Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-03-06
EDITED BY
WAR DEPaR1gUE.TT.
AN ACT

Ho provide for designating, surveying and grant
ing the military bounty lands.
BEit enacted 6y the Senafe and House of Re-
prsse'a,atiOes efte Uiiited States Of .4mesTca in
Coayress assembled, That the President of the
United Statea be and he is hereby authorised, TO
Cause to be surveyed a quantity OF the public
lands of tue q. 5. at for cultivation not otherwise
appropriated and 10 which the Indian title isexiin-
guished, notexceetng in the whole SIX millions OF
@crss two millions to &c surveyed in Che tcrrtor,
otMichgan, two Sions in the Illinois territory,
north of the Illinois river, and two millions in the
territory of Louisiana, between the river ST. Fran.
CTS, and the river Arkansas the said lands to be
divided INTO townships, and snh-dyided into
sections (each quarter section to coatain as near.
rs possible, one hundred and sixty acres in the
manner prescribed by Law Cor surveying and sub.
dividing the. other public lands of the United
States; the same price to be allowed for survey
ing is fixed for surveying the other public lands
in the same territory. And the lands thus survey.
ed, with the exception OF the salt springs and lead
mines therein, and of the quantities Of land adj
jacent thereto, as may be reserved for the use of
the same, by the President of the United States
and the section No. 10, in every township, TO be
granted to the inhabitants Of such township for
she use of public schools, shall be set apart and
reserved for the purpose OF satisfying the boun-
ties of one hundred and sixty acres, promised to
the non-commissicDed officers and soldiers Of the
United States, ther heirs and legal representatives,
by toe act, entitled " an act for completng the
existing military establishments" approved the
tSenly-fouIth day IF December eighteen hundred
ard eleven, and by the act, entitled Is an act 10
raise en- additional military force" approved the
eleventh day of January eighteen hundred and
twelve.
Sec. 9. .qsldbe it. further enacted. That the Sc
cretary for the Department of War, for the time
issue to the persons entitled thereto by the two
last mentioned acts, o. either OF them Prouidsd
Glzeays that ouch warrants shall be issued only 10
She names Of the persons tiIus entitled and be BY
them or her Representatives applied for within
Sveyears after the SAID persons shall have be-
come entitled thereto and the said warrant
shall not be assignAble transferable in any
manner whatever.
Sec. 3. find Se n further enacted, That every
person in whose favor such warrant shall have
been issued, shall, on delivery ofthe same, at the
office OF tl,e Secretary nfthe Treasury, or Of such
o,her cfficsr as may at me came time have, by
law, the superintendance of the General land Of
fee of the United States, at the seat of govern
rDent. be entitled TO draw by lot in such manner
rs the officer, at the head ofthe land Office, un-
der the direction of the President Of the United
atates may prescribe, one of the quarter sections
surveyed by virtue of the first section of this
act IN either of the said territory which the per-
son in whose favor such warrant has issued may
designate And apaient shall thereupen be gran
ted TO such person, for such quarter section,
without requiring any Tee therefore,
Sec. < md b. IL further eaectsd, That no claim
for the military land bounties aforesaid, shalt be
Sssgna5le OF transferable, IN any manner whatever
until after patent shall have been granted in
tie manner aforesaid al sales, mortgages, con-
tracts, or agreements, OF any nature whsteyer,
made prior thereto, for the purpose, or with in
tent Of alternating, pledgIug or mortgaging any
auch clam, are hereby declared and shall be held
Il -. los,1
ed ss aforesaid, be liable to be taken IN execution
or sold on account Of any such sale, mortgage,
contract, or agreement, o. on account OF any debt
contracted PRIOR to the date Of the patent, either
BY the person originally entitled to the land, oe
By his heirs or legal representatives, or by yiruF
Of amy process, or suit at law, or judgment of
court against personeHtitled to receive his pa
tent as Aforesaid
Speaker Of tie House Of Representatives..
JOHN GAlLLARD,
President Of tie Senate bro teft0re
bay 6, 1s12--APPRoyED,
JAMES MADISON
From the provisions Of the foregoing act, il is
manifest that no Patent can issue Until the War.
rant is presented to the Commissioner of the
Land Oiiice--It is therefore the interest Of the
Persons entitled to Military Lands, that their
Warrants should, mediatelY after they are IS
sved be deposited IN the Office from whence
their Patents are 10 be obtained. This course
will preserve then from the various accidents TO
which they ral be subjected in the hands of the
Owners or Agents who may have been authori-
sed 20 obtain them. II IS also manifest that ali
Contracts for the Sale Of, OF incumbrance upon
these Lands prior to the issuing Of the Patents
are Illegal and void As it is Dnpssible tina,
Persons possessed Of Powers OF Attorney for OBJ
tanning Military Land Warrants, can have avs
tegitimsfc interest distinct from their Principals
Warrants hereafter issued will be deposited IL
the General Land Office and a Certificate Of thai
re- viii be gwen 10 such Attorneys IL required
A Copy Of this proceeding viii be Forwarded e
every Person In whose name Warrant shall IS
ase, not only to cOuntcrsct any misre presentations
Of The object Of this Regulation, but TO place th
Soldiers Of the late Army upon their guard q
gainst The devices which have already been, o
may hereafter be, prsctIsed by unplIncipied an,
designing men 70 deprive them Of the Rewar'
which is 50 justly due 70 Their merItorlogs sur
vices.
Land Warrants Will continue to be issued a
She War Department upon The presentation ofth
CntaNAL g floEOnABLE DIscHARsE," which wi
remain there upon File, heretofore but y
other document viii be required to accompan
It excepting the addFess Of The original Claiman
IN order that he may be duly notlhec 0f ihs BJll
Der and dae Of the Land Warrant that viii issO
IN bis name.
~ cases where The original Claimants are dead
rHE 1FoTrfnGrF anRs ar LAW" must substsI
eiate their CLAIMS conior4nably 70 the Regulation
now IN use.
February 10th, 1916,
q The Printers authorised 20 publish u
Laws OF y. states are requested TO insert Il
hcye three times.