CHAPTER XCIIL

AN ACT authorising the Secretary of the Treafury to employ Clerks for completing the abftracts of the valuation of lands and dwelling boufes, and the enumeration of fluxes.

E it enacted by the Senate and House of Re

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prefentatives of the United States of Ame rica, in Congress affembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby autho rized and directed to employ clerks, for fuch compenfation as he thall judge reafoňable, to complete the abstracts of the valuation of lands - and dwelling houses, and the enumeration of llaves within the United States, under the direction of the commiffioners authorifed to di rect the completing of fuch abftracts, in thofe ffates where clerks cannot be procured by the commiflioners, for the compenfation allowed by law to clerks for performing that butinels, agreeably to the provifions of the following acts, that is to fay, an act, intituled, "An a to provide for the valuation of lands and dyelling houses, and the enumeration of flaves within the United States ;" an act, Jutituled, **An act fupplementary to the act, intituled, "An act to provide for the valuation of lands and dwelling houfes, and the enumeration of Tates within the United States ;" and an act, intituled, "An act to provide for equalizing the valuation of unfeated lands, todas

THEODORE SEDGWICK, chatean Speaker of the House of Representatives. to song salt as JAMES HILLHOUSE, • President of the Senate, pro tempore.. APPROVED-March 3, 18010 santo ban 2991

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JOHN ADANISH

Prefident of the United States

CHAPTER XCIV.

AN ACT giving a right of preepmtion to certain perfons who have contracted with John Cleves Symmes, or his affociates, for lands lying between the Miami rivers, in the territory of the United States north-west of the Ohio.

E it enacted by the Senate and House Sec. I. of Reprefentatives of the United States of America, in Congress affembled, That any perfon or perfons, and the legal reprefentative or representatives of any perfon or perfons who before the first day of January in the year of our Lord one thoufand eight hundred, had made any contract or contracts in writing, or by any note or memorandum thereof in writing, either with John Cleves Symmes, or with any of his affociates, or who had made to him or them, any payment of money for the purchase of lands, fituate between the Miami rivers, within the limits of a survey made by Ifrael Ludlow, in conformity to an act of congrefs of the twelfth of April, one thoufand feven hundred and ninety-two, and not comprehended within the limits of a tract of land, conveyed to John Cleves Symmes and his affociates, by letters patent, bearing date the thirtieth of September, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, in the territory of the United States, north-west of the Ohio, shall be entitled to a preference, in becoming the purchafers, from the United States, of all lands fo contracted for, at the price of two dollars per acre, exclufive of the furveying fees, and other incidental expenfes; and payment may be made therefor, to the Treafurer of the United States, or the Receiver of public monies for the lands of the United States at Cin.

Right of pre emtion given fons, who have with c. J. C. Symmes, &c.

to certain per

contracted

of this aft to

give notice

to the Receiv

er of public

cinnati, &c.

cinnati, în like instalments, and under the fame conditions, as directed by the actintituled, "An act to amend the act, intituled, an act providing for the fale of the lands of the United States, in the territory of the United States north-west of the Ohio, and above the mouth of Kentucky river;" Provided however, that no interest shall be charged upon any of the inftalments until they refpectively become payable.

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Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That every Perfons claim- perfon, claiming the benefit of the firft fection of ing the benefit this act, fhall, on or before the firft day of November next, deliver to the Receiver of public monies, for the lands of the United States at Cinmonis at Cin- cinnati, a notice in 'writing, ftating the nature and extent of his claim or contract; and if any perfon fhall neglect to give fuch notice of his claim or contract, or having given the fame, fhall neglect to make application for the purchafe thereof, as hereinafter directed, or shall fail in making the first payment before the firft of January next, all his right of preemtion, on the terms aforefaid, fhall ceafe and become void.

Duty of the Receiver herein;

And all of

miffioners to

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Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the afore faid Receiver of public monies, on being paid the fees hereinafter provided, fhall receive every fuch notice of claim, or statement thereof, and give a receipt therefor, and carefully put and preferve on file every such paper or writing, and lay the fame before the Commiffioners, when met, for fettling and adjusting the claims aforefaid.

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1 Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the the awo Com- aforefaid Receiver of public monies, and two be appointed other perfons, who fhall be appointed by the Prefident of the United States alone fhall be commiffioners for the purpose of afcertaining the rights of perfons claiming the benefits of this

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act, who, previous to entering on the duties of their appointment, fhall refpectively take and fubscribe the following oath or affirmation, be fore fome person qualified to adminifter, oaths, to wit, “I——————do folemnly fwear, or affirm, Ithat I will impartially exercife and discharge the duties impofed upon me, by an act of Congrefs, intituled," An act giving a right of preemption to certain perfons who have contracted with John, Cleves Symmes, or his affociates, for lands lying between the Miami rivers, in the territory of the United States north-west of the Ohio," to the best of my understanding and ability;" and it fhall be the duty of the faid Commiffioners to meet at Cincinnati, between the firft and the tenth day of November next, of which meeting three week previous notice fhall be given by them in a public newspaper printed at Cincinnati; and they, or a majority of them, fo met, thall not adjourn to any other place, or for a longer time. than three days, until they have finally completed the business of their faid appointment; and they, or any two of them, fhall have power to hear and decide, in a fummary manner, all matters. refpecting all fuch claims of which notice may have been filed, purfuant to the third fection of this act, alfo to adminifter oaths and examine, witneffes, and fuch other teftimony as may be adduced, and to determine thereon according to juftice and equity; which determination fhall be final, and when it fhall appear to them, that the claimant is entitled to the right of preemtion; on the terms aforefaid, they fhall give a certifi cate thereof, ftating as accurately as may be, the quantity and local fituation of the lands to which he may be entitled, directed to the Register of the land-office at Cincinnati, or when the faid Register may be a claimant to the Surveyor-Ge

neral, copies of whichcertificates fhall be by them recorded. in a book to be proyded for that pur Duty of the pofe, and depofited for fafe-keeping with the Surveyor Al General & Regifter of the land-officed yet a Register at Cincinnati.

Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the aforefaid Register and furveyor-General, refpectively, upon application of any perfon or perfons, who fhall produce a certificate of the Commiffioners aforefaid, to him directed, before the first day of January next, and fhall alfo produce a receipt from the Treafurer of the United States, or the aforefaid Receiver of puplic monies, for at leaft one fourth part of the purchase money, and alfo for the payment of three dollars for each half fection or fmaller quantity, and fhall pay him the fees in like cafe provided by the act, intituled An act to amend the act, intituled an act providing for the fale of the lands of the United States, in the territory of the United States north-west of the Ohio, and above the mouth of Kentucky river," fhall admit fuch perfon or perfons to become a purchaser or purcha fers of the land defignated in the faid certifi cate, and fhall receive the faid certificate, and preferve it on file, and make an entry of the application in his book, kept for the purpose, and on any of the three last payments being made in advance, he shall allow the purchafer the like discount as is allowed by the fourth claufe of the fifth fection of the act laft above recited; and on payment in full, and a final fettlement had, he fhall give his certificate thereof; upon producing which to the Secretary of the Treasury, a patent fhall iffue in like manner as is provided by the faid act laft above recited.

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Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the faid Receiver of public monies fhall be entitled to have and receive, to his own ufe, from the