, and in the manner, provided by law in relation to all other public lands of the United States.
The lands lying east of the Tombigbee, in Mississippi, to which the Indian title has been extinguished, attached after October 30, 1822, to the district established by this act, and to be sold, except section no. 16, &c. The register of the district of Madison county to transfer books, &c.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That all the lands lying on the east side of the Tombigbee river, in the state of Mississippi, and to which the Indian title has been extinguished, be, after the thirtieth day of October next, attached to the district established by the first section of this act; and the public lands therein shall be sold, on the same terms and ​conditions, and in the same manner, and patents shall issue for the lands so sold, agreeably to the provisions of the laws for the disposal of the public lands of the United States in the state of Mississippi, with the exception of the section numbered sixteen, in each township, which shall be reserved for the use of schools within the same, and of such other reservations as now are made, or hereafter may be made, by law. And it shall be the duty of the register of the district of Madison county, under the direction of the commissioner of the general land office, to transfer such books, maps, and records, or transcripts thereof, to the register appointed for the district established by the first section of this act, as may be necessary to carry into complete effect the provisions of this section of this act.
Part of the district east of Pearl river, attached to the district of Jackson county. The President to cause the land office to be removed, &c. Part of the district of Jackson county attached to the district east of Pearl river.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That, from and after the thirtieth day of October next, such part of the district east of Pearl river, as lies within the state of Mississippi, be attached to, and constituted a part of, the district of Jackson county; and the President of the United States shall cause the land office to be removed to such place, within the district of Jackson county, as established by this act, as he may deem convenient; and that part of the district of Jackson county which lies within the state of Alabama shall be attached to, and constitute a part of, the district east of Pearl river, in Alabama; and it shall be the duty of the register of the district east of Pearl river, and of the register of the district of Jackson county, each, to transfer to the other, such books, records, surveys, or the transcripts thereof, as shall be necessary to carry into complete effect the provisions of this section of this act.
Approved, May 6, 1822.