Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/700



deliver such notice within the said period of three years, or to make such payment or payments at the time above mentioned, his right of pre-emption shall cease and become void; and the land may thereafter be purchased by any other person in the same manner, and on the same terms, as are or may be provided by law for the sale of other public lands in the said territory.

. And be it further enacted, That the land-offices established by virtue of the third section of this act, shall be opened on the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, for the sale of all the public lands, with the exception of section No. sixteen, of the salt springs, and land contiguous thereto, and of the tracts reserved for the support of seminaries of learning as herein after provided, which shall have been previously surveyed, and the surveys thereof returned according to law to the registers of the land-offices respectively; and on the first day of February, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, for the sale of such of the public lands, which from the nature of the country cannot be surveyed in the ordinary way, and are embraced by the provisions of the second section of this act, as shall have, at least six weeks previous to the said first day of February, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, been advertised for sale by the surveyor of the public lands south of the state of Tennessee, with the approbation of the President of the United States. The public sales for the land subdivided into quarter sections in the ordinary way, shall be held for one calendar month, under the superintendence of the register and receiver of each land-office respectively, and of either the surveyor of public lands south of Tennessee, or of his principal deputy surveyor in the district, who shall each receive six dollars for each day’s attendance on the same; and no tract of land shall be sold at said public sales for a less price, than that which is or may be prescribed by law, for the sale of public lands in the Mississippi territory. And from and after the first day of February, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, any tract which has been thus offered for sale at public sale, and remains unsold, as well as any tract of land embraced by the provisions of the second section of this act, the sale of which is authorized by this section, may be disposed of at private sale by the register of the land-office, for the same price which is or may be prescribed by law, for the sale of public lands in the Mississippi territory. All the lands sold by virtue of this section, shall in every other respect be sold on the same terms of payment, and conditions, in the same manner, and under the same regulations as are, or may be, prescribed by law, for the sale of public lands in the Mississippi territory: Provided however, than in case of an application being made at the same time, for the purchase at private sale of the same tract of land by two or more persons, one of whom did actually inhabit and cultivate such tract of land at the time of passing this act, and still continues to inhabit and cultivate the same at the time of such application, the preference shall be given to the person thus inhabiting and cultivating such tract of land. And provided also, that till after the final decision of Congress thereon, no tract of land shall be offered for sale, the claim to which has been in due time, and according to law, presented to the register of the land-office, and filed in his office, for the purpose of being investigated by the commissioners appointed for the purpose of ascertaining the rights of persons claiming lands in the territory of Orleans; or which shall have been located by or for Major-general La Fayette, according to law.

. And be it further enacted, That in addition to the township already reserved for that purpose by law in the western district of the territory of Orleans, and which shall be located south of Red river, another entire township shall be located by the Secretary of the Treasury north of Red river, for the use of a seminary of leaning, and also