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GENERAL

PUBLIC ACTS OF CONGRESS

RESPECTING

THE SALE AND DISPOSITION OF THE PUBLIC LANDS.

[The marginal notes refer to the LAWS; those at the end of each law, to the OPINIONS and INSTRUCTIONS.]

In Congress, 1776, August 11.

eigners.

CHAPTER 1.-Whereas the Parliament of Great Britain have thought fit, by a late act, not only to invite our troops to desert our service, but to direct a compulsion of our people, taken at sea, to serve against their country: Resolved, therefore, That these States will receive all Invitation to forsuch foreigners who shall leave the armies of his Britannic Majesty in America, and shall choose to become members of any of these States; and they shall be protected in the free exercise of their respective religions, and be invested with the rights, privileges, and immunities, of natives, as established by the laws of these States; and, moreover, that this Congress will provide for every such person fifty acres of unappropriated lands in some of these States, to be held by him and his heirs in absolute property.

In Congress,

1776, August 27. Lands promised to

CHAP. 2.-Resolved, That this Congress will give to all such of the said foreign officers as shall leave the armies of his Britannic Majesty in America, and choose to become foreign officers. citizens of these States, unappropriated lands in the following quantities and proportions, to them and their heirs, in absolute dominion:

To a colonel, 1,000 acres ;

To a lieutenant colonel, 800 acres ;

To a major, 600 acres ;

To a captain, 400 acres ;

To a lieutenant, 300 acres ;

To an ensign, 200 acres ;

To every non-commissioned officer, 100 acres ;

and to every other officer or person employed in the said foreign corps, and whose office or employment is not here specifically named, in the like proportion to their rank or

pay in the said corps; and, moreover, that where any officers shall bring with them a number of the said foreign soldiers, this Congress, beside the lands before promised to the said officers and soldiers, will give to such officers further rewards, proportioned to the numbers they shall bring over, and suited to the nature of their wants: Provided, That such foreign officers or soldiers shall come over from the armies of his Britannic Majesty before these offers shall be recalled.

In Congress, 1776, Sept. 16.

soldiers.

CHAP. 3.-Resolved, That Congress make provision for Lands to revolu- granting lands, in the following proportions, to the officers tionary officers and and soldiers who shall so engage in the service, and continue therein to the close of the war, or until discharged by Congress, and the representatives of such officers and soldiers as shall be slain by the enemy.

*See infra, ch. 4, also ch. 8.

Such lands to be provided by the United States, and whatever expense shall be necessary to procure such land, the said expense shall be paid and borne by the States, in the same proportion as the other expenses of the war, viz: To a colonel, 500 acres ;

To a lieutenant colonel, 450;

To a major, 400;

To a captain, 300;

To a lieutenant, 200;

To an ensign, 150;

Each non-commissioned officer and soldier, 100.

In Congress, 1776, Sept. 18.

Grant of Sept. 16

3.

CHAP. 4.-Resolved, That the bounty and grants of land offered by Congress, by a resolution of the 16th instant, as extended. See ch an encouragement to the officers and soldiers to engage to serve in the army of the United States during the war, shall extend to all who are or shall be enlisted for that term; the bounty of ten dollars, which any of the soldiers have received from the continent on account of a former enlistment, to be reckoned in part payment of the twenty dollars offered by the said resolution.

In Congress, 1776, Sept. 20.

Assignments inop erative. See ch. 17, post.

CHAP. 5.-In order to prevent the officers and soldiers who shall be entitled to the lands hereafter to be granted by the resolution of Congress of the 16th from disposing of the same during the war:

Resolved, That Congress will not grant lands to any person or persons claiming under the assignment of an officer or soldier.

In Congress,

CHAP. 6.-Resolved, That the provision for granting lands, 1750, August 12. by the resolution of September 16th, 1776, be, and is hereby, Grants extended. extended to the general officers, in the following proportion to a major general, 1,100 acres; a brigadier general, 850 aeres.

In Congress,

CHAP. 7.-Resolved, That the several officers whose pay 1780, t. 30. is established as above, (except the stewards and ward-mas- Provision to offters,) shall, at the end of the war, be entitled to a certain cers of the army. provision of land, in the proportion following, viz:

The director to have the same quantity as a brigadier general;

Chief physician and purveyor, the same as a colonel; Physicians and surgeons and apothecary, the same as a lieutenant colonel;

Regimental surgeons and assistants to the purveyor and apothecary, the same as a major;

Hospital and regimental surgeons' mates, the same as a captain.

CHAP. 8. And whereas, by the foregoing arrangement, many deserving officers have become supernumerary, and it is proper that regard be had to them:

In Congress, 1780, October 3. *Reducing the army.

supernumerary of

Resolved, That, from the time the reform of the army Grants of land to takes place, they be entitled to half pay for seven years, in ficers. specie, or other current money equivalent, and also grants of land at the close of the war, agreeably to the resolution of the 16th of September, 1776.

In Congress, 1780, October 10.

cessions.

State

CHAP. 9.-Resolved, That the unappropriated lands that may be ceded or relinquished to the United States by any General principles particular State, pursuant to the recommendation of Congress respecting of the 6th day of September last, shall be disposed of for the common benefit of the United States, and be settled and formed into distinct republican States, which shall become members of the federal Union, and have the same rights of sovereignty, freedom, and independence, as the other States; that each State which shall be so formed shall contain a suitable extent of territory, not less than one hundred nor more than one hundred and fifty miles square, or as near thereto as circumstances will admit; that the necessary and Public domain to reasonable expenses which any particular State shall have State advances for incurred since the commencement of the present war, in subduing any British posts, or in maintaining forts or garrisons within and for the defence, or in acquiring any part of the territory that may be ceded or relinquished to the United States, shall be reimbursed.

That the said lands shall be granted or settled at such

be chargeable with

its acquisition.

times, and under such regulations, as shall hereafter be agreed on by the United States in Congress assembled, or any nine or more of them.

In Congress, 1783, April 23.

CHAP. 10. Resolved, That, whenever Congress can conInducements to Ca- sistently make grants of land, they will reward in this way, as far as may be consistent, the officers, men, and others, refugees from Canada.

nadian refugees.

In Congress, 1783, Sept. 22.

CHAP. 11. By the United States in Congress assembled,
A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas, by the 9th of the articles of confederation, it is among other things declared that "the United States in Congress assembled have the sole and exclusive right and power of regulating the trade and managing all affairs with the Indians not members of any of the States, provided that the legislative right of any State, within its own limits, be not infringed or violated:" And whereas it is essential to the welfare of the United States, as well as necessary for the maintenance of harmony and friendship with the Indians not members of any of the States, that all cause of quarrel or complaint between them and the United States, or any of them, should be removed and prevented: Therefore, the United States in Congress assembled have thought proper to issue their proclamation, and they do hereby prohibit and Settlements on In- forbid all persons from making settlements on lands inhabpurchases from In ited or claimed by Indians, without the limits or jurisdiction dians, prohibited. of any particular State, and from purchasing or receiving any gift or cession of such lands or claims, without the express authority and directions of the United States in Congress assembled.

dian lands, and

And it is moreover declared that every such purchase or settlement, gift or cession, not having the authority aforesaid, is null and void, and that no right or title will accrue in con*See chaps. 11, 15, sequence of any such purchase, gift, cession, or settlement.* Done in Congress at Princeton.

19.

In Congress, 1764, April 23.

1787. See chap. 15.

CHAP. 12.*-Resolved, That so much of the territory ceded *Repealed by or. Or to be ceded by individual States to the United States, as dinance of July 13, is already purchased or shall be purchased of the Indian inhabitants, and offered for sale by Congress, shall be divided into distinct States in the following manner, as nearly as such cessions will admit; that is to say: by parallels of latitude, so that each State shall comprehend, from north to

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