Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/745



eastern branch of Pearl river to the thirty-first degree of north latitude; thence along the said degree of latitude to the river Mississippi; thence down the said river to the place of beginning, shall become and form a part of the said state of Louisiana, and be subject to the constitution and laws thereof, in the same manner, and for all intents and purposes as if it had been included within the original boundaries of the said state.

. And be it further enacted, That it shall be incumbent upon the legislature of the state of Louisiana, in case they consent to the incorporation of the territory aforesaid, within their limits, at their first session, to make provision by law for the representation of the said territory in the legislature of the state, upon the principles of the constitution, and for securing to the people of the said territory, equal rights, privileges, benefits and advantages with those enjoyed by the people of the other parts of the state; which law shall be liable to revision, modification and amendment by Congress, and also in the manner provided for the amendment of the state constitution, but shall not be liable to change or amendment by the legislature of the state.

, April 14, 1812.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That every person or persons claiming lands in the eastern district of the territory of Orleans, who are actual settlers on the land which they claim, and whose claims have not been heretofore filed with the register of the land-office for the said district, shall be allowed until the first day of November next to deliver notices in writing, and the written evidences of their claims, to the register of the land-office at New Orleans; and the notices and evidences so delivered, within the time limited by this act, shall be recorded in the same manner, and on payment of the same fees, as if the same had been delivered before the first day of July, one thousand eight hundred and eight; but the rights of such persons as shall neglect so doing within the time limited by this act, shall, so far as they are derived from, or founded on, any act of Congress, ever after be barred and become void, and the evidences of their claims, never after admitted as evidence in any court of the United States, against any grant derived form the United States.

. And be it further enacted, That the register and receiver of public monies of the said land-office at New Orleans, shall have the same powers, and perform the same duties, in relation to the claims thus filed before the first day of November next, as if notice of the same had been given before the first day of July, one thousand eight hundred and eight, except that their decision shall be subject to the revision of Congress. And it shall be the duty of the said register and receiver to make to the Secretary of the Treasury a report of all the claims thus filed with the register of the land-office, together with the substance of the evidence in support thereof, with their opinion and such remarks thereon as they may think proper; which report, together with a list of the claims which, in the opinion of the register and receiver, ought to be confirmed, shall be laid by the Secretary of the Treasury before Congress, at their next session, for their determination thereon. The said register and receiver shall have power to appoint a clerk, whose duties shall be the same, in relation to the claims filed as aforesaid, as was required of the clerk to the board of commissioners for adjusting claims to lands in the said district; and the said register, receiver and clerk, shall each be allowed fifty cents for each claim filed according to this