Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-05-06
de and Office Of Opelousas, and as

)ne Oh tuC COMMISSIONERS hOt oo~Sh-
aiming the rights of persons claiming |
Iands in any part of the said Western
land district. And for the land office
north of the Red river, aregister and
for each of the said three Offices, a
receiver of public monies shall be ap.
pointed, who shall give security In
the same manner, in the same sums,
& whose compensations, emoluments,
duties and authority, shall In every
respect be the same, in relation to the
lands which shall be disposed of at
their Offices, as are or may be pro-
vided by law, in relation to the regis
tiers and receivers of public monies
IN the several Offices established for
the disposal of the lands Of the u
nited States. in the territory Of Mis-
sissippi.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted,
That the powers vested in the Pre-
sident of the United States by the e.
lrventh section Of the act, entitled h" An
act supplementary to an act, entitled
" An act for ascertaining aud adjus-
ting the titles and claims to land with
in the territory of Orleans, and the
district of louisiana" passed on the
twenty first day of April, one thou
sand eight hundred and six, in relation
to the public lands, lying in the wes-
tern district of the territory Of Or.
leans, ana all the other provisions
made by the same section, for the sale
Of said lands, and for obtaining pa
tents for the same, shall be, AID the
same are hereby, in every respect, ex-
tended to the public lands, lying in
the Eastern district of the territory of
Orleans.
Sec. S, And be it further enacted,
That every person who, either by
virtue of French or Spanish grant
recognised BY the laws of the United
States, or under claim confirmed by
the commissioners appointed for the
purpose of ascertaining the rights of
persons claiming lands in the terrific.
nv OF Orleans, owns a tract of land
bordering on any river, creek, bayou
or water course, in the said territory,
and not exceeding in depth forty ar
pens, French measure, shall be emit.
tied to preference in becoming the
purchaser of any vacant tract of land
adjacent to and back of his own tract
not exceeding forty arpens, French
measure, in depth, nor in quantity of
land that which is contained In his
own tract, at the same price, and on
the same terms and conditions, as are
may be provided by law for the
.ner public lands in the said terrific
ry. And the principal deputy sur.
veyor of each district respectively,
shall be and he is hereby authorised,
under the superintendance OF the sur
veyor OF the public lands south of the
state OF Tennessee, TO cause to be
surveyed the tracts claimed by virtue
of this section and in all cases where
by reason of bends in the river, creek,
bayou or water course, bordering on
the tract ard Of adjacent claims of a
similar nature, each claimant cannot
obtain tract equal in quantity to the
adjacent tract already owned by him,
to divide the vacant land applicable !
to that object between the several CHI
mants, in sch manner as to him will
appear most equitable: Provided how. |
ever, That The right of pre-emption,
granted by this section shall, not ex-
tend so far in depth, as to include
ands fit for cultivation, bordering on
another river, creek, bayou or water
course. And every person entitled to
he benefit of this section, shall with
n three years after the date of this
let, deliver to the register of the pro-
per land Office a no'ice in writing, sta
ting the situation and extent of the
tract of land he wishes to purchase,
and shall also make the payment and
payments for the same, at the time
and times, which are or may be pre-
scribcd by law for the disposal of the |
other public lands in the said terrific.
~ the time of his delivering the no.
tice aforesaid being considered as the
date of the purchase. And if any such
person shall fail to deliver such notice
within the SAID period OF three years,
or 20 make such payment or payments
at the time above mentioned, his right
Of presumption shall cease and become
void; and the laod may thereafter be,
purchased by any other person in the
same manner aud on the same terms,
as are or may be provided by law for
the sale Of other pu0lie lands in the