United States Statutes at Large/Volume 3/13th Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 14
Chap. XIV.—An Act giving further time to purchasers of public lands to complete their payments.
Further time given to purchasers of land.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That every person, who, prior to the first day of April, one thousand eight hundred and ten, had purchased any tract or tracts of land of the United States not exceeding in the whole six hundred and forty acres, unless the tract purchased be a fractional section or sections, or fractional sections classed with an entire section, at any of the land offices, and whose lands have not already been actually sold or reverted to the United States for non-payment of part of the purchase money, shall be allowed the further time of three years,Act of March 3, 1813, ch. 25. from and after the expiration of the present period already given by law, for completing the payment of the said purchase money; which further term of three years shall be allowed only on the following conditions: First, that allConditions. arrears of interest on the purchase money shall have been paid on or before the time shall have expired for completing the payment of the purchase money: Provided,Proviso, in cases where the time for completing payments shall have expired, or shall expire upon June 1, 1814. That in all cases in which the time for completing the payment of the purchase money may have expired or cases where shall expire before the first day of June next, the interest may be paid on the or before that day. Second, that the residue of the sum due on account of the principal of such purchase shall be paid with interest thereon in three equal annual payments, as follows, viz: one third of the said residue with the interest which may be due thereon within one year; another third of the said residue with the interest which may be due thereon, within two years; and the remaining third of the said residue with the interest due thereon within three years, after the expiration of the time for completing the payment on account of such purchase according to former laws. And in case of failure in paying either the arrears of interest or any of the three instalments of principal with the accruing interest, at the time and times above mentioned, the tract of land shall be forthwith advertised and offered for sale in the manner and on the terms directed by law, in case of lands not paid for within the limited term, and shall revert in like manner, if the sum due with interest be not at such sale bidden and paid: Provided,The benefit of this act not to extend to purchasers of land northwest of the Ohio, prior to April 1, 1809. That the benefit of this act shall not extend to any person or persons on account of any purchase of any tract or tracts of land made at any of the land offices, northwest of the river Ohio, prior to the first day of April, one thousand eight hundred and nine.
Approved, February 19, 1814.