Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-05-14
(BY AUrHO aTrY.)
Laws of the United States
AN ACT

| AN ACT
For ascertaining the titles and claims to
| lands in that part of Louisiana which lies
| east of the river Mississippi and island of
| New-Orleans.
| Be it enacted by the Senate and House
| Of Representatives IF the United States If
America, III Congress assembled, That for
the purpose of ascertaining the titles and
Claims to lands in that tract of country
which lies south of the Mississippi Territory,
east sthe river MississippiSc island vf New
Orleans, - west of the river Pcrdido, and
line drawn with the general course there
! OF to the southern boundary OF the said Mis-
sissippi territory, the lands within the s:id
limits shall be laid of into two land districts,
between which Pearl river shall be the
boundary (; and for each of which districts a
commissioner fer land claims shall be APP
pointed by the President of the United States,
with the advice and consent of the Senate
he SAID commissioners shall, respectively,
have power to appoint clerk, who shall be
person capable of translating the French
and Spanish languages, and who shall, in
addition to the other duties required of him
| by this act, perform the duties of transla-
tor, when required by the commissioner
And the said commissioners and clerks
shall, before entering en- the duties of their
I appointments, respectively take an oath or
affirmation truly and faithfully to execute
the duties imposed IN them by this act
Sec. ,. ind be il further enacted, That
for the more convenient ascertanment of
the titles and claims to lands as aforesaid, it
shall be the duty of each of the said commits
sioners, respectively, and their clerks, to at
| tend to each OF the several parishes i'm his
district, at such time and place therein rs he
shall appoint, for the purpose of receiving
notices and evidences of titles and claims to
lands within the same and when the COM
missioner shall have appointed the time and
place for his attendance in any parish, he
shall cause public notice thereof to be given
to the inhabitants of the same, for at least
| twenty days previous to the time of his com
, nencing the business of his appointment
therein.
Sec. 3. Ind be it Further enacted, That
| such commissioner, after he shall have at
tended for a reasonable and sufficient length
o. time in each parish of his district, for the
claimants of lands within the same to have
! delivered the notices and evidences of their
| claims, shall establish his Office at such place
IN his district as he shall Judge most conve-
nient, and OF which he shall give public no.
tice; and every pers3n claiming lands with
/ III his district, who shall have neglected. on
by any circumstance have been prevented
from delivering notice and evidence of his
claims, during the time the commissioner at
tendcdin the parish in which the lands he
may claim are situate, shall be at liberty, at
any time before the end of six months from
and after such office shall have been esta-
blishcd, to delivera notice and the evidence
of his claims; and it shall have the same
effect as If delivered in the parish wherein
the lands claimed are situated
| Sec 4. lind be il further enacted, That
every person claiming lands in the tract OF
country aforesaid, by virtue of any grant, or
der or survey, or other evidence of claim
whatsoever, derived from the French. Bri-
fish and Spanish governments, shall deliver
10 the commissioner for land Claims, when
attending for the purpose, in the parish in
which the lands claimed may lie. a notice in
writing, stating the nature and extent of his
Claims, together with plat Tin case a sur
vey shall have been made) of the trast OF
tracts claimed; and shall deliver to the
commissioner when attending as aforesaid
for the purpose of being recorded, every
grant, order or survey, deed, conveyance, OF
other written evidence of his claim and the
same shall be recorded by the clerk in books
to be Kept for that purpose, on his receiving
from the party or parties at the rate al
twelve and half cents for every hundred
words contained in such written evidence al
their claim: Provided hozveUer, That where
lands are claimed by virtue of a complete
French, British or Spanish grant, it shall
not be necessary for the claimant to have
any other evidence of his claim entered a,
large on the record, except the original
grant or patent, together with the order ri
survey, and the plat; all the other convey
ances or deeds may be abbreviated in the
4 go hut 40 I'll &c "a
every transfer shall appear on the record
And if such person shall neglect to deliver
such notice in writing of his claim, together
with the plat lin case the lands claimed
shall have been surveyed) as aforesaid, or
cause to be recorded such written evidence
OF the same, within the time and times as
aforesaid, his claim shall never after be re-
cognized or confirmed by the United States
nor shall any grant, order or survey, deed,
conveyance, or other written evidence.
which shall not be recorded as above direct
ed, ever after be considered or admitted as
evidence in any court Of the United States,
against any grant which may hereafter be
derived from the United States.
Sec. S. IND be IL /itrther enacted. That
the said commissioners shall have power. in
their respective districts, 70 inquire INTO the
justice and validity Of the claims filed with
them as aforesaid: it shall be their duty to
| ascertain IN every case, whether the lands
claimed have been inhabited and cultiyat-
| ed ! at what time such nhabitation and chi
tivation commenced; when surveyed, and
ny whom and on what authority; and into
every other matter respecting the claims
which may affect the justice and VALIDITY
thereof; and for that purpose shall have
power to administer oaths, and to comee
the attendance of, and examine witnesse,
nd such other testimony as may be adduc
| ~ to have access 20 all recnrds rf n mi