Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-05-11
(BY AUTHORITY
Laws of the United States.
AN ACT

To authorize the granting of Patents for
Land, according to the surveys that have
been made, and to grant donation rights
TO certain Claimants of Land in the Dis
trict of Detroit, and for other purposes.
BE enacted by the Senate and House
Of Representatives Of the United States of
dmericd, in Congress assembled, That pa
tents shall be granted to the persons whose
claims to land have been confirmed in the
District of Detroit, in conformity to the sur
veys which have been made under the di-
rection OF the Surveyor General, and the
general plat of which has been returned to
the Secretary of the Treasury, notwith-
standing the surveys shall not, in every re-
spect, correspond with the description of the
tracts as confirmed by the commissioners
for adjusting land claims in the said Dis
trict: Provided, That the confirmation of
the commissioners, and certificate of the re-
gister, shall, in every other respect, be con-
formable to law.
Sec. 9. IND be ii further enacted, That
every person, whose claim has been con-
hrmed by the commissioners aforesaid to a
tract OF land bordering on the river Detroit,
and whose tract, as confirmed does not ex-
tend in depth eighty arpens, French mea-
sure, shall be entitled to a donation of any
vacant tract of land adjacent to, and back of
the land confirmed To him as aforesaid, pro-
vlded that such donation shall not exceed
forty arpens, French measure, in depth, nor
lnquautlty OF land, that contained in the tract
already confirmed to him, nor shall in any
case the tract confirmed as aforesaid, and
that allowed as donation, together exceed
eighty arpens, French measure, in depth,
and in all cases where, by reason of bends
in the said river, and of adjacent prior
claims, each claimant cannot obtain a tract
equal IN quantity to the tract already con-
hrmcd to him, the vacant land applicable to
the object shall be divided between the claim
ants in such manner as shall appear to the
commissioners for adjusting the claims most
equitable. And every person claiming a do
nation in virtue of this section shall, OH or
before the first day of December next, deli
yer to the Register of the Land Office at
Detroit, notice in writing of the situation
and extent of his claim, which he shall file
IN his Office, on receiving twenty-five cents
from the party or parties for each claim
and if such person shall neglect to deliver
such notice within the time limited. his right
to donation, under this section, shall be-
come void. And the commissioners for adj
Justing claims to land in the said District
shall, as soon as may be after the first of
december next, proceed to examine and
decide, according to the provisions of this
section, on the claims filed as aforesaid and
when it shall appear to the said commissi-
oners that the claimant is entitled to do
nation OF land, they shall give certificate
stating the circumstances of the case, and
that the claimant is entitled to receive pa
tent for such tract fland by virtue of this
section, which tract shall be surveyed in
conformity with the decision of the Commits
sioners, at the expence of the party, under the
direction of the Surveyor General, by such
OF his assistants residing in the said District
as the said Surveyor-General shall appoint
TOR that purpose. The expense of survey
ing shall be the same, and the plats of sur
veys, and transcript of the decisions of the
commissioners in favor of claimants shall be
made and transmitted to the Secretary of
the Treasury in the same manner; and the
certificates granted by the commissioners
shall be entered with the Registered the Land
Office, and certificates of the Register be
granted to the party or parties on payment
OF the same fees, and patents granted, in
every respect, in the same manner as is di-
rected by the third section of an Act, enti-
tied " An act regulating the grams of land
in the Territory of Michigan" passed the
third day OF March, one thousand eight hun
dred and seven.
Sec. 2. .dnd be ii. further enacted, That
the heirs of Joseph Harrison, late of Detroit.
deceased, be permitted to enter with the
Register of the Land Office, for the District
OF Detroit, their claim to any tract or tracts
ofland in the said District and such entry
shall have the same effect, and the commits
sioners shall have the same powers, and act
thereon in the same manner, as if the entry
had been made before the first day of Janu-
airy, one thousand eight hundred and nine
and in case of decision in favor of their
claim or claims, patent or patents shall
be granted for the lands so claimed and con-
frned to them, any law to the contrary not
withstanding.
II. CLAY,
Sneaker ofthe House of Rehreseukatfz,es