The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-09-10
by AUTHORlTY.l
.[puBLic AcTs.1

ings 10 try the validity of their clains.
De IL tnacied by he Senate and House Of
Representatives. Of The United States Of Il
merica In Congress assembled, That il shall
BIZ lawful for any person or persons, or their
legal representative rs, claiming lands, tene
mtnts, ar entertainments, IN that part of the
late province of Louisiana, which is nov
included within the state of Missouri, by
virtue of any French or Spanish grant,
concession, warrant, or order of survey,
legally made, granted, or issued, before, the
tenth day OF March, one Thousand eight
hundred aud four, by the proper %auti,or;-
ties, To any person or persons resident IN
the province of Louisiana, at the date
thereof, or on or before the tenth day of
March, one Thousand eight hundred and
four, aud which MAS protected or secured
by the treaty between the Upied STAIRS of
America, aud the French republic, OF the
thirtieth day of April, one Thousand eight
hundred and three, and which might have
been perfected into II complete title, Under
aud in conformity To the laws, usages, and
customs, Ut the government under which
the same originate, had not the sovereign
~ of the country heea transferred To the
United States, III each and every such
case, it shall and may be lawful for such
person, or persons, or thrir legal Feprescn.
~tatises, to present a Position To ihe District
Court of the state Of Missouri, setting forth,
fully, plainly, and substantially, the nature
of his, her, or their claim 10 ti,e aaads, te-
nernents, or herehitameats, and particular
iy stating the date ef che graat, copcessiens
warrant or order Of survey, ander which
they CLAIM, the name or anne of any per-
son or persons claiming the same, or any
pat thereof, by Il different title from that
of the petitioner ; or holding possession of
any part thereof, otherwise than by the
lease or permission of the petitioner ; and,
also, if the United States be Interested on
account of GLANDS within the limits OF
such clajrn, not claimed by any other per-
son than the petitioner !; also, the quantity
claimed, and the boundaries thereof, when
the same may have been designated by
boundaries ; by whem issued, and whether
;. said claim has heeH submitted to the
examination of citllerof the tribunals winch
have been constituted by law for the ad-
justrnent of land titles III IL present hunts
of til. state Of Missouri, and by them re-
4 ported On un.avorably, or recommended
for confirmation /; praying, in said petition,
that the validity Of such title, or clHn,
may be inquired into and decided by the
| SdIu NilE dti0 Nv oh'A ,'N'N - 'h2'''J
authorized and required Ia hold and excr
else jnrisdictian Of every petition, present
ed ia csnEcrmity with tire provisions ofihis
act, aud to hcar and determine the same
on the actai;ah in case the answer or an-
swers be G4rd after due notice or on the
petition, and tire ssswcr or answers OF any
person OK persons Interested in preventing
any claj IN from being established and the
answs or eli the District Attorney OF the U
ni,cd States, where he may have filed an
answer, according To the evidence which
shall be adducrd hy the petitioner, by any
person interested in preventing the decree
of the court in fiyer of the title of the pctI-
tluncr or petitioners, aud by the United
States, in conformity With the principles al
Justice. and according to thu laws and
ordin1ac, II the government under which
the claim originated, aud the copy OF such
prtiisn, wiih a citation Ia any adverse
lH,sscssor, or ciaiinast, shall, be served on
sscI eoss,>sor or claimant H the ORDINARY
legal nanuer of serving such processln the
State Of Missouri, at least fifteen days before
the term of the District Court of the United
States, 10 which the same IS made re-
turnablc, and in like manner, on the
District Attorney OF the United States,
where the government IS interested IN the
defence and it shall be ihr duty nj the 4
uit.d States Attorney for the District III
which the suit shai. be instituted, IN all cases
where the United States are Interested on
sccnun, of public domain, I" take notice al
each petition filed t-lder the provisions oi
this act, in the said district, aud 10 make
defence, an all just aud proper occasions,
in hctialf of the public Interest.
Sec. 2. Ind be II further enacted, That
every petition which shall he presented un-
der the provisions of this act, shall be con-
ductcd according 10 the rules ot IA court
at equity, except ihat the answer OF the
District Attnrncy ofthe United states shall
not be required 10 he verified by his oath,
aud trird, without any cnntln"ance, unless
for cause shown aud the said court shall
bayr full power and authority to hear and
determine al questions arising in said
cause. relative tothe title Of the claimahts,
ia. extent, locality, and bonndaries of the
said claim, or other matters connected
Herewith, fit and proper to be heard and
determined and, by "A final decree, I"
settle and determine the question at the
validity of the title, according To the law OF
nations the stipulation3 of any treaty, and
proceedings under the same ; the several
Iacts of Congress in relation thereto and
IN. laws and ordinances of the government
from WHICH il is alleged TO have been de-
rived and all other questions properly "A
rising betM cen the claimants and the I'm
ted States " hich decree sha |. III all cases,
refer to the treaty, law, or ordinance, nn
Ter which il is confirmed or drcrt'd a.
tainst and the Court may, at its dIsere
lion. order disputed facts To be i"und by a
Jury, according to the regulations and
u~raclic-. OF the Said Court, when d.
%rcctinr i-uvs in Chaucery before the
Isame Court; and, in all cases, the par
'ty against whom the judgment or de-
IL 1hu snin nilIrirt CnlIrt may