of townships, in the direction from south to north, shall have been surveyed, the geographer shall transmit plats thereof to the Board of Treasury, who shall record the same, with the report, in well bound books to be kept for that purpose. And the geographer shall make similar returns, from time to time, of every seven ranges as they may be surveyed. The Secretary at War shall have recourse thereto, and shall take by lot. therefrom a number of townships and fractional parts of townships, as well from those to be sold entire, as from those to be sold in lots, as will be equal to one-seventh part of the whole of such seven ranges, as nearly as may be, for the use of the late Continental army; and he shall make a similar draft, from time to time, until a sufficient quantity is drawn to satisfy the same, to be applied in manner hereafter directed. The Board of Treasury shall, from time to time, cause the remaining numbers, as well those to be sold entire as those to be sold in lots, to be drawn for in the name of the thirteen States respectively, according to their quotas in the last preceding requisition on all the States; provided, that in case more land than its proportion is allotted for sale, in any State at any distribution, a deduction be made therefor at the next.

"The Board of Treasury shall transmit a copy of the original plats, previously noting thereon the townships, and fractional parts of townships, which shall have fallen to the several States by the distribution aforesaid, to the Commissioners of the Loan Office of the several States, who, after giving notice of not less than two nor more than six months, by causing advertisements to be posted up at the Court-houses, or other noted places in every county, and to be inserted in one newspaper published in the States of their residence respectively, shall proceed to sell the townships, or fractional parts of townships, at public vendue, in the following manner, viz: The township or fractional part of township No. 1, in the first range, shall be sold entire, and No. 2, in the same range, by lots; and thus, in alternate order, through the whole of the first range. The township or fractional part of township No. 1, in the second range, shall be sold by lots, and No. 2, in the same range, VOL. II.-28

entire; and so, in alternate order, through the whole of the second range; and the third range shall be sold in the same manner as the first, and the fourth in the same manner as the second, and thus, alternately, through all the ranges; provided, that none of the lands within the said territory be sold under the price of one dollar the acre, to be paid in specie, or Loan Office certificates reduced to specie value by the scale of depreciation, or certificates of liquidated debts of the United States, including interest, besides the expense of the survey and other charges thereon, which are hereby rated at thirtysix dollars the township, in specie or certificates as aforesaid, and so for the same proportion for the fractional part of a township, or of a lot, to be paid at the time of sales; on failure of which payment, the said lands shall be again offered for sale.

"There shall be reserved for the United States out of every township, the four lots being numbered 8, 11, 26, 29, and out of every fractional part of township so many lots of the same numbers as shall be found thereon, for future sales. There shall be reserved the lot No. 16 of every township for the maintenance of public schools, within the said township; also, one-third part of all gold, silver, lead, and copper mines, to be sold or otherwise disposed of, as Congress shall hereafter direct.

"When any township, or fractional part of a township, shall have been sold as aforesaid, and the money or certificates received therefor, the Loan Officer shall deliver a deed in the following terms:

"The United States of America to all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting:

dollars, we

"KNOW YE, That, for the consideration of have granted and do hereby grant and confirm unto the township [or, fractional part of the township, as the case may be] numbered, in the range, excepting therefrom and reserving one-third part of all gold, silver, lead, and copper mines within the same, and the lots No. 8, 11, 26, and 29, for future sale or disposition, and the lot No. 16, for the maintenance of public schools. To have to the said

his heirs and assigns forever [or, if more than one purchaser, to the said their heirs and assigns forever, as tenants in common].

"In witness whereof, A. B., Commissioner of the Loan Office, in the State of, hath, in conformity to the ordinance passed by the United States, in Congress assembled, the twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five, hereunto set his hand and affixed his seal, this day of, in the year of our Lord, and of the Independence of the United States of America

"And when any township, or fractional part of township, shall be sold by lots as aforesaid, the Commissioner of Loan Office shall deliver a deed therefor in the following form:

"The United States of America to all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting:

"KNOW YE, That, for the consideration of - dollars, we have granted and hereby do grant and confirm unto the lot [or, lots, as the case may be] in the township [or, fractional part of township, as the case may be] numbered, in the range excepting and reserving one-third part of all gold, silver, lead, and copper mines within the same for future sale. or disposition. To have to the said, his heirs and assigns. forever [or, if more than one purchaser, to the said —, their heirs and assigns forever, as tenants in common].

"In witness whereof, A. B., Commissioner of the Continental Loan Office, in the State of, hath, in conformity to the ordinance passed by the United States, in Congress assembled, the twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five, hereunto set his hand and affixed his seal, this day of in the year of our Lord -, and of the Independence of the United States of Amer

ica

"Which deeds shall be recorded in proper books, by the Commissioner of the Loan Office, and shall be certified to have been recorded, previous to their being delivered to the pur

chaser, and shall be good and valid to convey the lands in the same described.

"The Commissioners of the Loan Offices respectively shall transmit to the Board of Treasury, every three months, an account of the townships, fractional parts of townships, and lots committed to their charge, specifying therein the names of the persons to whom sold, and the sums of money or certificates received for the same; and shall cause all certificates by them received to be struck through with a circular punch; and they shall be duly charged in the books of the Treasury with the amount of the moneys or certificates, distinguishing the same, by them received as aforesaid.

"If any township, or fractional part of township, or lot, remains unsold for eighteen months after the plat shall have been received by the Commissioners of the Loan Office, the same shall be returned to the Board of Treasury, and shall be sold in such manner as Congress may hereafter direct.

"And whereas, Congress, by their resolutions of the 16th and 18th of September, in the year 1776, and the 12th of August, 1780, stipulated grants of land to certain officers and soldiers of the late continental army, and by the resolution of the 22d of September, 1780, stipulated grants of land to certain officers in the hospital department of the late continental army; for complying therefore with such engagements:

of

"Be it ordained, That the Secretary at War, from the returns in his office, or such other sufficient evidence as the nature of the case may admit, determine who are the objects of the above resolutions and engagements, and the quantity land to which such persons or their representatives are respectively entitled, and cause the townships or fractional parts of townships, herein before reserved for the use of the late continental army, to be drawn for in such manner as he shall deem expedient, to answer the purpose of an impartial distribution. He shall from time to time transmit certificates to the Commissioners of the Loan Offices of the different States, to the lines of which the military claimants have respectively belonged, specifying the name and rank of the party, the terms of his engagement and time of his service, and the division, brigade, regiment, or company to which he

belonged, the quantity of land he is entitled to, and the township, or fractional part of a township, and range out of which his proportion is to be taken.

"The Commissioners of the Loan Offices shall execute deeds, for such undivided portions, in manner and form hereinbefore mentioned, varying only in such a degree as to make the same conformable to the certificate from the Secretary at War.

"Where any military claimants of bounty in lands shall not have belonged to the line of any particular State, similar certificates shall be sent to the Board of Treasury, who shall execute deeds to the parties for the same.

"The Secretary at War, from the proper returns, shall transmit to the Board of Treasury, a certificate specifying the name and rank of the several claimants of the hospital department of the late continental army, together with the quantity of land each claimant is entitled to, and the township, or fractional part of a township, and range, out of which his portion is to be taken; aud thereupon the Board of Treasury shall proceed to execute deeds to such claimants.

"The Board of Treasury and the Commissioners of the Loan Offices, within the States, shall, within eighteen months, return receipts to the Secretary at War for all deeds which have been delivered, as also all the original deeds which remain in their hands for want of applicants having been first recorded; which deeds so returned shall be preserved in the office until the parties or their representatives require the

same.

"And be it further ordained, That three townships adjacent to Lake Erie be reserved, to be hereafter disposed of by Congress, for the use of the officers, men, and others, refugees from Canada, and the refugees from Nova Scotia, who are or may be entitled to grants of land under resolutions of Congress now existing, or which may be hereafter made respecting them, and for such other purposes as Congress may hereafter direct.

"And be it further ordained, That the towns of Gnadenhutten, Shoenbrun, and Salem, on the Muskingum, and so much of the lands adjoining to the said towns, with the buildings and improvements thereon, shall be reserved for the sole