Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 3.djvu/203



a period not less than three years, nor more than ten years, or imprisoned and kept to hard labor for a period not less than three years, nor more than ten years; and in either case be fined in a sum not exceeding five thousand dollars.

December 26, 1814.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the several persons, whose claims were confirmed by the act of Congress, entitled “,” approved the thirteenth day of February one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, and which have not been located, are hereby authorized to enter their locations with the register of the land office at Vincennes, on any part of the tract set apart for that purpose in said district, by virtue of an act, entitled “,” and in conformity to the provisions of that act; and shall be entitled to receive their certificates and patents in the manner provided by the first-mentioned act; Provided, that such locations shall be made prior to the first day of July next.

December 26, 1814.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the county court in each county in the Mississippi territory shall be, and is hereby authorized to appoint a number of agents, not exceeding five, who shall have power to let out on lease for the purpose of improving the same, the sections of land reserved by Congress for the support of schools, lying within the county for which the agents respectively are appointed, or to let them out at an annual rent, as they shall judge proper; and it shall be the duty of the said agents, under the direction of the county courts respectively, to apply with impartiality the proceeds arising from the rents of each section as aforesaid, to the purpose of education, and to no other use whatsoever, within the particular township of six miles square, or fractional township wherein such section is situated, in such manner, that all the citizens residing therein may partake of the benefit thereof, according to the true intent of the reservation made by Congress.

. And be it further enacted, That for the purpose of forming the aforesaid sections into convenient farms, the said agents shall have power to lay off the same into lots of not less than one hundred and six acres, nor more than three hundred and twenty acres, except in case of fractional sections; and in every case, whether of leases for the improvement of the lots, or for an annual rent, the lessee shall be bound in a suitable penalty not to commit waste on the premises by destroying of timber or removing of stone, or any other injury to the lands whatever.

. And be it further enacted, That the said agents shall have full power within their respective counties, when and so often as they think proper, by legal process, to remove any person or persons from the possession of any of the aforesaid reserved sections, when such person or persons have not taken a lease, and refuse or neglect to take the same; and it shall, moreover, be the duty of the said agents to inspect and inquire into any waste or trespass committed on any of the reserved sections aforesaid, by cutting and carrying off timber or stone, or any