Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-07-18
Pre-Emptions on Swamp Lands

Having been written to on the subject, we made enquiries of the proper officers and obtained certain information concern ing pre-emptions, which may be of interest to some of our readers.
 The ordinance of the convention adopted May 27, 1861, has the following sections:
 SEC. I9 BeI jurttr ordained, That no public sale of swamp lands shall be made before the first day of October, A. D. 1861.
 SEC 20 Be | further 0rddiRed, That where proof of rre-emptOn rights have not been made, pre-emptors on swamp lands shall make proof on or before the day of public sale, and, upon satis factory proof being made the state land agent shall give his certificate, which shall state that the pre- emptor has proven a pre-emption to the tract of land therein mentioned, which certificate may be transferred by assignment, ndorsed thereon, sealed and acknowledged by the assignor. | SEC 2l. Be t further ordained, That pre-emp- tors, their heirs, executors, administrators and as signs, may make payment for such lands or be- 1 fore the first day of Januaiy, A. b. 1863. | SEC. 22 That in case of claimant of a pre- emption being in the military service of this State or the Confederate States, the proof may be made | by others than the pre-emptor.
 SEc. g. Be t further ordained, That all laws of this State, not inconsistent with this ordinance, regulating pre- -emptons, are hereby continued in force, and this ordinance may be altered or amend ed at any regular session of the General Assembly of this State.
 These, obviously, refer only to swamp lands which have not yet been offered at public sale Where the land has been of- fetd, the re-emptor has year, from the da'e Offlins his declaration, to pay for the land. In other words, pre- emption rights to offered lands are not changed or affected by the ordinance.
 The fifth section of the ordinance refer red to, says:
 "All the swamp lands which have been located, or reported such to the proper authorities of this State, and which have not been confirmed by the commissioner of the general land office, and the authorities at the city of Washington, be, and the same are hereby deemed to be fully confirmed, and this confirmation shall have the same effect as though said lands had been patented to the State of Arkansas, except all those tracts or parcels of land that were sold by the registers Of the several land offices of the United States, to any party or parties whatever, who shall be entitled to their pa tent deeds for the same"
 It will take some time to make out lists of these lands and have them compared with the registers of sales in the several land offices. Whenit is done large quan- tity of the best lands will be brought into market. It is not probable that the sales of these lands can be made until next spring. Of the lands heretofore confirmed no sale can be made until next October.- Pre-emptors in the Batesville district have until the day of sale to make their proof, and until the first of January, 1863, to make payment for these unoffered lands.
 When the lists heretofore referred to are completed, 1t will close up the selections of swamp lands. Pre-emptors on these lands will have until the day of sale to make proof and pavment.