And, the said LouisLouis Brazeau Junior Brazeau JuniorLouis Brazeau Junior ,
and August Brazeau, by Rufus EastonRufus Easton , their attorney comes,
& defend the force and injury, when and where they ought
to do and say they are not guilty, of the said
Supposed trespass, and above said, to their charge or, of any part thereof, in manner, and form, as the said WilliamWilliam Clark ClarkWilliam Clark , hath above thereof
complained against them and of this they the said,
Louis & August put, themselves upon the country .

And for further plea, in this behalf, according
to the statute, in case made and provided,
they the said LouisLouis Brazeau Junior BrazeauLouis Brazeau Junior , and August Braze,-
au the defendants, say that the said William ClarkWilliam Clark
the plaintiff aught, not to have or maintain,
his his aforesaid action, Therof against them because,
they say that by an act, of the Congress, of the United StatesUnited States entitled an act making further provision for setting, the claim, to land, in the terriroty, of
MissouriMissouri, â approved June Thirteenth eighteen hundred,
and twelve, it is provided, among other things that
the right, , and claims, to Town or Village about the common field to wit, and commons, in and
adjoining, and belonging, to the several towns, or
villages, of Portage des Sioux, St CharlesSt Charles, StSt Louis, LouisSt Louis Ferdinand, villa a Roben, Barondalle, St Gen,-
iveve, New MadridMadrid, New Bourbon,, Little Provice, and ArkansasArkansas, in the Territory, of MissouriMissouri which have been instated or possessed, prior, to thirtieth day, of December, one
thousand eight hundred and three shall be, and the same, are hereby confined, to the inhabitants, of the respective towns or villages,