The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-01-09
FOR TIE ENQttLRER.
LAWS CONCERNING WASTE AND UNAP-
pROPRiATED LANDS. -.

THERE'S no fubjea of public nature, to which
the Legislature ought pay more regard than to the
titles of lands. Although this truth. will be gene
rally admitted, yet i, evident that fome Of the laws
are not only obisure but the execution of them OPP
preilive.
II has often happened that proportions for amend
nents have been made, for partial purpoes without
king general view Of the whole queliion, which has
oceafioned antiquities
Il is now high time that Il ere ffould be full and
impartial examination of the whole, 70 that every
one, 1t Jingle view, may contemplate the iuhie4.
In attempting difcharge this talk nothing will be
f,d which does not appear absolutely necellary fer
iih,itration.
& In the feiIion of the General Anemb,y which n,
sn Williamsburg in May, 1870, an aa pailed " Lr-
is!ei az aiirsng ori et!irg he tis5 Of Slain.
'srs TO uaeaienfeiand andr ibe r5nf and tcr,er Pc
",.,,nmert fysoons 10 ID. ga5s.ea. Of tie esrs.1sr-
ed -aas'J Land OFee.
L his ACT was intended to give preference fur
veys and claims ct certain defcrip,ion, which were
fully fes forth, but chiefly related to fettement and
pFe.empton ri yhts and allowed the claimant. the
term of twelve months produce to the regiNer of
the Land Office the evidence Of their titles claims.
Ar the fame FELTON, another act paied, intitued
an a7 FIR eea5Asiny Laad0 Office anil e/ie,taisirg TIE
'r,zs and Of granting -v1e and uaseproriat,i
EIaI. Ii is to this aa, and to tbofe which paT.
ed afterwards by fucceedng Legislatures, having
relation il, that the prefens enquiry will be direct
y
feyerai Reps which have been receiiary to acquire
title to waite and unappropratel land, and the va
rious acts which have paiIed upon the fubjs&, and
the eaufes of forfeiture.
The hrft claufe of Importance to this illuGra,on,
will be found in ": god page Of the aas Of May (ef-
ion 1879, and is rs follows:
hnd o, Grating fskiag f1u1 in cid ofl,e annual
fzxe' t0aIbarge tie nkEe dt5f," Be IL .uaz7,a That
any person may acquire title 70 much waite and
anaPPropriated land, a, he ihe ihall deGre to
purchaie, on paying the confederation of forty
pounds Tor every hundred acres and 70 in proport-
on fer greater lr,aller quantity aud obtaining
certificate from the public auditors in the following
" manner"
ANY perfan holding land warrant upon any of
the before mentioned rights may hav. the fame To-
!" Gated in one filrveys."
Page Esd,
Alldeputy furveyors liali be nominated b. their
principals, who fhall be anlwrrable for them
Same page,
if any principal fnrveyor fall failto nominate
fntcient number of deputies perform the fervic-
es OF his Office in due time the court of the cnun-
~ iha!l direct what number that he fall nominate
> and If in cafe OF failure fiia nominate for him."
Same page,
Every perlon having land warran, founded up
or any G! the before mentioned rights and being
:" delrous Of locating the fame, on any particular
' waite and unapproPria;ed lands, ihal lodge fuch
g warrant with the chief lurveyor OF the county
wherein the faid lands greater part of them
lie, who hall give receipt fer the fame if requr-
ed The party fhall direct the location thereof 70
Especially and preoifely, that others may be ena-
bled with certainty ecate other warrants on the
adjacent relidium; which location fha bear date
the day which i. ihall be made and faall be en-.
tered by the iurveyor i'll book be kept for that
"purpofe."
Same page,
Every iurveyor fhall at the time Of making en-
tries for perions being inhabitants of his county
aa3mi firse fer arveyas their land, and evs nose
=" Ae,esf in 7erifiag TO Gspe./an mailing tic Jsme'
Page 24th,
Every chief lurveyor ihall proceed with all prac-
tcabe dPatch furvey all lands entered for in his
Office, and fhali if the party live within his county,
either give him periona notice, of the time at which
he will attend make fuch furvey, or if,aI pubh
fuch notice, by fixing advertisement thereof, on
the door OF the courthouie ofthe county, Oh two
ieverai court days, which time, 70 appointed, iall
be at Ielit one month, after perionai notice given
or after the fecond advertisement 70 pubiihsd, and
ii the iuryeyor ihall accordingly attend and the
"party or fome for him, fhall fail to appear at
the time with proper cbain-carrers and a perfon
to mark the lines if neceGary, his entry fhaT be-
come VOID ard rhe land thereafter fubi.4 to the
entry OF any other per(on and the llrveyor fhall
return him the warrant, which may notwithnand-
q ing, be located anew upon any other waite or un-
appropriated laads, or again upon the fame lands
where it hath in the mean time been entered for
" BY another perlon."
Page 2ith,
Every perfon for whom any waite or unappro-
prated lands fhall be 70 located and laid off, iha
within twelve months, a, firtheh after the firvey
made, reaTh the plot and certificate of the fs;d fur
yey into the Land-O iacc, together with the war
I" rant which the land were furveyed, and may
demand Of the RICHTER receipt for the fame, and
oniang to make iuch return within twelve months
aoreiaid, if the breadth of his plot be not one
third Of its length before diretted, ii fhan be
lawful for any other pcrlon enera cavsat in the
faid Land Office aganh the ifuing Of any grant to
him, eYprcliug therein for what caufe the grant
Is fiouid rot Iue."
Page 24dl and 25,h,
Or If any perfon fball obtain furvey of land;
to which another hath by law better right, may
ia hike manner enter proven. his obtain
ing grant, mil the title can be determined fuch
eayeat alto expecting the nature Of the right, on
which the plaintiff therein claims the faid lands
In tllefelIion (Mly 1907
Another ata pa6ed, which may be feen in the / :,
IL, and 18th pages part Of which is as follows:
BE il enacted, That the further time Of Is
months, be given TO all perfons, who may obtain
certificates from the Eid caa.n,snes foT r s-si,,2
- tons" ..