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eight, be, and the same are hereby, confirmed. The confirmations
authorized by this act shall operate only as a release of any claim had
by the United States, and not to affect the interest of third persons.
SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the said register and receiver
shall continue to examine and decide the remaining claims in East
Florida, subject to the same limitations and in conformity with the pro-
visions of the several acts of Congress, for the adjustment of private land
claims in Florida, until the first Monday in December next, when they
shall make a final report of all the claims, aforesaid, in said district, to
the Secretary of the Treasury; and it shall never be lawful, after that
time, for any of the claimants to exhibit any further evidence in support
of said claims. And the said register and receiver, and clerk, shall
receive the compensation provided in the act aforesaid, to be paid out of
any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated: Provided, That
the extra compensation of one thousand dollars, each, which is hereby
allowed to the register and receiver, for services under and by the pro-
visions of this act, shall not be paid until a report of all the claims be
made to the Secretary of the Treasury.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the proper accounting officers of the treasury be, and they are hereby, authorized to adjust and pay the accounts of the register and receiver, acting as commissioners, their contingent expenses, and the receiver the compensation heretofore allowed for bringing their reports to Washington, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

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Accounting officers of the treasury to adjust, &c., the accounts of the register and re

ceiver, &c. Claims not

decided and finally settled by the commissioners to

be decided by the judge of the superior court of the district.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That all claims to land within the territory of Florida, embraced by the treaty between Spain and the United States of the twenty-second of February, one thousand eight hundred and nineteen, which shall not be decided and finally settled under the foregoing provisions of this act, containing a greater quantity of land than the commissioners were authorized to decide, and above the amount confirmed by this act and which have not been reported, as antedated or forged by said commissioners, or register and receiver acting as such, shall be received and adjudicated, by the judge of the superior court of the district within which the land lies, upon the petition of the claimant, according to the forms, rules, regulations, conditions, restrictions, and limitations prescribed to the district judge, and claimants in the state of Missouri, by act of Congress, approved May twenty-sixth, eighteen hundred and twenty-four, entitled "An act enabling the claimants to lands within the limits of the state of Missouri, and territory of Arkansas, to 26, 1824, ch. institute proceedings to try the validity of their claims:" Provided, That nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize said judges to take cognisance of any claim annulled by the said treaty, or the decree ratifying the same by the king of Spain, nor any claim not presented to the commissioners or register and receiver, in conformity to the several acts of Congress, providing for the settlement of private land claims in Florida.

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the claimants to lands, as aforesaid, to take an appeal, as directed in the act aforesaid, from the decision of the judge of the district, to the Supreme Court of the United States, within four months after the decision shall be pronounced; and the said judges shall each be entitled to receive the extra compensation given to the district judge of Missouri, for the performance of the duties required by this act, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That so much of the said act, the provisions of which, so far as they are applicable, and are not altered by this act, are hereby extended to the territory of Florida, as subjects the claimants to the payment of costs in any case where the decision may be in favour of their claims, be, and the same is hereby, repealed; and

Act of May

173.

Proviso.

Claimant

may appeal to Court of the United States within four the decision shall be pronounced, &c.

the Supreme

months after

Costs.

Repeal of certain provisions.

Attorney general of the United States, for the district in which the

suits authorized

by this act shall

be instituted, in

every case

where the de

cision is against

the United

States, to make

out and trans

mit to the attor

ney general a

statement con

taining the facts of the case, &c.

The President of the United

States to appoint a law

the costs shall abide the decision of the cause as in ordinary causes before the said court. And so much of the said act as requires the claimants to make adverse claimants parties to their suits, or to show the court what adverse claimants there may be to the land claimed of the United States, be also hereby repealed.

SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the attorney of the United States for the district in which the suits authorized by this act shall be instituted, in every case where the decision is against the United States, to make out and transmit to the attorney general of the United States, a statement, containing the facts of the case, and the points of law on which the same was decided: and it shall be the duty of the attorney general, in all cases where the claim exceeds one league square, and in all other cases, if he shall in such latter cases think the decision of the district judge is erroneous, to direct an appeal to be made to the Supreme Court of the United States, and to appear for the United States, and prosecute such appeal: which appeal in behalf of the United States may be granted at any time within six months after the rendition of the judgment appealed from, or at any time before the expiration of the term thereof, which may commence next after the expiration of said six months; and it shall be the further duty of the district attorney to observe the instruction given to him by the attorney general in that respect.

SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the President of the United States to appoint a law agent, whose special duty it shall be to superintend the interests of the United States in the premises, agent, to super- to continue him in place as long as the public interest requires his intend, &c.

Duty of the agent.

The Presi

continuance; and to allow such pay to the agent as the President may think reasonable. It shall also be the duty of said agent to collect testimony in behalf of the United States, and to attend, on all occasions, when said claimants may take depositions; and no deposition so taken by them shall be read as evidence, unless said agent or district attorney shall have been notified, in writing, of the time and place of taking them, so long previous to said time as to afford to him an opportunity of being present.

SEC. 11. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the dent to appoint President to employ assistant counsel, if in his opinion the public interest shall require the same: and to allow to such counsel and the district attorney, such compensation as he may think reasonable.

assistant coun

sel.

Claims to lands, &c., within the pur

view of this act,

forever barred after the passage of this act, if, &c.

Decrees rendered by said

district or Su

preme Court

SEC. 12. And be it further enacted, That any claims to lands, tenements, or hereditaments, within the purview of this act, which shall not be brought by petition before said court within one year from the passage of this act, or which, after being brought before said court, shall, on account of the neglect or delay of the claimant, not be prosecuted to a final decision within two years, shall be forever barred, both at law and in equity; and no other action at common law, or proceeding in equity, shall ever thereafter be sustained in any court whatever.

SEC. 13. And be it further enacted, That the decrees which may be rendered by said district, or the Supreme Court of the United States, shall be conclusive between the United States and the said claimants

United States to only, and shall not affect the interests of third persons.

be conclusive,

&c.

STATUTE I.

May 23, 1828.

Where public lands have

APPROVED, May 23, 1828.

CHAP. LXXI.-An Act for the relief of purchasers of the public lands that
have reverted for non-payment of the purchase money. (a)
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America, in Congress assembled, That, in all cases where public

(a) See notes to the act of March 21, 1828, ch. 22.

further credit

been purchased, on which a has not been taken under the provision of act 1821, ch. 12, and have reliable to revert, verted, or are to the United States, for failure to pay the purchase mo

of March 2,

lands have been purchased, on which a further credit has not been taken
ander the provisions of the act of the second of March, one thousand
eight hundred and twenty-one, and have reverted, or are liable to revert,
to the United States, for failure to pay the purchase money, or have been
sold by the United States by reason of such failure to pay, and in all
cases where one twentieth of the purchase money shall have been depo-
sited and forfeited to the United States, it shall be the duty of the regis-
ter of the land office, where the purchase or deposit was made, to issue,
upon application, to the person, or persons, legally entitled to the benefit
of the payments made previous to such reversion or sale, his, her, or
their legal representatives, or assigns, a certificate for the amount so paid,
and not refunded, which shall be received and credited as cash in pay- ney.
ment of any public land that has been heretofore, or may hereafter be,
sold by the United States, in the state or territory in which such original
purchase or deposit was made.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the commissioner of the general land office to prescribe the form of such certificates, which shall, in every case, specify the tract or tracts of land so reverted or sold, the amount paid, date of payments, and by whom made; and it shall be the duty of the register issuing such certificates, to keep a record of the same, and to forward to the general land office, at the close of each month, an abstract of the certificates issued during the month; and for each certificate, the officer issuing the same shall be entitled to receive, from the applicant, the sum of fifty cents.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said certificates, when received in payment for lands, shall be entered in the books of the land office, where received, and transmitted with the accounts of the receiver of the public moneys, to the general land office, in such manner as the commissioner of said office shall prescribe; and if, upon comparison of the original with the returns from the office whence any certificate issued, it shall appear to the satisfaction of the said commissioner, that such certificate has been issued and duly paid, according to the true intent and meaning of this act, the same shall be passed to the credit of the person paying the same as so much cash.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That, for any moneys forfeited, on lands sold at New York or Pittsburg, the certificate shall be issued by the Secretary of the Treasury; which certificate shall be received in payment for lands at any of the land offices of the United States, as the certificates issued in conformity to the foregoing provisions of this act are made receivable.

Fees.

Duty of the commissioner of the general land office to prescribe the

form of such certificates.

Fees.

Certificates, when received lands, shall be in payment for entered in the books of the where received, and transmitted to the general

land office

land office.

Lands sold at

New York or Pittsburg, &c.

Certificates

to any person, except, &c.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That, in no case, shall a certificate be issued to any person, except to the person who originally forfeited not to be issued the lands, or to his heir or heirs; nor shall a grant issue, or the lands purchased with any scrip be transferred, until six months after the certificate shall have been deposited in the office.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That, if any tract of land returned as sold to the general land office, shall have been paid for in forged or altered certificates, such sale shall be void, and the land subject to be sold again, at public or private sale, as the case may be; and in case any such forged or altered certificate shall be received upon any debt for land heretofore sold, or in part payment of any tract of land that may be hereafter sold, it shall be the duty of the commissioner of the general land office, by advertisement, or in such other manner as he shall direct, to give notice thereof to the person making such payment; and if, within six months after notice, such person shall not pay into the proper land office the amount so falsely paid, the tract of land upon which such payment was made, shall, with all money actually paid thereon, be forfeited to the United States.

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That, where two or more persons

Where any tract of land returned as sold

to the general land office shall have been paid altered certificates.

for in forged or

Where two or more persons become the purchaser or purchasers

of a section or fractional section.

Proviso.

have become purchasers of a section or fractional section, the register of the land office for the district in which the lands lie, shall on application of the parties, and a surrender of the original certificate, issue separate certificates, of the same date with the original, to each of the purchasers, or their assignees, in conformity with the division agreed on by them: Provided, That, in no case, shall the fractions so purchased be divided by other than north, and south, or east and west lines; nor shall any certificate issue for less than eighty acres.

APPROVED, May 23, 1828.

STATUTE I.

May 23, 1828.

Where provision has been made by law,

for half pay to
the widows,
&c., of officers,
&c., killed in
battle, &c.,
the term of cer-
tain pensions to
be extended.

Pensions of all widows, who are now, or who may within one year last past be in receipt thereof under

provision of the following laws or either of them, continued.

Act of March 4, 1814, ch. 20. Act of April 16, 1818, ch. 65.

Proviso.

Proviso.

CHAP. LXXII.-An Act to provide for extending the term of certain pensions, chargeable on the navy and privateer pension fund.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That in all cases where provision has been made, by law, for the five years' half pay to the widows and children of officers, seamen and marines, who were killed in battle, or who died in the naval service of the United States during the late war; and also, in all cases where provision has been made for extending the term for five years in addition to any term of five years, the said provision shall be further extended for an additional term of five years, to commence at the end of the current, or last expired term of five years in each case, respectively; making the provision equal to twenty years half pay; which shall be paid out of the fund heretofore provided by law; and the said pensions shall cease for the causes mentioned in the laws providing the same, respectively.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the pensions of all widows, who now are, or who, at any time within one year last past, have been in the receipt thereof, under the provision of the following laws of the United States, or either of them, to wit: An act passed March the fourth, one thousand eight hundred and fourteen, entitled " An act giving pensions to the orphans and widows of the persons slain in the public or private armed vessels of the United States," and an act passed April the sixteenth, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, entitled "An act in addition to an act giving pensions to the orphans and widows of persons slain in the public or private armed vessels of the United States," so far as regards persons receiving pensions from the fund arising from captures and salvage, made by the private armed vessels of the United States, be and the same are hereby continued, under the restrictions and regulations in the said acts contained, for and during the additional term of five years, from and after the period of the expiration of the said pensions, respectively: Provided, however, That the said pensions shall be paid from the proceeds of the privateer pension fund alone, and without recourse to the United States, for any deficiency, should such occur, which may hereafter arise thereon; And provided further, That no such pension shall be paid to any such widow after her intermarriage, had, or to be had, after she shall have become such widow. APPROVED, May 23, 1828.

STATUTE I.

May 23, 1828.

Sums respectively appropriated.

CHAP. LXXIII.—An Act to authorize the improving of certain harbours, the building of piers, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the following sums be, and the same are hereby, respectively appropriated, to be applied under

the direction of the President of the United States, to accomplish the objects hereinafter mentioned; that is to say:

For removing the sand bar at or near the mouth of Merimack river in the state of Massachusetts, by erecting piers, or other works, thirtytwo thousand one hundred dollars.

For the preservation of Deer island, in Boston harbour, in the state of Massachusetts, eighty-seven thousand dollars.

Towards erecting piers, or other works, at or near Stonington harbour, in the state of Connecticut, for the purpose of making the same a good and secure harbour, twenty thousand dollars.

For repairing the public piers at Port Penn, Marcus Hook, and fort Mifflin, four thousand four hundred and thirteen dollars.

For purchasing a dredging machine, to be worked by steam, and employing the same for the removal of the shoals forming obstructions to the navigation near Ocracock Inlet, in the state of North Carolina, twenty thousand dollars.

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Removing the

Towards removing the sand bar at or near the mouth of Black river, in the state of Ohio, by the erection of piers, or other works, seven thousand bar in sand five hundred dollars.

For removing obstructions in the Apalachicola river, in the territory of Florida, three thousand dollars.

For improving the navigation of Red river, through, or around, that part of it called the Raft, situated in Louisiana and Arkansas, twenty-five thousand dollars, three thousand dollars in addition to a former appropriation for clearing out and deepening the harbour of Sackett's Harbour. For making a survey of the harbour of Nantucket, and the passage leading to it, and an estimate of the cost of improving and making the harbour a good and secure one, three hundred dollars.

For making a survey of Genessee river and harbour, in the state of New York, and estimates of the cost for improving the same, three hundred dollars.

For surveying the mouth of Sandy creek, which discharges itself into Mexico bay, on Lake Ontario, in the state of New York, for the purpose of constructing a harbour at that place, and ascertaining the cost of the same, three hundred dollars.

For making a survey and examination of the southern shore of Lake Ontario, in the state of New York, between Genessee and Oswego rivers, with a view to the improvement of the most accessible and commodious harbours on the frontier, by erecting piers, or other works, and estimates of the costs of the same, four hundred dollars.

For deepening the channel through the pass au Heron, near the Bay of Mobile, eighteen thousand dollars.

For deepening the channel at the mouth of Pascagoula river, seventeen thousand five hundred dollars, in addition to the sum before appropriated for that object.

For surveying the obstructions to the navigation of the Wabash river, between its mouth and Eel river, five hundred dollars.

Towards improving the navigation of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, the sum of fifty thousand dollars.

For removing obstructions in the Berwick branch of the Piscataqua river, eight thousand dollars.

For deepening the inland passage, or present channel, for navigation between the St. John's river in Florida, and St. Mary's harbour, in Georgia, the sum of thirteen thousand five hundred dollars.

Black river.

Obstructions in Apalachicola

river.

Improving the navigation of Red river,

&c.

A survey of the harbour of Nantucket, &c.

Survey of Genessee river,

&c.

Surveying the mouth of Sandy Creek, &c.

A survey of the southern shore of Lake Ontario, &c.

Deepening the pass au He

ron.

Deepening Pascagoula

river.

Obstructions in the Wabash river. Mississippi

and Ohio rivers.

Removing obstructions.

Deepening the channel in St. Mary's harbour, &c. Survey of the

For a survey of the river and harbour of St. Marks, in Florida, with a view to the practicability and expense of deepening the same, the sum of river St. Marks.

five hundred dollars.

Erecting a len's rocks.

For erecting a pier and a beacon thereon, at or near a ledge of rocks called Allen's rocks, in Warren river, the sum of four thousand dollars. pier, &c. at AlAPPROVED, May 23, 1828.

VOL. IV.-37

2 B

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