Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-06-01
An Important Projected Land Law.

ot which would benefit the country.
 There are some features of this bill that we do not like, and if it becomes a law shall have more to say thereon
 Private Land Claims.
 The following bill has passed the Senate. with some unimportant amendments It has yet to receive the assent of the House:
 BILL for the final adjustment of private
 land claims in the States of Florida, Lousi-
 ana, Arkansas and Missouri, and for other
 purposes.
 Be t enccted Jy the Senate and House of Rep- resentatioes cf the United States of America ia Congress assembled, That any person or Der sous, and the legal representatives of any per- son or persons, who claim any lands lying within the States of Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas or Missouri, by virtue of grant, concession, order of survey, permission to settle, or other written evidence oi title, emanatng from any foreign government, bearing date prior to the cessicn 70 the United States of the territory out of which said States were formed and during the period when any such government claimed sov- erelgnty or had the actual possession of the district or territory in which the lands so claim ed are situated shall be, and they are hereby, authorized to make application for the confirma- ton of their title to the lands so claimed in the manner following to wit: They shall file mo- tlces In writing together with the evidence in support of their claims, before the commissioners hereinafter designated within whose district the land claimed may be situated. together with a brief abstract of the title of the claimant. and copies of the plas of survey thereof, whenever such surveys have been made and are within the possession of the claimant, and accompanied with sworn statement, by the claimant, of the lands supposed to be covered by his claim. &C., cording to the legal divisions and subdivisions ot the surveys made by the United States, if the land claimed is included in any surveys so made; and the said notices, evidence, and the decisions of the commissioners thereoh shall be recorded in book kept for that purpose. a transcript of which shall, from time to time, be l transmitted to the commissioner of the general land office.
 SEC. ?. And be it .fi"tAer enacted That the registers and receivers of the several land off, ces in the States of Florida, Louisiana and Ar. kansas within their respective land districts. and the recorder of land titles for the city of St. Louis, for the State of Missouri, and their successors in office, shall be- and they arc here by appointel commissioners to hear and decide. under such instructions as may be prescribed by the commissioner of the general land oflice in conformity with this act and according to justice and equity and the principles hereinafter estab- llshed, Tn summary manner, all matters re- | spectlng such claims within the districts afore- said as come within the provisions of this act; they shall have power to administer Oaths compel the atttndance of and examine witnesses demand and obtain from the proper officers all public records in which grants of land, warrants, orders of survey or other evidence of claims to land derived from any foreign government may have been recorded, and shall make report to the commissioner of the general land office on the claims so presented to them for decision dividing said claims into separate classes in the manner hereinafter provided, and giving their opinion whether such claims ought to be con- firmed or rejected
 SEC. 3. And Dc t ttat1er enacted, That the claims so presented and passed upon by the commissioners, aforesaid, shall be by them divided in their report into three distinct classes as follows, viz:
 Nun,ber one shall contain all claims which, in their opinion, ought to be confirmed, where the lands claimed have been in possession and culti- vaton by the private claimants or those under whom they derive title for period of at least twenty years preceding the date of filing the claim, by virtue of some grant, concession, or | order of survey, permission to settle or other 
 foreign government which held or claimed sov ereignty or jurisdiction over the territory in which the lands claimed are situated, and where the title emanatng from such foreign government bears date anterior to the cession of said terri tory to the United States.
 | Number taoo shall contain all claims which. in their opinion, oughtto be confirmed, where the lands are claimed under written evidence of title, as above provided in class number one but where there has been no actual possession and cultivation of the land claimed for period of at least twenty years prior to the filing of the | claim.
 | Number three shall contain all claims which in their opinion, ought to be rejected, whether from defect or proof, suspicion of fraud based on probable ground, uncertainty of location, vague ness of description, or any other cause sufficient, in their opinion, to justify such rejection: Pro- vsded, That in no case shall such commissioners embrace in said classes number one and number 1 tpo any claim which has been heretofore pre- sented for confirmation before any board of commissioners, or other public officers acting under authority of Congress, and rejected as | being fraudulent, or procured or maintained by | fraudulent or improper means; nor shall any | such claim be received or considered by the commissioners which has been already twice re- jected on its merits by previous boards. ii