Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/148



of slaves within the United States, under the direction of the commissioners authorized to direct the completing of such abstracts, in those states where clerks cannot be procured by the commissioners, for the compensation allowed by law to clerks for performing that business, agreeably to the provisions of the following acts; that is to say, an act, intituled “;” an act, intituled “;’” and an act, intituled “”

, March 3, 1801.

. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That any person or persons, and the legal representative or representatives of any person or persons, who, before the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand 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 associates, or who had made to him or them, any payment of money for the purchase of lands, situate between the Miami rivers, within the limits of a survey made by Israel Ludlow, in conformity to, and not comprehended within the limits of a tract of land, conveyed to John Cleves Symmes and his associates, by letters patent, bearing date the thirtieth of September, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, in the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio, shall be entitled to a preference, in becoming the purchasers, from the United States, of all the lands so contracted for, at the price of two dollars per acre, exclusive of the surveying fees, and other incidental expenses; and payment may be made therefor, to the treasurer of the United States, or the receiver of public monies for the lands of the United States at Cincinnati, in like instalments, and under the same conditions, as directed by the act, intituled “.’” Provided however, that no interest shall be charged upon any of the instalments until they respectively become payable.

. And be it further enacted, That every person, claiming the benefit of the first section of this act, shall, on or before the first day of November next, deliver to the receiver of public monies, for the lands of the United States at Cincinnati, a notice in writing, stating the nature and extent of his claim or contract; and if any person shall neglect to give such notice of his claim or contract, or having given the same, shall neglect to make application for the purchase thereof, as herein after directed, or shall fail in making the first payment before the first of January next, all his right of pre-emption, on the terms aforesaid, shall cease and become void.

. And be it further enacted, That the aforesaid receiver of public monies, on being paid the fees herein after provided, shall receive every such notice of claim, or statement thereof, and give a receipt