the interval of every mile, mark corners for the lots which are adjacent, always designating the same in a different manner from those of the townships.

The geographer and surveyors shall pay the utmost attention to the variation of the magnetic needle; and shall run and note all lines by the true meridian, certifying, with every plat, what was the variation at the times of running the lines thereon noted.

As soon as 7 ranges of townships, and fractional parts 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 7 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 7 ranges, as nearly as may be, for the use of the late continental army; and he shall make a similar draught, from time to time, until a sufficient quantity is drawn to satisfy the same, to be applied in manner hereinafter 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 the 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 or more than six months, by causing advertisements to be posted up at the courthouses, 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 a 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 a township, No. 1, in the second range, shall be sold by lots; and No. 2, in the same range, 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 throughout 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 36 dollars the township, in specie, or certificates as aforesaid, and so in the same proportion for a 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 again be 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 a township, so many lots of the same numbers as shall be found thereon, for future sale. 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: Know ye, That for the consideration of hereby do grant and confirm unto

dollars, we have granted, and the township, (or fractional part of in the range excepting therefrom,

his

their

a township, as the case may be) numbered 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 heirs and assigns for ever; (or if more than one purchaser, to the said 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 20th day of May, in the year of our Lord 1785, 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 a township, shall be sold by lots as aforesaid, the commissioner of the 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 the 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 for ever; (or if more than one purchaser, to the said their heirs and assigns for ever 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 20th day of May, in the year of our Lord 1735, hereunto set his hand, and affixed his seal, this day of in the year of our Lord

of the independence of the United States of America

and

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 purchaser, 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 a township or lot, remains unsold for 18 months after the plat shall have been received, by the commissioners of the loanoffice, 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 September 16th and 18th, 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 September, 1780, stipulated grants of land to certain officers in the hospital department of the late continental army; for complying therefore with such engagements, 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 of land to which such persons or their representatives are respectively entitled, and cause the townships, or

fractional parts of townships, hereinbefore 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 portion is to be taken.

The commissioners of the loan-offices shall execute deeds for such undivided proportions in manner and form herein before-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; and thereupon the board of treasury shall proceed to execute deeds to such claimants.

The board of treasury, and the commissioners of the loan-offices in the states, shall, within 18 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 the 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 hereafter be made respecting them, and for such other purposes as Congress may hereafter direct.

And be it further ordained, That the towns of Gnadenhutten, Schoenbrun 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 use of the Christian Indians, who were formerly settled there, or the remains of that society, as may, in the judgment of the geographer, be sufficient for them to cultivate.

Saving and reserving always, to all officers and soldiers entitled to lands on the northwest side of the Ohio, by donation or bounty from the commonwealth of Virginia, and to all persons claiming under them, all rights to which they are so entitled, under the deed of cession executed by the delegates for the state of Virginia, on the first day of March, 1784, and the act of Congress accepting the same; and to the end, that the said rights may be fully and effectually secured, according to the true intent and meaning of the said deed of cession and act aforesaid, Be it ordained, that no part of the land included between the rivers called Little Miami and Sciota, on the northwest side of the river Ohio, be sold, or in any manner alienated, until there shall first have been laid off and appropriated for the said officers and soldiers, and persons claiming under them, the lands they are entitled to, agreeably to the said deed of cession and act of Congress accepting the same.

Done by the United States in Congress assembled, the 20th day of May, in the year of our Lord 1785, and of our soverignty and independence the ninth.

Charles Thomson, Secretary.

Richard H. Lee, President.

[No. 5595.]

Egbert Benson Files His Resignation as Attorney General with Governor Clinton.

Sir, It was not til very lately I was informed, with certainty, that the Legislature had adjourned, at their last Meeting, without making any Provision respecting the office of Attorney General. I did not receive this information in Season, otherwise I should have waited on your Excellency, or have transmitted you my Resignation while the Council of Appointment were as yet assembled. A becoming Deference to Government made it proper in me to suspend my Determination until the Moment of an adjournment, as I must have supposed my Application, for a more eligible Establishment of the office in future, was still under Deliberation, and I could not in the mean time have justified even a Conjecture as to the Result.

I am not insensible of the Obligation to accept public Trusts, and that this Duty has a peculiar Force, under our forms of Government; I can, however, acquit myself in relinquishing an Appointment, too burthensome to be borne gratuituously by a Person in my Situation, and I must, therefore, request Your Excellency to consider Me as having resigned the Office of Attorney General.

The indulgent Access to your Excellency and the Attention with which you have been pleased to honor Me during my Continuance in this Office will always claim my most sincere Gratitude.

I remain with the most perfect Respect, Your Excellency's obedt. Serv't.

Poughkeepsie, June 4th, 1785.

His Excellency Governor Clinton.

Egb't. Benson.

[No. 5604.]

Mr. Jay, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Announces to Governor Clinton the Birth of the Duke of Normandy.

(Circular)

Office for Foreign Affairs, 14th June, 1785. Sir, I have the Honor of informing your Excellency that Congress have received a Letter from his Most Christian Majesty dated the 27th March last, announcing the Birth that Day of a Prince whom he had named Duke of Normandy.

As this Event adds to the Happiness of a King and a People who have given many important Proofs of Friendship for our Nation, it must naturally excite that Pleasure which generous Minds always derive from the Prosperity of their Friends and Benefactors.

I have the Honor to be, with great Respect, Your Excellency's Most obt. & very hble. Servt.

John Jay.

His Excellency the Governor of the State of New York.

[No. 5619.]

Massachusetts' Claim to Land in New York State Governor Bowdoin to Governor Clinton.

Boston, July 18, 1785.

Sir, The enclosed order of the Legislature of this Commonwealth will show to your Excellency their sense of the proceedings of the Legislature of the State of New York, in regard to the Territory lying to the Westward of Hudson's River, and claimed by this State.

An attempt by either State to purchase of the Natives their right in that territory, and to dispose of, grant, or settle any part of it, while their respective claims, (submitted to the decision of