, 1861-02-08
Laws Of the United States.


N|.IN|| lNINlIl
i1iiu q fll DATED States Of inisioa N C0agrsss
assrbed, That any person or persons, and the legal
representatiyc Of any peIsqn q persons; who claim
any ands lying gthin ne States q Florida Louisiana
Missouri. hy virtue Of grant, concession, order Of
survey permission % seitle, other written evidence
Of title, emanainF um any foreign government bear
lng date pror . Tie eeson g The United States Of
The territory oai Of which said States fountd or
during he period when any such government claimed
sovereignty o. had the actual possession OF the district
TERRITORY n which the lands 50 claimed are situated,
shall be. aud they are hereby authorized TO make ap
plicaion or the confirmation q their title 70 the lands
claimed, In The manner following to-wit they shall
nle pooes IN Uridng together with the eyidence in
support q her claims, before the commissioners
hcreinaItcr designated, within whose district the
land claimed may be situated. together with brief
abstract Of the title Of The claimant and copies Of the
plats Of survey thereof whenever such surveys have
been made aud are within the possession Of tue claim
ant and accompanied with a sworn statement by the
claimant Of the lands supposed 70 be covered by his
claim, according 70 the ega divisions and s'ldiyi-
uons Of the Surveys made By the Uniicd States II the
i.nd claimed Is included IN ANY survey made; and
tie aad notices. evidence and the decisions Of the
commissioners thercon, shrl Be recorded In q book
kepl ~ thAt paipose transcript o. which shall,
sEc 4 Ard o. Il fsrfksr enacted, That the regis
ters and receivers Of The several land Offices in the
States Of Florida and Louisiana, within their respec-
tive and dtcis and the recorder Of land titles for
Tic city Of 81. Louis. for the STATE of Missouri and
telr successors In oloe. shal BE- and they here
der aagh Instructions IS may be prescribed BY the
Commissioner Of the General Land Onlce In conomi-
yWiih this act aad accorlng % Justice and equity
~ tne pnneipes nerslna'lei estaoanee, IN sum
IN the districts Aforesaid come within the provisions
q ths acf they shat have power 70 administer oaths.
compel the attendance Of and examine Witnesses, de-
u1n1 and obtain from the proper officers all public
rccor1 N which grants OF land, warrants orders Of
survey, or other evidence Of claims 70 land derived
ilgm any foreign goscrnmeni nay have been record.
Cd, and shall make report TO the Commissioner Of
tae General Land Once On the claims 80 presented 70
them for decision, dividing said Slaims into separate
classes y ne mannef horeinater provided, aud giving
their opinion whether such claims ought 70 Be cou-
Sc. }, 1na 3, & Further ssaried That the claims
20 presented and passed upon By the commissioners
as Aforesaid shall he BY them divided 10 their report
Into thfee distinct claasos. aa follows, viz.
Number ono shall contain an claims. IN their opinion
ought . Be conlrmed where the lands claimed have
bee1 10 possession and cultivation BY tho private claim
ants q i1ose under whom they derive tale for peri
% o a least twenty years preceding the date Of ding
the clalm, By virtue OF some grant, concession
der Of snreys, permission . settle, other written
evidence Of Title emanafng from some foreign govern
ment which held Or claimed sovereignty or jarisdic
ton over the territory IN which the lands claimed are
situated, and where ie title emanating from such for
ega goyernmsni bears bate anterior 70 the eoson Of
sa,d territory 70 the United States.
Number two shall contain al claims which, IN their
opinion, ought % Be confirmed, where the lands are
Claimed Under written evidence Of tile as above pro
49,
no actual possession and cultivation Of the land claim
90 ier Rsroa q a kat twenty years PRIOR TO the
Nahb1r ikres shah contain al claims which, ,n
their opinion, ought % Be rejected, whether from de-
feet OF proof. suspicion cf maud based on probable
ground uucorainiy Of location, vnguencss Of descf
lionI any ether cause sufficient IN their opinion 10
Justify such rrecfon. Proridad That 10 no case shall
11ch cqmmiesIonen embrace In said CLASSES nnmber
cne and numhrr Two any claim which has been hereto
iose prseniea lor confirmation before any, board Of
CON missioner. olher public olacer, acting under
.nthQriy Of CQnercsa and rejected a. being fraudh-
lent ct procured or maintained By ffauduent or I'M
proper meanst nor siall any such claim Be received
q considered By the commissioners which has been
already twice rejected On lhe merits BY previous
boards.
sac; q Aat o 4 further easisd. That whenever
ne s4ld Commissioner shall approve the report OF the
commissioners IN cases embraced IN Glasses nanaber
one ~ humber io be shall rtpoIt the same 70 Con
gre ior ~ action, and whenever the commissioner
shah approve the report n cnsea embraced IN class
number time, Tie injection 81 he claim acted On
shat b lnnl and conclusive and the lhnd embraced
eihln ne claim shall Be considered and treated as
other public lands bsloqglng v The United States.
src. .. .dnd b 4 farftfr tnaciei That al claims
comrrehe1led within any Of tie thrce classes afuro
said On which there shall b dsapprovai BY the Com
missioner Of the lspoEi made BY tho boards Of com
missioner Aforesaid shall Dc reported to Congress for
is action aud final decision tcfeon.
sEo.6 And o. L Further enacted That whenever
hAh4A appear that land clalmed, and the title 10
s s.ss Sa4s KS q se5i,e sod a sos sRe 20. e a
States prior . snc1 c0nlmaiIon df where the aur-
veygencla q lhe district shall ascertain that the
a1me cannot he surveyed and located Che party ID
uhos1 re title b confirmed shan have the rieht q en-
Ter upon any The public lands of lhe United States
qqan1y of lanl equal IN extent 70 that sold by The
government f.eridsd Ihat said entry be made
only On lands subject 10 private entry Al one dollar
and twenty-five cents per acre and a. fr as may be
possible In legal divisions and Subdivisions according
% the surveys made ~ he uniied States. !
1Ecf 4. .aad o 4 further al1cied, That whenever
any claim is presented for connrndion under fe mn,
visions of this act which has heretofore been present
ed before any board of commiouers under authority
o Sous,e. re t.cts reported as proven BY the form
e board sn Be taken Is pfima lacih; and the eyi-
denoe offered before such former board, ana remain
Ing q record, SHAH b admitted on the examination
q the claims made under the provisions Of this act
eAc- 3. dnd ts u Further nacftd, That no land
claimed under the provisions Of this act shall be offer
ed ior sale Or otherwise disposed Of By the oces of
tse Unlea states. uulh he lnal decision shall be
made on The validity Of sach claim; and in no case
where ana 4 p1l.caed or cultivated By private per
sons Nln1 y ne entered upon surveyed a. public
ala ni qele1 1r aal without previous notice given
% t1qse n Possession, requiring them 10 present their
claims for confirmation; and il within sixty DAYS from
ne dle o. .urh noice sch claim shall not have been
hlea inen tae prapar olhcers Of tue government may
lands without preudice however, 10 he legal riehts
o. TIE possessof Or claimant, II another have =
sEr- 3 dnd b II further enacted. That before the
eoalas q shall Be required to receive
ior record any notice, paper, evidence Of te or tes
monl u support Of any claim. the claimant shall pay
. sid board the sum Of twenty-five cents for every
hnndre1 words required 70 be recorded which sha
BE IN ia consideration for the recording and the trans
ept required 70 be forwarded 70 the Commissioner Of
the General Land Once
Sc 10. And Be- L further enacted That al the
commencemeul Of each regular session Of congress
y shall Be TIE duty Of fhe commissioner Of TIE Gene
raj Land Once . make report Of all that has been
done under The provisions o. this act By the several
oleers charged With is execution
SIC, H.. And Be f farfbee enacted That IN anv
case o. such claim 10 lands as hereiahefore in nc
nfsL section of tbs act mentioned where the land
claimed have not been N possession OF and cultvatd
BY the original claimant OF claimants or those hodne
tide under him Or them, for the period OF twenty wears
Aforesaid. and where snch lands are claimed by COM
plee grant concession order of SURVEY ddv e4e
cuted, Or by other mode inresiturs oi ne tile
thereto n Che original claimant claimants BY sepa
ration thereof from the mass Of the pablic DOMAIN
either ~ actual survey. definition Of fixed natural and
nscertainable boundaries initial points, course and
dista1col By the compefent authority, prior 10 the
Uaite1 1lales Of the Territory 10 which said lands [
were Included. or where such title was created and
perfected during The period while the foreign govern
meuis from which II emanafed claimed sovereignty 4
oVor had lie actual possession Of such ferrftarv the