CHAPTER LXVII. AN ACT supplemental to "An act regulating the grants of land in the territory of Michigan.' BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Michigan Indian title has been extinguished, the first of Jan. next, &c. allowed until &c. Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That every Claimants to person claiming lands, within that part of land in the the Michigan territory to which the Indian territory, title hath been extinguished by virtue of where the any legal grant made by the French govern ment prior to the treaty of Paris of the tenth of February, one thousand seven hundred and sixty-three; or of any legal grant made by the British government subsequent to the said treaty, and prior to the treaty of peace between the United States and Great Britain, of the third of September, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, or of the second section of the act to which this act is a supplement, shall be allowed until the first day of January next, to deliver to the register of the land office for the district of Detroit, a notice in writing, stating the nature and extent of his claims, together with a plat or plats of the tract or tracts claimed, and if such person shall fail to deliver such notice in writing, together with a plat of the tract claimed, all his right, so far as it may be derived from any act of Congress, shall become void, and the commissioners appointed for the purpose of ascertaining and deciding the rights of persons claiming lands in the said district of Detroit, shall have the same powers and perform the duties in relation to the claims, notices of which shall be thus filed as are provided Persons ed entitled to the pur contiguous vacant lands. by the act to which this act is a supplement, in relation to the claims therein described. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That whose claims every person whose claim has been, or shall are establish be confirmed by the commissioners aforea preference said, to a tract of land bordering on the river in becoming Detroit, and not exceeding in depth forty chasers of the arpens, French measure, shall be entitled to a preference in becoming the purchaser of any vacant tract of land adjacent to, and back of his own tract, not exceeding forty arpens, French measure, in depth, nor in quantity of land that which is contained in his own tract, at the same price, and on the same terms and conditions as are provided by law for the other public lands in the said district. And the surveyor general shall be, and he is hereby authorised, as soon as may be, to cause to be surveyed, the tracts claimed by virtue of this section, and in all cases where, by reason of bends in the said river, and of adjacent prior, or pre-emption claims, each claimant cannot obtain a tract equal in quantity to the adjacent tract already owned by him, to divide the vacant land, applicable to that object, between the several claimants, in such manner as to him will appear most equitable. And every person entitled to the benefit of this section, shall on or before the first day of January next, deliver to the register of the land office for the district of Detroit, a notice in writing, stating the situation and extent of the tract of land he wishes to purchase, and deposit at the same time one twentieth part of the purchase money; and shall also, within three months after the return of the survey to the office of the said register, produce to him a receipt from the receiver of public money for the said district for one-fourth part of the pur chase money. And if any such person shall fail to deliver such notice, and make such deposit and payment, at the times above mentioned, his right of pre-emption shall cease, and become void. to actual set Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That every person, who being the head of a family, did, prior to the twenty-sixth of March, one thousand eight hundred and four, and doth, Pre-emption at the time of the passage of this act, inhabit right secured and cultivate a tract of land in the territory tlers. of Michigan, not claimed by virtue of a legal French or British grant, or by the second section of the act to which this act is a supplement, shall be entitled to a preference, in becoming the purchaser from the United States of such tract of land not exceeding one section, at the price at which the other public lands in the said territory are directed to be sold; and payment may be made therefor in the same manner, and under the same conditions, as are provided by law for such other public lands. And every person entitled to the benefit of this section, shall, on or before the first day of January, next, dèliver to register of the land office, for the district aforesaid, a notice in writing, of the situation and extent of the tract of land he wishes to purchase. The commissioners aforesaid are hereby authorised to examine and decide the claims, of every person claiming the benefit of this section, and whenever it shall appear to them that the claimant is entitled to a right of pre-emption they shall give a certificate thereof, directed to the register of the land office, which certificate, together with a receipt from the receiver of U Repeal of part of a former act. Lands to which Indian title was ex troit to be at public money, of at least one-fourth part of the purchase money, shall, on, or before the first day of January, next, be produced by the claimant to the register of the land office for the said district. And if any person shall fail to deliver such notice in writing or pro. duce such certificate and receipt within the time above mentioned, his right of pre-emp. tion shall cease, and become void. Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That so much of the second section of the act to which this act is a supplement, as provides that not more than one tract or parcel of land shall be granted to any one person, shall be, and the same is hereby repealed. Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the lands to which the Indian title has been extinguished, by the treaty made at Detroit, tinguished by on the seventeenth of November, one thou. treary of De sand eight hundred aud seven, shall be attached to dis- tached to and made a part of the district of trict of De- Detroit, and be offered for sale at that place, under the same exceptions and regulations, at the same price, and on the same terms, as other lands lying in that district. troit, and sold, &c. &c. J. B. VARNUM, Speaker of the House of Representatives. S. SMITH, President of the Senate, pro tempore. April 25, 1808. APPROVED, TH: JEFFERSON. RESOLUTION to authorise the disposition of certain charts of the coast of North Carolina. Secretary of cause charts Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the secretary of the treasury be, and he is here- treasury auby directed to cause to be sold, as many of thorised to the charts of the coast of North Carolina, of N. C. published in conformity to the resolution coast to be which passed the second of March, one thousand eight hundred and seven, as shall remain on hand, after reserving the number requisite for the use of the government of the United States. J. B. VARNUM, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Vice-President of the United States, and March 4, 1808. APPROVED, TH: JEFFERSON. sold. |