, 1854-11-18


AN ACT TO amend the act approved Septembe
twentyseyen, eighteen hundred aud fifty, to Great
the Office Of Surveyor General OF the Public Land
in Oregon. Sc., and also the act amendaory Thereof
approved February nineteen, eighteen hundred an
hnythree.
BE il enacted By the Senate and House o.
| Representatives, Of The United States o
america IN Congress assembled, That III,
donations hereafter to be surveyed IN Ore
gon and Washington Territories, claimed
under any Of the provisions of the act tC
create the Office Of surveyor general Of tht
public lands in Oregon, &c, approved Sep
tember twenty-seven, eighteen hundred anC
fifty, shall in no case include town site
or lands settled upon for purposes of busi
ness or trade, and not for agriculture
and all legal subdivisions included il
whole or ip part in such town sites, OIL
settled upon for purposes of business
or trade, and not for agriculture, shal
be subject TO the operations Of the act o.
May twenty-threc; eighteen hundred and
forty-four, "for the relief Of citizens o.
towns upon lands Of the United States, I'M
der certain circumstances" whether sucl
settlements were made before or after the
surveys: PrOrided, hoWerer, That the peri
cd of two years occupancy required of set
Tiers before they can purchase the lands
claimed by them under the provisions o.
the first section of the act Of February
fourteen, eighteen hundred and iifty-threC
above mentioned, shall be, and the same is
hereby, reduced to one year.
Sec. 9. And be IL further enacted, That
the proviso to the fourth section Of the act
Of twenty-seventh September, eighteen
hundred and fifty, above mentioned, by
which all contracts for the sale of lands
claimed under that law, before the issue Of
patents therefor, are declared void, shall
be, and the same is hereby repealed: Pro
Uiiied, That no sale shall be deemed valid,
unless the vendor shall have resided four
years upon the land
Sec. 8. And be Il further enacted, That
the pre-emption privilege granted by the
act Of fourth September, eighteen hundred
and forty-one, shall be, and the same is
hereby, extended TO the lands in Oregon
and Washington Territories, whether sur
veyed or unsurveyed, not rightfully claimed,
entered, or reserved, under the provisions
OF this act, or the acts Of which it is amen
datory, nor excluded by the terms Of the
said act of eighteen hundred and forty
with the exception Of unsurveyed lands as
aforementioned; and all settlers on un-
surveyed lands in said territories shall give
notice TO the surveyor general, or other du-
ly authorized officer, Of the particular
tract claimed under this section, within six
months after the survey Of such lands is
made and returned And oil persons claim
ing donations uuder this act, or the acts Of
which it Is ainendatory, shall in lIIsse man.
ner give notice to the surveyor general, OF
other duly authorized ofl.cer, of the partic-
ular lands claimed az such donations, with.
in thirty days e.ster being requested to do
so by such officer; and failing such notice
IN eltEer case, the claimant or claimants
sanll forfeit all right and claim thereto
Provided Aotrerer, That the time limited by
the sixth section Of the act Of eighteen
hundred and ffty-three, in which claimants
under the act OF eighteen hundred and fifty
are required to give notice Of their claims
shall be, and the same is hereby extended
to the first Of December, eighteen hundred
and ffty-fve, except in cases where the sur
veyor general shall request them so to do
as above provided.
Sec. 4. and beH further eaaeted, That
in lieu Of the two townships Of land gran
ted to the Territory of Oregon by the tentl
section Of the act Of eighteen hundred aD(
fifty, for universities, there shall be reser
we'd to each of the Territories of Washing
ton and Oregon two townships Of land Of
thirty-six sections each, to be selected il
legal subdivisions for university purposes
under the direction of the legislatures O
said territories respectively. 3D..
Sec. 8. AMd be IL further enacted, Thai
in any case where orphans have been, ol
may be, left in either Of the said Terrific
ries, whose parents, or either of them, i
4 living, would have been entitled to doha
ton under5 this act, orseither of those o
h which IT, is ameHdatory, said orphans shal
be entitled to a.quarter section Of land OF
, due proof being made TO the satisfaction o
the Surveyor General, subject to the decis
ion OF the Secretary Of the Interior Sal,
land to be set of to them by the SurFeyo
1 General in good agricultural land, not re
served, or otherwise appropriated, unde
, any law Of congress; and, in case Of tn,
death of either or any of said orphans, al
ter their lands shall have been designated
by the Surveyor General, the right o
rights of the deceased shall vest in the sur
vivor or survivors. b.. .t
Sec. 6. And be Il further enacted, Tha
all the provisions of this act, and the act
of which it is amendatory, shall be extend
: ed to all the lands in Oregon and Wash
f ington Territories; and, for the purpose 0
carrying said acts into effect in said Terri
tories, the President shall be, and he i
hereby, authorized to appoint a registe
and receiver for each of said Territories
whose powers, duties, obligations and res
possibilities, shall be the same as are nov
: prescribed by law for other land officer
aud for the Surveyor General of Oregon