Chapter CXLVII. *for the Relief of Purchasers and Locators of Swamp and Overflowed Lands.* March 2, 1855. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled*, That the President of the Patents to issue for swamp lands, to purchasers and locators prior to
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Chap. CXLVII.— An Act *for the Relief of Purchasers and Locators of Swamp and Overflowed Lands.* March 2, 1855. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled*, That the President of the Patents to issue for swamp lands, to purchasers and locators prior to issuing of patent to the States.United States cause patents to be issued, as soon as practicable, to the purchaser or purchasers, locator or locators, who have made entries of the public lands, claimed as swamp lands, either with cash, or with land warrants, or with scrip, prior to the issue of patents to the State or States, as provided for by the second section of the act approved 1850, ch. 84.September twenty-eight, eighteen hundred and fifty, entitled “An act to enable the State of Arkansas and other States to reclaim the swamp lands within their limits,” any decision of the Secretary of the Interior, or other officer of the government of the United States, to the contrary Provision for the case of a sale by a State prior to its obtaining a patent.notwithstanding: *Provided,* That in all cases where any State, through its constituted authorities, may have sold or disposed of any tract or tracts of said land to any individual or individuals prior to the entry, sale, or location of the same, under the preemption or other laws of the United States, no patent shall be issued by the President for such tract or tracts of land, until such State, through its constituted authorities, shall release its claim thereto, in such form as shall be prescribed by the List of such sales to be returned.Secretary of the Interior: *And provided, further,* That if such State shall not, within ninety days from the passage of this act, through its constituted authorities, return to the General Land-Office of the United States, a list of all the lands sold as aforesaid, together with the dates of such sale, and the names of the purchasers, the patents shall be issued immediately thereafter, as directed in the foregoing section.
Indemnity to the States when they lose swamp lands under this act. Sec. 2. *And be it further enacted,* That upon due proof, by the authorized agent of the State or States, before the Commissioner of the General Land-Office, that any of the lands purchased were swamp lands, within the true intent and meaning of the act aforesaid, the purchase-money shall be paid over to the said State or States; and where the lands have been located by warrant or scrip, the said State or States THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
Sess. II. Ch. 166, 167, 168, 169. 1855. 635shall be authorized to locate a quantity of like amount, upon any of the public lands subject to entry, at one dollar and a quarter per acre, or less, and patents shall issue therefor, upon the terms and conditions enumerated in the act aforesaid: *Provided, however,* That the said decisions of the Commissioner of the General Land-Office shall be approved by the Secretary of the Interior. Approved, March 2, 1855.