The Austin Papers, Vol. 1 Pt. 2

THE AUSTIN PAPERS. 1111 5-The 17 nrticle provides that on the recommendation of the Commissioner the Government can augment the quantity of land above designated in proportion to the size of the family, capital and enterprise of the Settler, but in no instance to exceed Eleven leagues. 6-The said law also says that the Commissioner appointed by the Govt. shall employ Surveyors and lay of the land :for such settlers as are recd by the Contractor (Empresario) and returned to him as settlers, and that he shall issue to each one of them a complete title for his land in·the name of the Government-The expences of Sur- veying-the Commissioners and other office fees and thirty dollnrs on each league to the Government must be paid by the settler- the 30 Dollars pr. league to the Govt. is to be paid in three instalments the first four years the 2d. five years and the 3d. 6 years after the date of the Grant. the amount of the Surveying fees will depend on the contracts made by the Commissioner with the Surveyors- heretofore a fraction more than three dollars pr. english mile has been given, these fees must be paid when the title is recd as the Com- missioner has not yet arriYed I cannot state what his fees or the other expences will be, tho I will insure that all the expences including Government, Commissioners, and all other fees and surveying will not exceed 12½ cents pr. english acre if so much and but a small part of that will be required down I have hereto fore never rejected any man as a settler because he had not the means of paying the expences on his land in such cases I have on my own responsability allowed time for the settler to make his payments even the surveying fees-- in many instances of this nature I have been deceived and suffered a total loss, this will compel me to be more particular in future. tho as a genl. rule no settler who has a family and satisfactorily proves his integrity Sob1'iety and industry and who hns been reduced by misfortunes, will be rejected by me no matter how poor he may be A settler on his arrival here presents himself to me with his credentials of character, if these are satisfactory a register is mncle of his name, where he moved from whether married or single- the number nges and sexes of his family: the oath prescribed by law is then administered to support the constitution and no one can get a title to land untill he has actually removed to the Country. Six years is allowed to improve and settle the land, and anyone who moves out of the country forfeits his land unless he had sold it- and if he sells it without improving it us the law requires the sale is void and the land reverts to Govt. but every one who has improved his land can sell it and leave the country and the snle is good pro- vided.it is made before he moves away. [8'.fEPllEN F. AUS'l'IN.]

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