Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-04-14

act; the said tract or parcel OF land thus
lpnssesscd, occupied, and improved, shall
!be granted, and such occupant or occupants,
ishall be confirmed in the title to the same,
as an estate of inheritance, in fee simple
Provided. hoTvcUer, That no other claims
shall be confirmed by virtue of this section,
than such as havc been entered with the
register of the land office of Detroit, with
in the time, and in the manner provided by
law, and by the commissioners aforesaid,
have been inserted in their report, trans
mitted rs aforesaid; nor shall more than
one tract or parcel of land be thus gran
ted to any one person, and the same shall
mot contain more than the quantity claim
ed, nor more than six hundred and forty
acres: ind fir0Ufdrd also, That the same
shall not extend to any tract heretofore re-
served, or which may by the President of
the United States be set aside for public
uses, in the town Of Detroit, and its vici-
/ nifty, Or on the Island of Michillimakinac.
SEC. 8. ind be IL further enacted, That
the secretary o. the territory Of Michigan,
together with the register and receiver Of
lpublic monies, OF the land Office Of Detroit,
| shall be commissioners for the purpose of
iasccrtaining and deciding ON The rights of
persons claiming the benefit of this act
and the said commissioners shall previous
| to entering on the duties of their appoint
ment, respectively take and subscribe
the following oath or affirmation, before
some person qualified to administer the
same l do soemnly swear
| (or affirm that ] will imDartialiy exercise
and discharge the duties imposed upon me,
by On act of Congress, entitled - An act
ireguatingt grants OF land in the territory
of Michigan" And il shall be the duty of the
said commissioners TO meet atthe town of
| f,..f e..
and they Shall not AL ourn 10 any otherplace
for any longer time, than three days, until
the FIRST day Of January next, or until they
shall have completed the business Of their
appointment. And the said commissioners,
or majority of them shall have power TO
hear and decide in summary manner, all
Imatters respecting such claims, to compel
the attendance Of witnesses, to administer
oathS and examine witnesses, and such o.
lther testimony as may be ldduced, and 10
determine thereon according t. justice * c.
guilty Minutes of the proceedings, deG.si-
cns, meetings & adjournmcnts of the board,
shall be regularly entered by the register,
in hook TO be kept for that purpose, to-
gethcr with the evidence on which such de-
ciSions are made. unless such evidence has
Ialready been entered according TO law, in
the book CT books Of minutes, kept by the
commissioners appointed under former
acts. TO investigate the claims tn land i'll the
district of Detroit, And when it shall ap-
pear to the said commissioners that the
iclaimant is entitled 10 a tract of land by
Virtue of this act, they shall give certi-
fcate thereof stating the circumstances of
the case. and that the claimant is entitled
to receive patent for such tract of land,
by virtue of this act which tract shall be
surveyed in conformity with the decision
Of the commissioners, at the expense ofthe
party, and under the direction of the sur
veyor general by such of his assistants, re-
siding in he territory Of Michigan, as the
said surveyor general Shall appoint for that
purpose Provided, That tire whole ez-
pense ofsurveying and making the list shall
not exceed three dollars for every mile
thae shall be actually run, surveyed or
marked. The surveyor general shall trans
NIT to the register of the land Office at De-
troit, general and particular plots Of all the
lands surveyed as aforesaid, and shall also
toward copies OF the said plots TO the secre-
tary of the treasury. The commissioners
shall transmit to the secretary Of the trea-
sury transcript of their decisions in fa-
vor of claimants, which shall contain fair
statement of the evidence ON which each
respective claim is founded, and shall be
signed by the said commissioners, and shall
state the names of the parties in whose favor
the certificates have been granted, the num-
Der of acres granted and the situation ofthe
, land. And the certificate and certificates,
granted as aforesaid by the commissioners,
being duly entered with the register OF the
land Office OF Detroit prior 20 the first day
of January, one thousand eight hundred and
nine, shall cntitc the party or parties, as
soon as the plot on plots aforesaid, shah
( have been transmitted to the said register,
90 receive from him certificate or Certih-
Gates, for each OF which certificates the re-
gister shall receive one dollar, directed Ia
the secretary OF the treasury and iSit shall
appear 10 the satisfaction of the said secre-
tary, that such certificates have been fairly
J obtained, according to the true intent and
: meaning of this act, then and in that case
patents shall issue, IN like manner as is pro-
, vided by law for the other lauds of tho Uni.
) ted Ssates.
Sec. a. ind he IL ftrfFrr enaated, Tha,
; the powers vested by this act in the COM
; missloners aforementioned shall NOT c,t-
tend to the lots IN the town nj Detroit, the
claims 20 which shall be asccrtained and
| decided upon, ia Inc manner provided by
, the act, entitled 4" IA act to provide fol
, the adjustment OF titles OF land, in The towI
= Of Detroit, aud territory Of Michigan, anC
= for other purposes"
z Sec. 5. ,H4d be IL furfhe~ clacfeA Tha
= e d.