in conformity with the laws, usages and customs of the Spanish govern- one, Act of March 10, 1812, ch. 38. 27, 1813, ch. 38. Act of April 12, 1814, ch. 52. Act of Feb. Confirmation of certain claims. Proviso. Certain other claims confirm ed. 1812, ch. 99. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That all claims embraced in the reports of the recorder of land titles, acting as commissioner for ascertaining and adjusting the titles and claims to land, in the territory of Missouri, dated November first, one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, and February second, one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, where the decision of the said commissioner is in favour of the claimants, shall be, and the same are hereby confirmed, to wit: confirmations of village claims under the act of Congress of the thirteenth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and twelve: grants of the late board of commissioners, appointed for ascertaining and adjusting the titles and claims to land in the territory of Missouri, extended by virtue of the fourth section of the act of the third of March, one thousand eight hundred and thirteen; grants and confirmations under the several acts of 3, 1813, ch. 44. Congress, commencing with the act of the thirteenth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and twelve. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That in all cases not provided for by law for patent certificates to issue, every person and the legal representative of every person, whose claim to a tract of land is confirmed by this or any former act, and who has not already obtained a patent certificate for the same, shall, whenever his claim shall have been located and surveyed according to law, be entitled to receive from the register of the land office at Opelousas, in the state of Louisiana, or from the recorder of land titles in the territory of Missouri, as the case may be, a certificate, stating that the claimant is entitled to a patent for such tract of land, by virtue of this act, for which certificate the officer issuing the same shall receive one dollar, and the certificate shall entitle the party to a patent for the tract of land, which shall issue in like manner as is provided by law for patents to issue for lands purchased of the United States. APPROVED, April 29, 1816. VOL. III.-42 2E 2 Act of March sect. 3. In cases not law, if claim is provided for by confirmed a patent to issue. Fees. STATUTE I. April 29, 1816. [Obsolete.] Specific appropriation for defraying the expenses of the military estab lishment. STATUTE I. April 29, 1816. Pre-emption right secured. Act of Feb. 5, 1813, ch. 20. Act of April 12, 1814, ch. 52. CHAP. CLX.-An Act making appropriations for the support of the military establishment of the United States, for the year one thousand eight hundred and sixteen. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That for defraying the expenses of the military establishment of the United States, for the year one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, for the Indian department, for fortifications, for the expenses of the public buildings at West Point, and for the purchase of maps, plans, books and instruments for the military academy at said place, the following sums be, and the same are hereby respectively appropriated, that is to say: For the pay of the army of the United States, one million one hundred ninety-six thousand four hundred and ninety-six dollars. For subsistence, one million forty-three thousand three hundred and fifty-five dollars. For forage for officers, twenty-five thousand six hundred and ninety-two dollars. For bounties and premiums, fifty-six thousand dollars. For clothing, three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. For the medical and hospital department, one hundred thousand dollars. For the quartermaster's department, three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. For fortifications, eight hundred and thirty-eight thousand dollars. For contingencies, one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. For the Indian department, two hundred thousand dollars. For the purchase of horses for the artillery, fifty thousand dollars. For the purchase of maps, plans, books and instruments for the war office, twenty-five hundred dollars. For the erection of buildings at West Point, including arrearages, one hundred fifteen thousand eight hundred dollars. For the purchase of maps, plans, books and instruments for the military academy, twenty-two thousand one hundred and seventy-one dollars. For defraying the expenses incurred by calling out the militia during the late war, in addition to the sums heretofore appropriated by law to that object, one million two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. For the payment of damages sustained by the ships and vessels sunk at the entrance of the port of Baltimore, to prevent the ships of the enemy from passing the fort and entering the harbour, fifteen thousand one hundred eighty-eight dollars and fifty cents, being part of the amount of an appropriation of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, heretofore made, and by the President of the United States transferred to other objects. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the several sums specifically appropriated by this act shall be paid out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. APPROVED, April 29, 1816. CHAP. CLXII.-An Act concerning pre-emption rights given in the purchase of lands to certain settlers in the state of Louisiana, and in the territory of Missouri and Illinois. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That any person, and the legal representatives of any person entitled to a preference in becoming the purchaser, from the United States, of a tract of land, at private sale in the state of Louisiana, and in the territories of Missouri and Illinois, according to the provisions of the act, entitled "An act giving the right of pre-emption, in the purchase of lands, to certain settlers in the Illinois territory," passed February fifth, one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, and the fifth section of the "Act for the final adjustment of land titles in the state of Louisiana, and territory of Missouri," passed April twelfth, one thousand eight hundred and fourteen, who is settled on a fraction of a section or fractional quarter section, containing less than one hundred and sixty acres, shall have the privilege of purchasing one or more adjoining fractional quarter sections, or the adjoining quarter section, including their improvements, or the fraction improved by them, at their option; and the provisions of the said recited acts are hereby made applicable to them, so far as they are consistent with the provisions of this act. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That in cases where two or more persons entitled to the right of pre-emption, shall be settled upon one quarter or fractional quarter section of land, each person shall be authorized to purchase one or more quarter sections, or fractional quarter sections, of the section or fractional section of land upon which they are so settled; and the section or fractional section upon which such persons are settled shall be equally divided between them, in such manner as the register and receiver, within whose district the land lies, shall determine and direct, so as to secure, as far as may be practicable, to every such person their improvements respectively, and where the improvement of such person shall be upon two or more quarter sections, such person shall be entitled to purchase the quarter sections upon which his improvement shall be. APPROVED, April 29, 1816. How the claims of several persons settlers upon land are to be adjusted. STATUTE I. CHAP. CLXIII.-An Act declaring the consent of Congress to acts of the State of April 29, 1816. South Carolina, authorizing the city council of Charleston to impose and collect a duty on the tonnage of vessels from foreign ports; and to acts of the State of Georgia, authorizing the imposition and collection of a duty on the tonnage of vessels in the ports of Savannah and St. Mary's. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the consent of Congress be, and is hereby granted and declared to the operation of any act of the general assembly of the state of South Carolina, now in existence, or which may hereafter be passed, so far as the same extends, or may extend, to authorize the city council of Charleston, to impose and levy a duty, not exceeding ten cents per ton, on all ships and vessels of the United States, which shall arrive and be entered in the port of Charleston from any foreign port or place, for the purpose of providing a fund for the temporary relief and maintenance of sick or disabled seamen in the marine hospital of the said port of Charleston. Act of May 7, 1822, ch. 61. Congress given Consent of to act of South Carolina. Collector of receive the duties. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the collector of the port of Charleston be, and he is hereby authorized to collect the duties imposed Charleston to or authorized to be imposed by this act, and to pay the same to such persons as shall be authorized to receive the same by the city council of Charleston. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the consent of Congress be, and is hereby granted and declared to the operation of any act, of the general assembly of the state of Georgia now in existence, or which may hereafter be passed, so far as the same extends, or may extend, to authorize the levying and collecting a tonnage duty, not exceeding two cents per ton upon coasting vessels, and four cents per ton upon vessels from foreign ports, arriving at and entering the ports of Savannah and St. Mary's, for the purpose of providing a fund for the payment of the fees of the harbour master and health officer of those ports respectively: Provided, the said acts shall not contain provisions inconsistent with the operation of any law of the United States made in execution of existing treaties. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That this act shall be in force for five years, and from thence to the end of the next session of Congress thereafter, and no longer. APPROVED, April 29, 1816. Consent of Congress given to act of the state of Georgia. Proviso. Act limited to five years. STATUTE I. April 29, 1816. CHAP. CLXIV.-An Act to authorize the survey of two millions of acres of the public lands, in lieu of that quantity heretofore authorized to be surveyed, in the territory of Michigan, as military bounty lands. Act of May 6, 1812, ch. 77. Repeal of part of a former act. Act of Dec. 24, 1811, ch. 10. Act of Jan. 4. 1812, ch. 14. Sections to be drawn by lot, and patents to be issued. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That so much of the "Act to provide for designating, surveying, and granting the military bounty lands," approved the sixth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, as authorizes the President of the United States to cause to be surveyed two millions of acres of the lands of the United States, in the territory of Michigan, for the purpose of satisfying the bounties of land promised to the non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the United States, be, and the same is hereby repealed; and in lieu of the said two millions of acres of land, the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized to cause to be surveyed, of the lands of the United States fit for cultivation, not otherwise appropriated, and to which the Indian title is extinguished, one million five hundred thousand acres in the Illinois territory, and five hundred thousand acres in the Missouri territory, north of the river Missouri; the said lands shall be divided into townships, and subdivided into sections and quarter sections, (each quarter section to contain, as near as possible, one hundred and sixty acres,) in the manner prescribed by law for surveying and subdividing the other lands of the United States; and the lands thus surveyed, with the exception of the salt springs and lead mines therein, and of the quantities of land adjacent thereto as may be reserved for the use of the same by the President of the United States, and the section number sixteen in every township, to be granted to the inhabitants of such township for the use of public schools, shall, according to the provisions of the above-recited act, be set apart for the purpose of satisfying the bounties of land promised to the non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the late army of the United States, their heirs and legal representatives, by the act entitled "An act for completing the existing military establishment, approved the twenty-fourth day of December, one thousand eight hundred and eleven, and by the act, entitled "An act to raise an additional military force," approved the eleventh day of January, one thousand eight hundred and twelve. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That every person in whose favour any warrant for military land bounty is issued, shall be, and is hereby authorized, to draw by lot one of the quarter sections surveyed by virtue of this act, and shall obtain a patent therefor, in the same manner, in every respect, as is or shall be provided by law for patents to issue for other military land bounties, or as is provided by the act first above-recited for patents to issue for such lands. APPROVED, April 29, 1816. STATUTE I. April 29, 1816. Act of March 30, 1802, ch. 13. Licenses to trade to be given only to citizens of the United States. CHAP. CLXV.-An act supplementary to the act passed the thirtieth of March, one thousand eight hundred and two, to regulate trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes, and to preserve peace on the frontiers. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That licenses to trade with the Indians within the territorial limits of the United States shall not be granted to any but citizens of the United States, unless by the express direction of the President of the United States, and upon such terms and conditions as the public interest may, in his opinion, require. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That all goods, wares and merarticles carried chandise, carried by a foreigner into the lands to which the Indian title to the Indians has not been extinguished, for the purpose of being used in the Indian Forfeiture of act. trade; and all articles of peltry, of provisions, or of any other kind purchased contrary to this SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That if a foreigner go into any country which is allotted or secured by treaty to either of the Indian tribes within the territorial limits of the United States, or to which the Indian title has not been extinguished, without a passport first had and obtained from the governor of one of the states or territories of the United States, adjoining the country into which he may go, or the officer of the troops of the United States, commanding at the nearest post on the frontiers, or such other person as the President of the United States may from time to time authorize to grant the same, he shall, on conviction thereof, pay a fine of not less than fifty or more than one thousand dollars; or be imprisoned not less than one month, or more than twelve months, at the discretion of the court. Foreigners going to Indian passports. Penalties. When trials under this act are to take SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That trials for offences against this act shall be had in the courts of the United States of the territory in which the person accused may be arrested, or in the circuit court of the place. United States, of the district into which he may be first carried, after his arrest. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That each and every person charged with a violation of the second section of this act shall, if arrested, be indicted and tried in one of the courts aforesaid, and that the conviction of the accused shall authorize the court to cause the goods intended to be sold to, and articles purchased from the Indians, belonging to him, or taken in his possession, to be sold, one half to the use of the informer, and the other to the use of the United States. But if goods intended to be sold or articles purchased from the Indians contrary to the provisions of this act, should be seized, and the owner or person in possession of them should make his escape, or from any other cause cannot be brought to trial, it shall and may be lawful for the United States' attorney of the territory in which they may be seized, or the district attorney of the United States, of the district into which they may have been first carried after they are seized, to proceed against the said goods intended to be sold to, or articles purchased from the Indians, in the manner directed to be observed in the case of goods, wares or merchandise brought into the United States in violation of the revenue laws. SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is authorized to use the military force of the United States whenever it may be necessary to carry into effect this act, as far as it relates to seizure of goods to be sold to, or articles already purchased from the Indians, or to the arrest of persons charged with violating its provisions. APPROVED, April 29, 1816. CHAP. CLXVI.-An Act to increase the salary of the register of the treasury. STATUTE I. April 30, 1816. Salary in Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That there be allowed creased. and paid to the register of the treasury for his annual salary, from the first of January, one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, the sum of three thousand dollars. APPROVED, April 30, 1816. 1 1 |