Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/149



therefor, and carefully put and preserve on file every such paper or writing, and lay the same before the commissioners, when met, for settling and adjusting the claims aforesaid.

. And be it further enacted, That the aforesaid receiver of public monies, and two other persons, who shall be appointed by the President of the United States alone shall be commissioners for the purpose of ascertaining the rights of persons claiming the benefits of this act, who, previous to entering on the duties of their appointment, shall respectively take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation, before some person qualified to administer oaths, to wit: “I —— do solemnly swear, or affirm, that I will impartially exercise and discharge the duties imposed on me, by an act of Congress, intituled ‘An act giving a right of pre-emption to certain persons who have contracted with John Cleves Symmes, or his associates, for lands lying between the Miami rivers, in the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio,’ to the best of my understanding and ability;” and it shall be the duty of the said commissioners to meet at Cincinnati, between the first and tenth day of November next, of which meeting three weeks previous notice shall be given by them in a public newspaper printed at Cincinnati; and they, or a majority of them, so met, shall not adjourn to any other place, or for a longer time than three days, until they have finally completed the business of their said appointment; and they, or any two of them, shall have power to hear and decide, in a summary manner, all matters respecting all such claims of which notice may have been filed, pursuant to the third section of this act, also to administer oaths, and examine witnesses, and such other testimony as may be adduced, and to determine thereon according to justice and equity; which determination shall be final; and when it shall appear to them, that the claimant is entitled to the right of pre-emption, on the terms aforesaid, they shall give a certificate thereof, stating as accurately as may be, the quantity and local situation of the lands to which he may be entitled, directed to the register of the land-office at Cincinnati, or when the said register may be a claimant, to the surveyor-general, copies of which certificates shall be by them recorded, in a book to be provided for that purpose, and deposited for safe keeping with the register of the land-office.

. And be it further enacted, That the aforesaid register and surveyor-general, respectively, upon application of any person or persons, who shall produce a certificate of the commissioners aforesaid, to him directed, before the first day of January next, and shall also produce a receipt from the treasurer of the United States, or the aforesaid receiver of public monies, for at least one fourth part of the purchase money, and also for the payment of three dollars for each half section or smaller quantity, and shall pay him the fees in like case provided by the act, intituled “,” shall admit such person or persons to become a purchaser or purchasers of the land designated in the said certificate, and shall receive the said certificate and preserve 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 purchaser the like discount as is allowed by the fourth clause of the fifth section of the act last above recited; and on payment in full, and a final settlement had, he shall give his certificate thereof; upon producing which to the Secretary of the Treasury, a patent shall issue in like manner as is provided by the said act last above recited.

. And be it further enacted, That the said receiver of public monies shall be entitled to have and receive, to his own use, from the respective claimants, the following fees, that is to say: for filing a notice