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346 which the commandant of the post will cause to be executed, there shall be delivered to each one his title deed in due form; that the settlement is to be made as united and as closely connected as possible, nor are any other American families to be admitted than those above named, and such as the government may permit to settle, which permission may be given in the mean time by the commandant to the good colonists, such as Spanish, French, German, and Irish, who shall make application; but no manner of admission shall be granted to vagabonds, and for any contravention of this clause the commandant will be held responsible. Provided, that if in the term of one year the lands appropriated in this document to the families above named, respectively, are not occupied, this concession shall be void, which shall be attended to in all its parts by the commandant of the district, who is charged with the strict execution of the whole, consistent with the beneficence and humanity of the Spanish government.

""The present given at New Orleans, the 27th of June, 1797."

"Rh"

""ANDREZ LOPEZ ARMISTO.""

Ruling on exceptions to deposition of William Russell
Among various exceptions to testimony adduced by the petitioners, was one to the deposition of William Russell. The material parts of the deposition were as follows:—

William Russell being duly sworn, says, the first time he was at the post of Arkansas, was either in 1812 or 1813; that he then heard the grants to the Winters frequently spoken of, and that it was the general understanding of the community at the post of Arkansas, that three grants, one to Elisha Winter, one to William Winter, and one to Gabriel Winter, had been made by the Spanish government; that William Winter had settled on the lands granted to him, very soon after the grant was made, and that he continued to reside on it until his death, and was buried on it. It was generally understood and reported at the post, that Elisha Winter, soon after the date of the grant, brought from Lexington, Kentucky, a hewn stone or monument, three or more feet long, and of large size, which was established under the superintendence of Don Carlos de