to the town, That the governor of the Western territory cause A tract of to be laid out, at the public expense, in the form of a land, adjacent square, adjoining to the present improvements at Post to be laid out St. Vincents, and in whatever direction the settlers for that purshall prefer, a tract of land, sufficient for completing pose. the above donations; which tract shall afterwards be divided, by lot, among the settlers, who are entitled to any part of the same, in such manner as they shall agree. I. 3d 27. 3d March, to each head Sec. 1. Be it enacted, That four hundred acres of land be given to each of those persons, who, in the 1791. year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, 400 acres of were heads of families at Vincennes or in the Illinois land granted country, on the Mississippi, and who, since that time, of a family at have removed from one of the said places to the other. Vincennes And the governor of the territory, north-west of the and the IlliOhio, is hereby directed, to cause the same to be laid out for them, at their own expense, either at Vincennes or in the Illinois country, as they shall severally elect. nois; moved from Sec. 2. Be it further declared, That the heads of also, to those families, at Vincennes or in the Illinois country, in who have rethe year one thousand seven hundred and eighty- the Norththree, who afterwards removed without the limits of west territothe said territory, are notwithstanding, entitled to the ry, donation of four hundred acres of land, made by the resolve of Congress of the twenty-ninth of August, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight; and the governor of the said territory, upon application to him for that purpose, is hereby directed, to cause the same to be laid out for such heads of families or their heirs; and shall also cause to be laid off and confirmed to such persons the several tracts of land, which they may have possessed, and which, before the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, may have been allotted to them, according to the laws and usages of the government, under which they had respectively settled: Provided nevertheless, That if such if they return persons, or their heirs, do not return and occupy the within five said lands within five years, such lands shall be considered as forfeited to the United States. years, a id Occupy the land. Lands for sent posses sors. Improvers of lands, Sec. 3. That one hundred and fifty acres of land, heremerly posses- tofore in possession of the Piankeshaw Indians, and sed by Piankeshaw Innow under actual improvement, and constituting a dians conpart of the village of Vincennes, be given to the perfirmed to pre- sons who are severally in possession of the said land. Sec. 4. Where lands have been actually improved and cultivated, at Vincennes, or in the Illinois country, under a supposed grant of the same, by any commandant or court claiming authority to make such grant, the governor of the said territory hereby is empowered to confirm to the persons who made such improvements, their heirs or assigns, the lands supposed to have been granted as aforesaid, or such parts thereof as he, in his discretion, may judge reasonable, not exceeding, to any one person, four hundred claiming un der a suppos sed grant, to have their claims confirmed for 400 acres. a common to acres. Sec. 5. That a tract of land,containing about five thouLands here- sand four hundred acres, which, for many years, has tofore used as been fenced and used, by the inhabitants of Vincennes, be appropria- as a common, also a tract of land, including the vilted thereto. lages of Cohos and Prairie du Pont, and heretofore used, by the inhabitants of the said villages, as a common, be, and the same are hereby appropriated to the use of the inhabitants of Vincennes, and of the said villages respectively, to be used by them as a common, until otherwise disposed of by law. Militia men who have not donation of land, to re ceive 100 acres. Sec. 6. The governor of the said territory is authorised to make a grant of land, not exceeding one obtained any hundred acres, to each person who hath not obtained any donation of land from the United States, and who, on the first day of August, one thousand seven hundred and ninety, was enrolled in the militia, at Vincennes, or in the Illinois country, and has done militia duty, the said land to be laid out at the expense of the grantees, and in such form and place as the said governor shall direct: Provided nevertheless, That no claim, founded upon purchase or otherwise, shall be admitted within a tract of land heretofore occupied by the Kaskaskia nation of Indians, and including their village, which is hereby appropriated to the use of the said Indians. Appropriation of a tract for the Kaskaskia Indians. Grant to P. Gibault Sec. 7. That two lots of land, heretofore in the occuand St. Jam pation of the priests at Cahokia, and situated near that village, be and the same is hereby granted in fee to P. Beouvais. Gibault; and that a tract of land at Kaskaskia, formerly occupied by the Jesuits, be laid off and confirmed to St. Jam Beouvais, who claims the same in virtue of a purchase thereof. lands to be Sec. 8. So much of the act of Congress of the Donation twenty-eighth of August, one thousand seven hun- laid out acdred and eighty-eight, as refers to the locations of cording to certain tracts of land directed to be run out and re- act of Con served for donations, to the ancient settlers in the Il-gress of June20th, 1788. linois country, is hereby repealed, and the governor of the said territory is directed to lay out the same, agreeably to the act of Congress of the twentieth of June, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight. Inhabit an ts of Post St. So much of the resolution of Congress of the II. 2d. 10. twenty-ninth of August, one thousand seven hun- 21st Februa dred and eighty-eight, as requires the French and ry, 1793. Canadian inhabitants, and other settlers at Post St. Vincents, to pay for the survey of the several tracts, Vincents rewhich they rightfully claimed, and which had been lieved from allotted to them, according to the laws and usages of expense of the government, under which they had settled, is repealed: And that such surveys thereof, as may have been made, be paid for by the United States, not exceeding the rates hitherto established by Congress for making surveys. certain sur veys. 1800. Sec. 1. *From and after the fourth day of July VI. 41. next, all that part of the territory of the United States 7th May, north-west of the Ohio river, which lies to the west- New territoward of a line beginning at the Ohio. opposite to the ry made from mouth of Kentucky river, and running thence to Fort part of the Recovery, and thence north until it shall intersect North West the territorial line between the United States and Canada, shall, for the purposes of temporary government, constitute a separate territory, and be called called Indi the Indiana Territory. This act is introduced, only to show that from the 4th July, 1800, the powers vested by the preceding acts in the governor of the North-West territory, ceased, and were transferred to the governor of Indiana. territory, ana. Form of go vernment and privileges of the inhabi tants. Powers, du ties and com the officers. Sec. 2. There shall be established within the said territory, a government in all respects similar to that provided by the ordinance of Congress, passed on the thirteenth day of July, one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven, for the government of the territory of the United States north-west of the river Ohio; and the inhabitants thereof shall be entitled to, and enjoy all and singular the rights, privileges and advantages granted and secured to the people by the said ordinance. Sec. 3. The officers for the said territory, who pensation of by virtue of this act shall be appointed by the Presi dent of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall respectively exercise the same powers, perform the same duties, and receive for their services the same compensations as by the ordinance aforesaid and the laws of the United States, have been provided and established for similar officers in the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio: And the duties and emoluments of superintendent of Indian affairs shall be unjted with those of governor: Provided, That the President of the United States shall have full power, in the recess of Congress, to appoint and commission may be issued all officers herein authorised; and their commissions in the recess. shall continue in force until the end of the next session of Congress. Commissions Construction of this act Sec. 5. Nothing in this act contained, shall be construed so as in any manner to affect the governwith respect ment now in force in the territory of the United States north-west of the Ohio river, further than to prohiN. W. terri- bit the exercise thereof within the Indiana territory, tory. from and after the aforesaid fourth day of July next. to the govern ment of the VIII. 35. Sec. 3. Every person claiming lands within any 26th March, of the three tracts of land described in the preceding section, by virtue of any legal grant made by the French government, prior to the treaty of Paris, of the tenth of Februay, one thousand seven hundred 1804. Persons claiming lands under * Viz. The tracts of land constituting the land districts of Vincennes, Kaskaskia and Detroit. British or U of the land lands are si and sixty-three, or of any legal grant made by the grants from British government, subsequent to the said treaty, the French, and prior to the treaty of peace between the United nited States' States and Great Britain, of the third of September, governments one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, or of to deliver to any resolution, or act of Congress, subsequent to the the registers said treaty of peace, shall, on or before the first day offices of the of January, one thousand eight hundred and five, districts in deliver to the register of the land office, within whose which the district the land may lie, a notice in writing, stating tuated, statethe nature and extent of his claims, together with a ments of the plot of the tract or tracts claimed; and may also, on extent of their or before that day, deliver to the said register, for claims, togethe purpose of being recorded, every grant, order of their docu survey, deed, conveyance, or other written evidence ments, of his claim; and the same shall be recorded by the said register, in books to be kept for that purpose, be recorded. on receiving from the parties at the rate of twelve and a half cents, for every hundred words contained in Fees demandsuch written evidence of their claim; and if such per- same. son shall neglect to deliver such notice, in writing, of his claim, or to cause to be recorded such written evidence of the same, all his right, so far as the same is derived from any resolution or act of Congress, shall become void, and forever be barred. ther with which shall able for the Sec. 4. The register and receiver of public mo- and receivers The registers nies, of the three above mentioned land offices, to be commisshall, for the lands respectively lying within their sioners in districts, be commissioners for the purpose of exatheir respecmining the claims of persons claiming lands by virtue tive districts. of the preceding sections. Each of the said commissioners shall, previous to entering on the duties of his appointment, respectively take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation, before some person qua- Commissionlified to administer the same. "I, do solemnly swear, (or affirm) that I will impartially exercise and discharge the duties imposed upon me, as commissioner for examining the claims to land, by an act of Congress, intituled "An act making pro vision for the disposal of the public lands in the Indiana territory; and for other purposes." * Viz. Of Vincennes, Kaskaskia and Detroit. er's oath. |