services, on account of any deficiency in the quantity of land contained in the quarter township or fractional part of a quarter township which shall have been located by such proprietor or holder; nor shall any claim be hereafter set up by the United States against such proprietor or holder, on ac count of any excess in the quantity of land contained therein. Approved, March 1, 1800.

[See Part II, Nos. 2, 43, 108, 113, 114, 115, 116, 121, 177, 189, 236, 237, 728, 729, 730, 733, 818.]

CHAP. 52.-An act to authorize the President of the United States to accept, for the United States, a cession of jurisdiction of the territory west of Pennsylvania, commonly called the Western Reserve of Connecticut.

thorized to execute

ernor of Connecti

persons holding

releasing the right,

States to the soil of

the Western Re

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- The President ausentatives of the United States of America in Congress as- and deliver letters sembled, That the President of the United States be, and patent to the Govhe hereby is, authorized to execute and deliver letters pat- cut, for the use of ent, in the name and behalf of the United States, to the Gov- and claiming, &c., ernor of the State of Connecticut for the time being, for the &c. of the United use and benefit of the persons holding and claiming under the territory called the State of Connecticut, their heirs and assigns, forever, serve, &c. whereby all the right, title, interest, and estate, of the United States, to the soil of that tract of land lying west of the west line of Pennsylvania, as claimed by the State of Pennsylvania, and as the same has been actually settled, ascertained, and run, in conformity to an agreement between the said State of Pennsylvania and the State of Virginia, and extending from said line, westward, one hundred and twenty statute miles in length and in breadth, throughout the said limits in length, from the completion of the forty-first degree of north latitude until it comes to forty-two degrees and two minutes north latitude, including all that territory commonly called the Western Reserve of Connecticut, and which was excepted by said State of Connecticut out of the cession by the said State heretofore made to the United States,* and *See appendix No. accepted by a resolution of Congress of the fourteenth of September, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six, shall be released and conveyed as aforesaid to the said Governor of Connecticut, and his successors in said office, forever, for the purpose of quieting the grantees and purchasers under said State of Connecticut, and confirming their titles to the soil of the said tract of land.

5.

patent not to be less the State of

renounces forever

Provided, however, That such letters patent shall not be Proviso; letters executed and delivered unless the State of Connecticut executed, &c., unshall, within eight months from passing this act, by a legis- Connecticut, withlative act, renounce forever, for the use and benefit of the in eight months, United States and of the several individual States who may all territorial and be therein concerned, respectively, and of all those deriving claims to the lands claims or titles from them, or any of them, all territorial and jurisdictional claims whatever, under any grant, charter, or

jurisdictional

described, &c.

Proviso; the State of Connecticut, by

ized, to execute a

risdictional claim

charters whatever, to the soil and jurisdiction of any and all lands whatever, lying westward, northwestward, and southwestward, of those counties in the State of Connecticut which are bounded westwardly by the eastern line of the State of New York, as ascertained by agreement between Connecticut and New York in the year one thousand seven hundred and thirty-three, excepting only from such renunciation the claim of said State of Connecticut, and of those claiming from or under the said State, to the soil of said tract of land herein described under the name of the Western Reserve of Connecticut.

And provided, also, That the said State of Connecticut agents duly author shall, within the said eight months from and after passing deed, releasing ju- this act, by the agent or agents of said State, duly authoto the Western Re- rized by the Legislature thereof, execute and deliver, to the acceptance of the President of the United States, a deed expressly releasing to the United States the jurisdictional claim of the said State of Connecticut to the said tract of land herein described under the name of the Western Re

serve, &c.

ation, and deed, to

Departm't of State,

&c.

in this act to draw

conclusive settle

vania and Connec ticut, &c.

Exemplification of serve of Connecticut, and shall deposite an exemplification the act of renunci- of said act of renunciation, under the seal of the said State be deposited in the of Connecticut, together with said deed, releasing said jurisdiction, in the office of the Department of State of the United States; which deed of cession, when so deposited, shall vest the jurisdiction of said territory in the United Proviso; nothing States: Provided, That neither this act nor any thing coninto question the tained therein shall be construed so as in any manner to ment of the dispute draw, into question the conclusive settlement of the dispute between Pennsyl: between Pennsylvania and Connecticut by the decree of the federal court at Trenton, nor to impair the right of Pennsylvania, or any other State, or of any person or persons claiming under that or any other State, in any existing dispute concerning the right either of soil or of jurisdiction, with the State of Connecticut, or with any person or persons claiming under the State of Connecticut: And proProviso; nothing vided, also, That nothing herein contained shall be construed the United States in any manner to pledge the United States for the extinguishment of Indian ti- ment of the Indian title to the said lands, or further than tle, &c. merely to pass the title of the United States thereto. Approved, April 28, 1800.

herein to pledge

to the extinguish

*See original act of 7th April, 1798; ante, chap. 43.

So much of the ordinance and act mentioned as relates to the organi

Assembly in the

CHAP. 53.-An act supplemental to the act entitled "An act for an amicable settlement of limits with the State of Georgia, and authorizing the establishment of a Government in the Mississippi Territory."

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Reprezation of a General sentatives of the United States of America in Congress asNorthwestern Ter- sembled, That so much of the ordinance of Congress of the ritory, to be in force thirteenth of July, one thousand seven hundred and eightyTerritory, &c., pro- seven,† and of the act of Congress of the seventh of AuSee chapter 20. gust, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine, provi

in the Mississippi

vided, &c.

ding for the government of the Territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio, as relates to the organization of a General Assembly therein, and prescribes the powers thereof, shall forth with operate and be in force in the Mississippi Territory: Provided, That until the number of free male inhabitants of full age in the said Territory shall amount to five thousand, there shall not be returned to the General Assembly more than nine representatives."

*See act of 9th Jan. 1806.

sentatives in the

from the counties,

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That until the number Number of repreof free male inhabitants of full age in the Mississippi Ter- General Assembly ritory shall amount to five thousand, the county of Adams &c. mentioned, unshall be entitled to choose four representatives to the Gen- til, &c. eral Assembly, the county of Pickering four, and the Tensaw and Tombigbee settlements one.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the first election The first election for representatives to the General Assembly shall be on the to the General As fourth Monday in July next, and that all subsequent elec-sembly to be on the tions shall be regulated by the Legislature.

4th Monday in Ju ly, 1800, and, &c.

cause the election

most convenient

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the The Governor to duty of the Governor of the Mississippi Territory to cause to be holden at the the said election to be holden, on the day aforesaid, at the place, &c. most convenient place in the counties and settlements aforesaid, and to nominate a proper officer or officers to preside at and conduct the same, and to return to him the names of the persons who may have been duly elected.

tives to be con

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the representa- The representa. tives shall be convened by the Governor at the town of vened at Natchez, Natchez on the fourth Monday in September next.

&c.

male inhabitants

the number of rep

nance, &c.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That so soon as the When the free number of free male inhabitants of full age shall amount to amount to 5,000, or exceed five thousand, the number of representatives to resentatives to be the General Assembly shall be determined, and the appor- according to orditionment made, in the way prescribed in the ordinance. SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That nothing in this Nothing in this act act shall in any respect impair the right of the State of of Georgia, or the Georgia to the jurisdiction, or of the said State, or of any person or persons, to the soil of the said Territory; but the rights and claims of the said State, and all persons interested, are hereby declared to be as firm and available as if this act had never been made.

to impair the right rights of individu

als, &c.

sembly to meet

provided, &c.

SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That the General As- The General As sembly shall meet at least once in every year, and such once a year, &c., meeting shall be on the first Monday of December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day: Provided, That the Governor shall have power, on extraordinary occasions, to convene the General Assembly.

without the con

to adjourn for more

SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That neither House, du- Neither House, ring the session of the General Assembly, shall, without the con- sent of the other, sent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any than three days, other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting, nor, &c. SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the commissioners appointed, or who may hereafter

ers under the act

missioners of Georgia; receive a cession of lands, &c.

4.

The commission

inquire into claims

propositions of

The commission- be appointed, on the part of the United States, in pursuance mentioned, &c., to of the act entitled "An act for an amicable settlement of settle,compromise, &c. with the com- limits with the State of Georgia, and authorizing the establishment of a Government in the Mississippi Territory,"* or *Ante, chapter 46. any two of them, finally to settle, by compromise, with the commissioners which have been or may be appointed by the State of Georgia, any claims mentioned in said act, and to receive, in behalf of the United States, a cession of any lands therein mentioned, or of the jurisdiction thereof, on +See appendix No. such terms as to them shall appear reasonable; and, also, that the said commissioners on the part of the United States, ers authorized to or any two of them, be authorized to inquire into the claims of settlers, receive which are or shall be made by settlers, or any other percompromise, and sons whatsoever, to any part of the aforesaid lands, and to lay a statement be receive from such settlers and claimants any propositions of compromise which may be made by them, and lay a full statement of the claims and the propositions which may be made to them by the settlers or claimants to any part of the said lands, together with their opinion thereon, before Congress, for their decision thereon, as soon as may be: ProProviso; settlem't vided, That the settlement shall be made and completed before the fourth day of March, one thousand eight hundred Proviso; commis- and three; And provided, also, That the said commissioners tract for the pay shall not contract for the payment of any money from the other than, &c. Treasury of the United States to the State of Georgia, other than the proceeds of the same lands. Approved, May 10, 1800.

fore Congress, &c.

before 4th March,

1803.

sioners not to con

ment of money,

See original act of 18th May, 1796, chapter 42.

be established in

CHAP. 54.-An act to amend the act entitled "An act providing for the sale of the lands of the United States in the Territory northwest of the Ohio, and above the mouth of Kentucky river."‡

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress asFour land offices to sembled, That for the disposal of the lands of the United the Territory north-States directed to be sold by the act entitled "An act providing for the sale of the lands of the United States in the Territory northwest of the Ohio, and above the mouth of Kentucky river," there shall be four land offices established One at Cincinnati. in the said Territory; one at Cincinnati, for lands below the

west of the Ohio,

&c.

Little Miami, which have not heretofore been granted; one One at Chilicothe. at Chilicothe, for lands east of the Sciota, south of the lands appropriated for satisfying military bounties to the late army of the United States, and west of the fifteenth range of One at Marietta. townships; one at Marietta,§ for the lands east of the sixSteenth range of townships, south of the before-mentioned military lands, and south of a line drawn due west from the northwest corner of the first township of the second range, One at Steuben- to the said military lands; and one at Steubenville, for the lands north of the last-mentioned line, and east or north of the said military lands. Each of the said offices shall be

of 3d March, 1803, chapter 64.

be under the direc

under the direction of an officer, to be called "the register Each land office to of the land office," who shall be appointed by the Presi- tion of a register. dent of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall give bond to the United States, with approved security, in the sum of ten thousand dollars, for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office; and shall reside at the place where the land office is directed to be kept.

eral to prepare and the registers, and

copies to the Secretary of the Treas

ury, &c.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the The surveyor genduty of the surveyor general, and he is hereby expressly transmit plats to enjoined, to prepare and transmit to the registers of the several land offices, before the days herein appointed for commencing sales, general plats of the lands hereby directed to be sold at the said offices, respectively, and also to forward copies of each of the said plats to the Secretary of the Treasury.

eral to cause the

be subdivided, &c.

of townships inter

heretofore subdi

run and marked,

*See act of March

post.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the surveyor The surveyor gengeneral shall cause the townships west of the Muskingum, townships west of which, by the above-mentioned act, are directed to be sold the Muskingum to in quarter townships, to be subdivided into half sections of three hundred and twenty acres each, as nearly as may be, by running parallel lines through the same from east to west, and from south to north, at the distance of one mile from each other, and marking corners, at the distance of each half mile on the lines running from east to west, and at the distance of each mile on those running from south to north, and making the marks, notes, and descriptions, prescribed to surveyors by the above-mentioned act.* And the interior The interior lines lines of townships intersected by the Muskingum, and of all sected by the Musthe townships lying east of that river, which have not been kingum, &c., not heretofore actually subdivided into sections, shall also be vided, &c., to be run and marked in the manner prescribed by the said act &c. for running and marking the interior lines of townships 26, 1804, sections directed to be sold in sections of six hundred and forty acres 10, 13, chapter 69, each. And in all cases where the exterior lines of the town- Where the exterior ships, thus to be subdivided into sections or half sections, lines, &c. exceed shall exceed, or shall not extend, six miles, the excess or six miles, the exdeficiency shall be specially noted, and added to or deducted to be noted, &c. from the western and northern ranges of sections or half sections in such township, according as the error may be in running the lines from east to west, or from south to north; the sections and half sections bounded on the northern and Sections, &c. to be western lines of such townships shall be sold as containing the quantity exonly the quantity expressed in the returns and plats, respect- Other sections, as ively, and all others as containing the complete legal quan- containing the tity. And the President of the United States shall fix the quantity. compensation of the deputy surveyors, chain-carriers, and The President to axe-men: Provided, The whole expense of surveying tion of deputy surand marking the lines shall not exceed three dollars for vided, &c. every mile that shall be actually run, surveyed, and marked. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the lands thus subdivided (excluding the sections reserved by the above

or do not extend

cess or deficiency

sold as containing

pressed, &c.

complete legal

fix the compensa

veyors, &c., pro