The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-07-01
ARMED OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES,

GENERAL LAND OFrIcE,
June 29th, Is43.
GENrLEmEv; In continuation of the instructions
in my letter of August 25th, lS42 under the act Of
4th August ls42, entitled Gan act to provide for the
| armed occupation and settlement Of the unsettled
1T of the peninsula Of East Florida" have on
this occasion to advise you, under the direction oil
the President, respecting the proceedings to be had
next in order o-wit under the fourth condition and
stipulation Of the first section Of the act in the words
following:
"That such settler shall within year after the
survey of the sad lands and the opening Of the pro-
per Office for the entry and sale of the same by the
United States, prove before such tribunal, and IN
such manner and form shall be prescribed by the
Commissioner of the General Land Office, with the
approval of the President the fact that the settlement
has been commenced and the particular quarter sec
| ton upon which il is located"
With the appreciation Of the President, then, the
Register and Receiver are hereby constituted the
4" tribunal" before which the proof is to be made in
regard to the contemplated by the act
With view, then, 10 the proper execution of your
duties, and to facilitate operations under the law,
you will observe the following directions:
lst In cases where the land was Surveyed at the
time of granting the permit, the YEAR" will COM
menee with the day when your office 'cas prepared
to act under the law ; and you are requested TO
issue public notice setting forth such date de-
signaling the particular township of land, the
pats whereof were filed in your office al thai date,
giving the of the settlers respectively, in those
townships, TO whom Permits have been granted, with
the numbers of their Permits. See form of notice
marked Al
r
regular and consecutive series of numbers, from No.
l-shou'd il be found necessary to issue more than
one-should from time to time be forwarded TO this
office; and at the expiration of the year. complete
turn must be made, indicating all the settlers in
such township who, eiain the year, (the time
stipulated,) shall have complied with the re.
quirement of law, by showing the fact that
the settlement has been commenced, and the
particular quar.er section which it is located y
said return should designate the particular quarter
sections located by the respective settlers and should
also show the names of those who may have failed to
comply with the requirements Of the act ISee form
of return marked b.
I'd In where the land was surveyed at any
tune subsequent the date aforesaid, you will regard
the term Of one year." commencing from the day
when the Surveyor General shall Ger ty The tsunship
plat and from time TO time township plats shall
be received at your Office, you will issue public
ce Of the fact giving particular list of such town
ship, and the particular day when the term of one
year will expire in each [See form Of this
notice marked c.
NoTE-lt is not necessary to send TO this Office
copies Of the publ, notice under this ID item OF in
structions because such notices would no USE
full purpose, as they would not exhibit the settlers
names.
It's proper, however, and you are, therefore, re-
quired TO make monthly returns, consecutively
bered. of such settlers. may, from time to time
thin the ''year meet the requirements of the act
those also to indicate the No. of Permit aud
the particular degnaon of the quarter section accord
ing to the public surveys lFor form of monthly re-
turn, see paper ID.
AT the expiration of the year in this class Of cases,
complete reien is also required similar TO that called
for in the cases first referred TO in the foregoing
The act provides, 90 that in case of the settlement
Of the same quarter section by two or more settlers
the right TO the location shall be determined by prior
ity Of settlement, TO be ascertainod under SUI rules
as the Commissioner Of the General Land Office
with the approval Of the President, may pres ribe
and the subsequent settler settlers shall be permit
teu 10 iocate c quinl ne, she OF tnel may De en-
titled to elsewhere, within the same township, upon
vacant public lands"
Cases may arise under this section where the cul-
tivation by may be found to be precedent to that
b. b, and the erection Of dwelling by was prece-
dent to that by A. In such case, priority Of cult
ration must govern In cases coming within this
provision Of the law, you are required to give pa
iient hearing to all the facts TO be sustained by cred
ible witnesses, which shall be adduced by the con-
tending parties. The Register and Receiver Of the
appropriate land district having been constituted by
the president the tribunal referred TO in the act
for determining all claims arising under It's
provisions, il would be desirable that in all
of conflicting claims the parties should appear
before you with their respective Witnesses, in order
TO give you an opportunity Of cross-exomining the
witnesses with view TO the more readily elcitng
the truth of the case.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
TilOS. II. BLAKE, Commissioner
To the Register and Receiver, of the Land Offices