Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-04-10
(By Authority.)a
AN ACE

49, ~ SEC "ss'Ttck or Louisiana. !.
:, nH enacted by the Senate and ff,use o.
representatives Of fhe United Stafes Of .fne-
s7ea IN Congress assembled, That any per.
son or persons, and the lssal representa-.
yves OF any person or persons, who on the
Hust day OF Oclober, in The year one thou.
sand eight hundred, were re.;d.nt win.
IN the territories ceded by the French
Republic to the United States. NV ,bs
treaty Of the thirtieth of April. one ,bo,,-
sand eight hundred and three, and who
had prior to the said first day OF o ctober.
one thousand eight hundred, obtained
from the French or Spanish government,
respectively, during the time either the
said governments had the actual posses
Ton OF said territories, any duly register
cd warrant, or order of survey for lands
lying within the said territories, to which
the Indian title had been extinguished.
and which were on that day actually inha-
bited and cultivated by such person or per-
sons, or for his or their use, shall be con.
hrmed in their claims to such lands in the
same manner as if their titles had been
completed: Provided ho.sever, That no
such incomplete title shall be confirmed.
unless the person In whose name such
warrant or order of survey had been gran.
ted, was at the time of its date, either the
head OF family or above the age OF twen-
ty-one years: nor unless the conditions
and terms on which the completion Of the
grant might depend, shall have been full
filed.
Sec. Q. .I1d &c it further enacted, That
to every person, or to the legal represent
ta,iv. or representatives of every person,
who being either the head ola family or
twenty-one years of age, had prior to the
twentieth day OF December, one thousand.
eight hundred and three, with the permis-
sion of the proper Spanish officer, and in
conlormity with the laws. usages and Gus.
toms OF the Spanish government made an
actual settlement on a tract OF land with
IN the said territories, not claimed by viz.
tue of the preceding section, or of any
Spanish or French grant made ana COM
pleted before the first day of October, one
thousand eight hundred, and during the
time the government which made such
grant, had the actual possession of the
said territories, and who did on the said
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eight hundred and three, actually inhabit
and cultivate the said tract of land; the
tract ofland thus inhabited and cultivated
shall be grained: Provided ho7peDer, That
not more than one tract shall be thus gran
ted to any one person, and the same shall
not contain more than one mile square,
together with such other and further
quantity as heretofore has been allowed
for the wife and family of such actual
settler, agreeably to The laws, usagcs and
customs ofthe Spanish government: Pro-
Drided also, That this donation shall not
be made to any person who claims a.
ny other tract Of land in the said terrific
ries by virtue Of any French or Spanish
grant.
Sec. 8. Ind Be IL further enacted, That
for the purpose of more conveniently as
certaning the titles and claims to land in
the territory coded as aforesaid, the ter
ritory of Orleans shall be laid OF into two
districts, in such manner as the Presi-
dent of the United States shall direei in
each of which, he shall appoint, in the re-
cess ofthe Senate, but who shall be nomi-
mated at their. next meeting for their adj
vice and consent, a register; who shall
receive the same annual compensation,
give security in The same manner, and in
the same sums, and whose duties and au-
thorities shall in every respect be the
same in relation to the lands which shall
hereafter be disposed Z at their Offices, as
are by law provided with respect to the
registers in the several Offices established
for the disposal Of the lands the United
States, north of the river Ohio and above
the mouth Of Kentucky river. The Pre-
sident Of the United States shall likewise
appoint recorder ofland titles in the dis
tnEt Of Louisiana, who shall give Sc
curity in the same manner and in the
same sums, and shall be entitled to the
same annual compensation, as the regis
ters OF the several land Offices.
Sec. 4. ind be IL further enacted, That
every person claiming lands in the above
mentioned territories, by virtue Of any le-
gal French or Spanish grant, made and
completed before the first day of October,
one thousand eight hundred, and during
the time the government which made
such grant, had the actual possession OF
the territories, may, and every person
claiming landsinthe said territories ,byvir-
fue nf the f,sto C~nt - a. =