An act providing for the final settlement of certain confirmed claims in Louisiana,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America
in Congress Assembled, That in relation to any claim entered in the Report dated 1st January 1821 of the Register of the District North of Red River in Louisiana, or
in the Report dated 6th January 1821 of the Register for the Eastern District of Louisiana, which has been
confirmed by the Act of Congress approved 28th February 1823 entitled “An Act supplementary to the several Acts for the adjustment
of land claims in the State of Louisiana,” and which since the confirmation aforesaid
has rested under general suspicion of fraud, it shall and may be lawful for the Commissioner
of the General Land Office to institute an investigation, and authorize proof to be
presented by claimants with a view to a determination whether or not the claim shall
be finally approved and recognized.
Section 2d
And be it further enacted that if upon the examination of the proof presented as aforesaid, the said commissioner
shall be satisfied either 1st that the genuiness of the Original title is established, or 2nd that the said title should be released from suspicion of fraud, or. 3rd that the claim is the property of a bonafide innocent owner without notice of fraud,
it shall and
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may be lawful for the said Commissioner in any such case where the claim has been
heretofore Actually
located, to order the Survey of the same to be made and approved, or where a Survey has been
already properly made to direct the approval of the same, and upon the return to the
General Land Office of a properly certified plat of Survey to issue a patent for the
same, provided that such approval and Survey shall not operate to the prejudice of any existing
adverse right, nor in the third class of cases affect the validity of any pre-emption
right, regular in other respects, which may have existed before the Survey aforesaid.
Section 3d
And be it further enacted, that in the case of any claim which may be recognized by the Commissioner as valid
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, but which has not been heretofore located, it
shall and may be lawful for the Commissioner of the General Land Office to direct
the Surveyor General to examine the Report, and other evidence in his files, and if
the locality of the claim can be satisfactorily ascertained, to locate the same according to the
lines of the public Surveys, provided that such location shall not affect the validity of any interfering sale, or entry
previously made, but the Private claimant shall be entitled to select the area of
valid
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interference, in other lands subject to sale at private entry in the same District
in which the Original claim is situated, and a similar privilege shall be extended
in the case of any valid interference by pre-emption which may arise under the 2d Section of the said Act, and upon the return to the General Land Office of an approved
plat of the location, a patent shall duly issue.
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Bill 83
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Harmanson, 51
intrd, by leave
on Pub Land
intrd, by leave
on Pub Land
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H R 83
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1-30
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January 17, 1848
Mr Harmanson on leave introduced the following bill, which was read twice, and referred to the Committee on Public Lands.
Mr Harmanson on leave introduced the following bill, which was read twice, and referred to the Committee on Public Lands.
[ docketing
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Jany 24. Referred to Comte on Private Land Claims
[ docketing
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A Bill providing for the final settlement of certain confirmed claims in Louisiana,
and for other purposes.
[ docketing
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Private [Court?]
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Collamer 22
asks dis, [&tc?]
P. L. C.
asks dis, [&tc?]
P. L. C.
Handwritten Document, 4