Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 10.djvu/334

 314 THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 110. 1854. the Illinois country in the territory northwest of the Ohio, and for confirming them in their possessions," and the several acts in aid of; and supplementary thereto. Claimants to Sec. 2. And be itfurthe2· enacted, That every such claimant to any present their tract of land so granted, or any part or subdivision thereof, shall, within f;"Q_f’Q:;wh°"* six months after the publication of the notice hereinafter provided for, Sp“m°,u0,,_ Hle his claim in writing, with the Said register, lll which he shall speci. Ecally set forth such facts as shall be required m the instructions of the Commissioner of the General Land-Oiiice. Nome of Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That such register, upon the receipt readiness to re- of such instructions, shall give notice by publication in some newspaper {fzivzglgigsg of general circulation in the vicinity of the said lands of his readiness to nevlispaper. receive applications of claimants, to which not1ce shall be attached the instructions of the said commissioner. p,.0w,dmg, Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That such commissioners shall of the c0mmis· meet immediately after the time allowed for filing such claims, and shall “‘°é‘§f€érS and hold their sessions at the town of Vincennes. They shall have power to duties. compel the attendance of witnesses, administer all necessary oaths, and to hear and decide in a summary manner all matters respecting such claims. Minutes of the proceedings, decisions, meetings, and adjournments of the said board, shall be regularly entered by the register in a book kept for that purpose, together with the evidence adduced in each particular case, upon which their decisions have been made. what MMM Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That every claimant to any tract be conurmed. of land so granted, or any part, or subdivision thereof, who can produce to such commissioners a regular chain of title from the original confirmee to himself, or who can show to their satisfaction a continuous and connected possession in himself and those under whom he claims, for a period of twenty years or more, next preceding the filing of his claim, or can show such a claim or title as would, in the courts of Indiana, bar an action of ejectment, such claimant shall be confirmed in his title. Tmnmipt of Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That said commissioners shall, on the decisions 0,, or before the first day of September eighteen hundred and fifty-five, be reported tv transmit to the Commissioner of the General Land-Office a transcript of g.°(’£3’:;QfE§;d_ their decisions in favor of claimants, which shall contain a fair statement Omoo. of the evidence on which each respective claim is founded; and also a transcript of their decisions against claimants, with alike statement of the evidence and the reason of such rejection. when PMD, Sec. 7. And be it j’m·ther enacted, That the Commissioner of the wissm, General Land-Oifice, upon the receipt of such transcript, shall issue a patent to each claimant so confirmed in his title by the said commissioners; and where any such claims have been rejected the said commissioner, upon application of the proper person, shall have power to revise such decision of the said board, and may, if in his opinion the evidence warrants it, reverse such decision, and issue a. patent therefor proviso_ to such claimant: Provided, That this right to revise shall not extend to those claims rejected, where the same lands have been confirmed by the Fumm proviso_ said board to some other claimant: And provided farther, That the _ patents so issued shall only be a relinquishment of the title of the United Wagon of me grgdnghall not be construed into an abridgment of the rights of compensation Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That the commissioner appointed or the commis- by the President, shall receive a compensation of eight dollars per day, °l°”°'°· for each and every day he may be engaged in the discharge of the duties imposed by this act, and the register and receiver shall receive such compensation for their services, as may be just and proper in the discretion of the Commissioner of the General Land-Oiiice. whopmmbes SEC: 9: And be it (gcrlher enacted, That it shall be the duty of the ticnforce Commissioner of the eneral Land-Office to prescribe such rules and