The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1826-05-18
Bp aItborttp.

Bp aatboritp.
LAWS OF THE usirEp STATES, PASSED AT TIL
FIRST Session oT rHE sIsErErsTH CONGRESS
fPvBLIc-No. "a.
An ACT giving the right of pre- -emption
Ill the purchase Of Lands, 10 Certain set
tiers in the States Of Alabama, Mississip-
pi, and Territory of Florida.
BE It enacied By the Senate and House
Of Representatives. fhe United States OF
.4uerica IN Congress assembled, That eve
ny person, or the legal representatives of
any person, who, being either tho head of a
family or twenty-one years of age, did, on
or before the first day of January. in the
year one thousand eight hundred and TWEEN
ty-tive, actually inhabit and cultivate a
tract of land situated in the Territory OF
Florida, which tract is not sStfuly claim
eddy any other person, and who shall not
have removed from tho said Territory, shaI!
be entitled to the act Of pre.empton
in the purchase thereof, under the same
terms, restrictions, conditions, provisions.
aud regulations, IN every respect, as are di-
rected by the act. entitled I" An act giving
the right OF pre-emption, IN the purchase of
lands, to certain settlers in the Illinois Ter
rtory," passed February the fifth, one thou
sand eight huRdted and tilrpeSu. rrV-
vided, That no person shall be entitled 10
Il, the provisions Of this section, who claims
any tract of land in said Territory, by yir-
tue OF confirmation of the Commissioners,
or by virtue of any act of,Congress.
Sec. 2. .4ps! be II further enacted, That
any person, or the legal representatives Of
any persons, entitled to preference in be-
coming the purchaser of a tract Of land at
private sale, according to the provisions of
this act, who is settled on fractional quar-
ter section, shall have the privilege Of pur-
chasing an adjoining quarter scction, or the
fractional quarter section, ,iGproyed by them
at their option.
Sec. 3. .4ad bst further enacted, That
in cases where two or more persons enti-
tied to the right Of pre-emption shall be
settled on one quarter, or fractional quar-
ter-section ofland, they shall be authorized
to purchase one or more quarter sections,
which, with the quarter section, or frac-
ticnal quarter, upon which such persons are
settled, shall be equally divided between
them, in such manner as the Register and
Recorder shall direct, so as to secure, as
far as may be practicable, TO each such
person, their improvements, respectively
PTopided, That in no instance shall any
person be entitled to preference IN the
purchase for more than one quarter SECTION
of land, in addition to his portion Of the
fractional quarter section OH which he is
settled.
Sec. 4. .4ad be II further enacted, That
any person or persons, who have settled on
and improved any of the lands in the said
Territory, reserved for the use Of schools,
and who would have had the right Of pre-
emption thereto by law, had not the same
been so reserved shall have the right Of
pre-emption under the same terms and con-
ditdh,, and subject 10 the same restrictions
provided for in other cases of right OF
pre-emption in said Territory to quarter
section fuDappropriated lands in the same
township, and as near ad jacent as lands OF
like quantity can be obtained.
SEC. 5. .9pd be Il further enacted, That
every person, or his or her legal represen-
. tarive, comprised in the list OF actual set
tiers, reported to the Commissioner of the
General LaHd Office, by the Register and
Receiver for the District of Jackson Court
House, IN the state of VI Mississippi, under the
authority OF an act of Congress, entitled
"An act for adjusting the claims to lands,
and establishing fand Offices in the Dis.
tricts east ofthe Island Of Newt Orleans .
approved the third day of March. one thou.
sand eight hundred and nineteen, not hav-
ing any written evidence Of claim 20 land
m SAID district, ala. who, on the third day
ot March, one thousand eigh; hundred and
ninctccn did actsaAy inhabit and cultivate
attract OF land n, said district. not claimed
byyiriuc ofsuy written evidence of claim,
legally derived from either the French,
British, or Spanish Governments, or grant.
ed ns donation by virtne 0f an act of Con-
g'ess heretofore passed, shall DC entitled TO
right OF preference, on beco5ning the
purchaser from the United States Of such
tract ofland. az tho same price for which
other public la'> are sold o. pfiysfe sale /.
Frov'Gef. That such trac, Of Iand shel. not
contain more thsn one hundred and SIXTY
acres, to be located by sectional iin,s. and
that the same shall be DULY entered Wi,h
,he Register Of the proper Office. within
the tena Of two years. or beloro. If tie
same shall be sOfsTel Q: public sac :,,2,r