Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/843



Provided also, that the discharge of any agent, and the appointment of another in his stead, be at the discretion of the President of the United States.

, February 27, 1813.

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 or western district of the territory of Orleans, now state of Louisiana, 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 district wherein the lands lie, shall be allowed until the first day of January next, to deliver notices in writing, and the written evidences of their claims, in the said districts respectively, to the register of the land-office at New Orleans and Opelousas; 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 from the United States.

. And be it further enacted, That every person or persons who had filed his or their notice of claim to lands lying within either of the said districts with the proper register of the land-office, according to former laws, but have not exhibited any testimony or written evidence in support of the same, and whose claim has not been confirmed by the commissioners appointed to ascertain and settle claims to lands in the said districts, shall be allowed until the first day of January next, to deliver the written evidence or other testimony in support of his or their claim, the notice of which had been filed as aforesaid, to the register of the land-office at New Orleans, for lands lying in the eastern district, and the register of the land-office at Opelousas, for lands lying in the western district; and every written evidence of claim, the notice whereof had been filed as aforesaid, for lands lying in the said districts, delivered, within the time limited by this section, to the said registers, shall by them respectively be recorded in the same manner as was directed, and on receiving the same fees allowed by former acts for recording evidence of claim to lands in the same districts; and the right of any such persons neglecting to deliver the evidence of their claims as above mentioned, shall become barred and void in so far as the same is derived from the United States, and the evidence thereof be incapable of being admitted in any court whatsoever against any grant derived from the United States.

. And be it further enacted, That the register and receiver of public monies of the said respective land-offices at New Orleans and Opelousas, shall have the same powers and perform the same duties in every respect in relation to the claims that may be filed according to the first section of this act, and the claims, notice of which had been given under former acts, and the evidence in support thereof shall have been delivered, according to the second section of this act, as the board of commissioners, for ascertaining and adjusting claims to lands in the same districts, would have had or should have performed, if such notice