Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/362



laws, usages and customs of the Spanish government, made an actual settlement on a tract of land within the said territories, not claimed by virtue of the preceding section, or of any Spanish of French grant made and completed before the first day of October, one thousand eight hundred, and during the time the government which made such grant had the actual possession of the said territories, and who did on the said twentieth day of December, one thousand eight hundred and three, actually inhabit and cultivate the said tract of land; the tract of land thus inhabited and cultivated, shall be granted: Provided however, that not more than one tract shall be thus grants to any one person, and the same shall not contain more than one mile square, together with such other and further quantity, as heretofore has been allowed for the wife and family of such actual settler, agreeably to the laws, usages and customs of the Spanish government: Provided also, that this donation shall not be made to any person who claims any other tract of land in the said territories by virtue of any French or Spanish grant.

. And be it further enacted, That for the purpose of more conveniently ascertaining the titles and claims to land in the territory ceded as aforesaid, the territory of Orleans shall be laid off into two districts, in such manner as the President of the United States shall direct; in each of which, he shall appoint, in the recess of the Senate, but who shall be nominated at their next meeting, for their advice and consent, a register; who shall receive the same annual compensation, give security in the same manner, and in the same sums, and whose duties and authorities shall in every respect be the same in relation to the lands which shall hereafter be disposed of at their offices, as are by law provided with respect to the registers in the several offices established for the disposal of the lands of the United States, north of the river Ohio, and above the mouth of Kentucky river. The President of the United States shall likewise appoint a recorder of land titles in the district of Louisiana, who shall give security in the same manner, and in the same sums, and shall be entitled to the same annual compensation, as the registers of the several land-offices.

. And be it further enacted, That every person claiming lands in the above-mentioned territories, by virtue of any legal French of Spanish grant, made and completed before the first day of October, one thousand eight hundred, and during the time the government which made such grant had the actual possession of the territories, may, and every person claiming lands in the said territories, by virtue of the two first sections of this act, or by virtue of any grant or incomplete title, bearing date subsequent to the first day of October, one thousand eight hundred, shall, before the first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and six, deliver to the register of the land-office, or recorder of land titles, within whose district the land may be, a notice in writing, stating the nature and extent of his claims, together with a plat of the tract of tracts claimed; and shall also, on or before that day, deliver to the said register or recorder, for the purpose of being recorded, every grant, order of survey, deed, conveyance, or other written evidence of his claim; and the same shall be recorded by the register of recorder, or by the translator herein after mentioned, in books to be kept by them for that purpose, on receiving from the parties at the rate of twelve and an half cents for every hundred words contained in such written evidence of their claim: Provided however, that where lands are claimed by virtue of a complete French or Spanish grant as aforesaid, it shall not be necessary for the claimant to have any other evidence of his claim recorded, except the original grant or patent, together with the warrant, or order of survey, and the plat; but all the other conveyances or deeds shall be deposited with the register or recorder, to be by them laid before the commissioners herein after directed to be appointed,