every respect, extended to the public lands, lying in the eastern district of the territory of Orleans.
Terms on which persons owning contiguous lands may obtain those belonging to the public.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That every person who, either by virtue of a French or Spanish grant recognized by the laws of the United States, or under a claim confirmed by the commissioners appointed for the purpose of ascertaining the rights of persons claiming lands in the territory of Orleans, owns a tract of land bordering on any river, creek, bayou or water course, in the said territory, and not exceeding in depth forty arpens, French measure, shall be entitled to a preference in becoming the purchaser of any vacant tract of land adjacent to, and back of his own tract, not exceeding forty arpens, French measure, in depth, nor in quantity of land, that which is contained in his own tract, at the same price, and on the same terms and conditions as are, or may be provided by law for the other public lands in the said territory. And the principal deputy surveyor of each district respectively, shall be and he is hereby authorized, under the superintendence of the surveyor of the public lands south of the state of Tennessee, to cause to be surveyed, the tracts claimed by virtue of this section; and in all cases where by reason of bends in the river, lake, creek, bayou or water course bordering on the tract, and of adjacent claims of a similar nature, each claimant cannot obtain a tract equal in quantity to the adjacent tract already owned by him to divide the vacant land applicable to that object between the several claimants, in such manner as to him will appear most equitable:Limitation of grants. Provided however, that the right of pre-emption, granted by this section, shall not extend so far in depth, as to include lands fit for cultivation, bordering on another river, creek, bayou or water course. And every person entitled to the benefit of this section shall, within three years after the date of this act, deliver to the register of the proper land-office, a notice in writing, stating the situation and extent of the tract of land he wishes to purchase, and shall also make the payment and payments for the same, at the time and times, which are, or may be prescribed by law, for the disposal of the other public lands in the said territory: the time of his delivering the notice aforesaid, being considered as the date of the purchase. And if any such person shall fail to deliver such notice within the said period of three years, or to make such payment or payments at the time above mentioned, his right of pre-emption shall cease and become void; and the land may thereafter be purchased by any other person in the same manner, and on the same terms, as are or may be provided by law for the sale of other public lands in the said territory.
Periods of opening the land offices, &c. &c.Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the land-offices, established by virtue of the fourth section of this act, shall be opened on the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, for the sale of all the public lands, with the exception of section “No. sixteen” of the salt springs, and land contiguous thereto, and of the tracts reserved for the support of seminaries of learning as herein after provided, which shall have been previously surveyed and the surveys thereof returned according to law to the registers of the land-offices respectively; and on the first day of February, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, for the sale of such of the public lands, which, from the nature of the country, cannot be surveyed in the ordinary way, and are embraced by the provisions of the third section of this act, as shall have, at least six weeks previous to the said first day of February, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, been advertised for sale by the surveyor of the public lands south of the state of Tennessee, with the approbation of the President of the United States. The public sales for the lands, subdivided into quarter sections in the ordinary way, shall be held for one calendar month, under the superintendence of the register and receiver of each land-office respectively, and of either of the surveyors of public
