United States Statutes at Large/Volume 3/14th Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 61
Chap. LXI.—An Act to set apart and dispose of certain public lands, for the encouragement of the cultivation of the vine and olive.
Four contiguous townships, each six miles square, in the Mississippi territory, to be set apart and reserved, &c.
Act of March 3, 1815, ch. 88.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury, under the direction of the President of the United States, to designate, and set apart, any four contiguous townships, each six miles square, of vacant public lands lying in that part of the Mississippi territory which was formed into a land district, by the act, entitled “An act for the ascertaining and surveying of the boundary lines fixed by the treaty with the Creek Indians, and for other purposes,” passed on the third day of March, one thousand eight hundred and fifteen; and the four townships, so designated and set apart, shall be reserved from public and private sale, any thing in the aforesaid act to the contrary notwithstanding.
The Secretary of the Treasury to contract for the sale of the townships at two dolls. per acre, &c.
Proviso; as to the agents of French emigrants being duly authorized to form a contract, &c.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized to contract for the sale of the said four townships, which shall have been designated and set apart, as aforesaid, at the rate of two dollars per acre, to be made payable fourteen years after the contract shall have been concluded with any agent, or agents, of the late emigrants from France, who have associated together for the purpose of forming a settlement in the United States: Provided, That satisfactory evidence shall be produced that such agent, or agents, are duly authorized to form such contract, and that the number of such emigrants, being of full age, for which he or they are authorized to act, are equal at least to the number of half sections contained in the four townships provided to be disposed of.
The secretary empowered to make allotment of the lands among individuals, and to stipulate for the cultivation of the vine, &c.
Proviso; no patent or title until complete payment for the whole, &c.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said secretary shall have power to make such allotment of the lands among the individuals, and to stipulate, in the proposed contract, for such conditions of settlement and cultivation of the vine, and other vegetable productions, as may to him appear reasonable; and that on the fulfilment of such conditions shall appear reasonable; and that on the fulfilment of such conditions shall the issuing of grants for the lands, be made to depend: Provided, that no patent shall be granted for any of the lands aforesaid, nor shall any title be obtained therefor, either at law or equity, until complete payment shall have been made for the whole four townships, and until they comply with the conditions of the contract, so to be made as aforesaid; nor shall a patent be granted for a greater quantity than six hundred and forty acres to any one person.
Approved, March 3, 1817.