Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/491



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That every free white male person in the Mississippi territory, above the age of twenty-one years, having been a citizen of the United States, and resident in the said territory, one year next preceding an election of representatives, and who has a legal or equitable title to a tract of land, by virtue of any act of Congress, or who may become the purchaser of any tract of land from the United States of the quantity of fifty acres, or who may hold in his own right a town lot of the value of one hundred dollars within the said territory, shall be entitled to vote for representatives to the general assembly of said territory.

. And be it further enacted, That the general assembly of the territory aforesaid, shall have power to apportion the representatives of the several counties therein, or which may hereafter be established therein, according to the number of free white male inhabitants above the age of twenty-one years in such counties: Provided, that there be not more than twelve, nor less than ten of the whole number of representatives; any act or acts to the contrary notwithstanding, until there shall be six thousand free male white inhabitants of full age, in said territory; after which time the number of representatives shall be regulated agreeably to the ordinance for the government thereof.

. And be it further enacted, That the citizens of the said territory, entitled to vote for representatives to the general assembly thereof, shall, at the time of electing their representatives to the said general assembly, also elect one delegate from the said territory to the Congress of the United States, who shall possess the same powers heretofore granted to the delegates from the several territories of the United States; any thing in the ordinance for the government of said territory, to the contrary notwithstanding.

, January 9, 1808.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That every person and the legal representatives of every person, who being either the head of a family or above the age of twenty-one years, and who did on the third day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seven, actually inhabit and cultivate a tract of land not claimed by virtue of a certificate granted by the boards of commissioners east and west of Pearl river, in the Mississippi territory, and who has obtained permission to remained on such tract or tracts of land agreeably to an act, intituled “,” shall be entitled to a preference in becoming the purchaser from the United States of such tract of land, at the price at which the other lands of the United States in the said territory, are directed to be sold, and payment may be made therefor in the same manner, and under the same conditions as directed by law for such other lands: Proviso, that such tract of land shall not exceed one section: And provided also, that the same shall be surveyed agreeably to the sectional lines already established, or which may hereafter be established by the surveyor of the lands of the United States south of the state of Tennessee.