But, the Hionmas claimants are
without this statute. It is a histori
cal fact, that no " certificates of con
firtmation" ever issued in these or any
claims exceeding a league square of
superficies. And had such certifi
cates issued, it could not be said that
they issued " agreeably with the pro
visions of the act" of the 3d of March,
1807, because, as we have already
seen, the commissioners assumed to
confirm the Honmas claims before the
passage of the act, and because that
act, as has been already shown, pre
cludes the exercise of confirmatory
powers by the board iu all cla:irs ex
ceeding a league squllre. Nor, in such
claims, can it be said that the certiti
cates alluded to in thel second section
t of the act of the 18th of Aps il, 114,
" have been fairly obtained."
The last act on which the Ilonmnas
claimants rely is that of Vie 2niid of
June, 1858, entitled, " An act to pro
vide for the location of certaiu c(on
fmirmed private land claiims in the
State of Mlissouri, and for other Illr
poses." The second section of tlhis
act declares, " That the decisions in
favor of land claimants imadle by '.
Grimes, Joshu'a Lewis, and 'hunonais
li. ýober tson, cotl llliisioioilid ;aIp
pt,inited to ad just private land claimn,
in the iastern district of the Terri
tory of 4 rleans, conilounicaited to lthe
ilouse of lIeprcsenltatives by the sec
retatly of the ITreasulry on thie ninthlb
day of .Jannary, one thnitsalul, ei ht
hundred and twelve, and which are
found inl the Amerlicn State ii;i'aperls.
