# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 2/11th Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 36

Chap. XXXVI.—An Act to extend the time for making payment for the Public Lands of the United States in certain cases.
Act of March 2, 1809, ch. 26. Actual settlers, with some exceptions, under purchases from the United States allowed a further time to make their payments.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That every person who, prior to the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and six, had purchased any tract or tracts of land of the United States, not exceeding in the whole, six hundred and forty acres, at any of the land-offices established for the disposal of said lands, whether such purchase was made at public or private sale, (sales by virtue of a pre-emption right only excepted,) and whose lands have not already been actually sold or reverted to the United States for non-payment of part of the purchase money, ​and who shall for the term of at least one year previous to the expiration of five years from the date of the purchase of the land, have actually inhabited and cultivated any one tract of land thus purchased, and the time for making the last payment on account of such purchase according to former laws, may have expired or shall expire on or before the first day of January next,Two years allowed for the payment of the residue. shall be allowed a further term of two years, for the payment of the residue of the principal due on account of such purchase; which further term of two years shall be calculated to commence from the expiration of one year from and after the day on which the last payment on account of such purchase should, according to former laws, have become due, and shall be allowed only on the following conditions, that is to say: First, that all the arrears of interest on the land purchased to the end of one year, from and after the day on which the last payment on account of such purchase should, according to former laws, have become due, shall have been paid at or before the end of such year:Mode of payment of the residue. Second, that the residue of the sum due on account of the principal of such purchase shall be paid with interest thereon, in two equal annual payments, viz: one half of the said residue with the interest, which may then be due thereon, within one year; and the other half of the said residue, with the interest which may then be due thereon, within two years after the expiration of one year, from and after the day on which the last payment on account of such purchase should, according to former laws, have become due. And in case of failure in paying either the arrears of interest, or each of the two instalments of principal, with the accruing interest, at the time and times above mentioned, the tract of land shall be forthwith advertised and offered for sale in the manner and on the terms and conditions now prescribed for the sale of lands, purchased from the United States, and not paid for within the limited time; and shall revert, in like manner, to the United States, if the sum due with interest, be not at such sale bidden and paid.
Provision in cases where the lands have reverted to the U. States. Proviso, that application be made before June 1, 1810.And in cases where any tract of tracts of land, not in the whole exceeding six hundred and forty acres, which have since the first day of January last, reverted to the United States, for default of payment, the original purchaser may again enter the same tract or tracts. And all monies which such original purchaser may have paid shall be replaced to his credit, by the receiver of public monies of the respective land-offices, and such re-purchasers shall be allowed the same benefits of the extension of the time of payment, created by this act, as though no such reversion had occurred: Provided, such original purchaser shall make to the proper land officer such application for such re-entry, as is required by law for the entry of lands, on or before first day of June next, and the land so reverted shall not have been previously sold.
Approved, April 30, 1810.