articles of agreement and cession above-mentioned, shall be entitled to a preference in becoming the purchaser from the United States, of such tract of land, at the price at which the other lands of the United States in the said territory, are by this act to be sold; and payment may be made therefor in the same manner, and under the same conditions, as directed by this act for such other lands:Without interest on instalments. Provided, however, that no interest shall be charged upon any of the instalments until they respectively become payable.
Two land-offices in the Mississippi Territory.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That for the disposal of the lands of the United States within the Mississippi territory, two land-offices shall be established in the same, one at such place in the county of Adams, as shall be designated by the President of the United States, for the lands lying west of “Pearl river,” sometimes called “half-way river;” and one at such place in the county of Washington, as shall be designated by the President of the United States, for the lands lying east of Pearl river:Register and receiver of public money in each.
Security. and for each of the said offices, a register and receiver of public monies shall be appointed, who shall give security in the same manner, and in the same sums, and whose duties and authority shall in every respect be the same in relation to the lands which shall be disposed of at their offices, as are by law provided in relation to the registers and the receivers of public monies in the several offices established for the disposal of the lands of the United States, north of the river Ohio, and above the mouth of Kentucky river.
Claimants and residents to state their claims before the thirty-first of March, one thousand eight hundred and four.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That every person claiming lands by virtue of any British grant, or of the three first sections of this act, or of the articles of agreement and cession between the United States and the state of Georgia, shall, before the last day of March in the year one thousand eight hundred and four, deliver to the register of the land-office, within whose district the land may be, a notice in writing, stating the nature and extent of his claims, together with a plot of the tract or tracts claimed, and shall also, on or before that day, deliver to the said register, for the purpose of being recorded,To be recorded. every grant, order of survey, deed, conveyance, or other written evidence of his claim, and the same shall be recorded by the said register, in books to be kept for that purpose, on receiving from the parties at the rate of twelve and a half cents, for every hundred words contained in such written evidence of their claim; and if such person shall neglect to deliver such notice in writing, of his claim, together with a plot as aforesaid,Neglect thereof to bar their claims. or cause to be recorded such written evidence of the same, all his right, so far as the same is derived from the above-mentioned articles of agreement, or from the three first sections of this act, shall become void, and for ever thereafter be barred; nor shall any grant, order of survey, deed, conveyance, or other written evidence, which shall not be recorded as above directed, ever after be considered or admitted as evidence in any court in the United States, against any grant derived from the United States.
Commissioners appointed to settle the claims.Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the register of the land-office in Adams county, and two other persons who shall be appointed by the President of the United States alone, shall for the lands lying west of Pearl river, and the register of the land-office of Washington county, together with two other persons who shall be appointed by the President of the United States alone, shall for the lands lying east of Pearl river, respectively be commissioners, for the purpose of ascertaining the rights of persons claiming the benefit of the articles of agreement and cession between the United States and the state of Georgia, or of the three first sections of this act; and the said commissioners shall, previous to entering on the duties of their appointment, respectively take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation, before some person qualified to administer the same:Their oath or affirmation. “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will impartially exercise and discharge the duties im-