Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-11-07
LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY.

PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY.
PUBLIC ACTS
Passed during the first session of the IhIty1frst
Congress.
[PUBLIc-No. SOL
AN ACT granting bounty land to certain Off
GERS and soldiers, who have been engaged
in the military service of the United States.
Be II enacted by the Senate and House Of Rep
resentatiues of The Uuiied States of .4merica in
Congress assembled, That each of the surviving,
or the widow or minor children of deceased
commissioned and non-commissioued officers,
musicians or privates, whether of regulars, VOL
unteers, rangers, or militia, who performed mill
tary service in any regiment, company or de-
tachment IN the service Of the United States. in
the war with Great Britain, declared by the Uni
ted States on the eighteenth day of June, eight
cen hundred and twelve, or in any of the Indian
wars since seventeen hundred and ninety, and
esch of the commissioned officers who was en-
gagged in the military service of the United
States in the late war with Mexico, shall be en-
titled to land, as follows: Those who engaged
TO serve twelve months, or during the war, and
actually served nine months. shall receive one
hundred and sixty acres; and those who eugag-
ed to serve SIX months, and actually served four
months, shall receive eighty acres; and those
who engaged TO serve for any, or an indefinite
period, and actually served month, shall receive
forty acres: Provided That wherever any officer
or soldier was honoIably discharged in conse-
quence OF disability in the service before the
expiration of bis period of service, he shall re-
ceive the amount to which he whould have been
entitled, if he had served the full period he had
engaged to serve: Prorided, The person 80
having been IN service shall not receive said
lands or any part thereof if it shall appear by the
IuuSfar rolls nj his fhoth o do
serted, or was dishonorably discharged from
service, or if he has received, or is entitled to
any military land bounty under any act of Con-
gress heretofore passed.
Sec. 2. .4nd be Il further enacted, That the
period during which any officer or soldier may
have remained in captivity with the enemy shall
be estimated and added TO the period of his ac-
tual service. and the person so detained in cap
tivity shall receive land under the provisions of
this act in the same manner that he would be
entitled, in case he had entered the service for
the whole term made up by the addition of the
time of his captivity, and had served during such
term.
SEC. 3. .and be Il further enacted, That each
commissioned and non-commissioned officer, mu-
stefan or private, for whom provision is made by
the first section hereof, shall receive a certifi
cate, or warrant from the Department OF the In
terror for the quantity of land to which he may
be entitled, and which may be located by the
warrantee, or his heirs at law, at any land office
of the United States, in one body, and in confor-
nifty 10 the legal subdivisions of the public
lands, upon any of the public lands in such dis
lrict then subject to private entry; and upon The
return OF such certificate or warrant, with EVIL
dence Of the location thereof having been legal
ly made, to the General Land Office. a patent
shall be issued therefor. In the event Of the
hnf II nod
officer, musician OF private, prior or subsequent
to the passage of thus act, who shall have served
as aforesaid, and who shall not have received
bounty land for said services, like certificate or
warrant shall be issued in favor and enure to the
benefit of his widow, who shall receive one hun
dred and sixty acres OF land, in case her husband
was killed in battle, but not to her heirs Pro-
Uided She is unmarried at the date of her ap-
plcation. Provided, further, That no land war;
rant issued under the provisions OF this act shall
be laid upon any land of the United States to
which there shall be a prescription right, or
upon which there shall be an actual settlement
and cultivation, except with the consent of such
settler, TO be satisfactorily proven to the proper
land officer.
SEC. 4. find be Il further enacfed, That all
sales, mortgages. letters of attorney, or other in
strumen;s Of writing going to affect the title or
claim to any warrant certificate issued, or to be
issued, or any land granted or 10 be granted, un-
der the provisions of this act, made or executed
prior to the issue, shall be null and void, to all
intents and purposes whatsoever; nor shall such
certificate or warrant or the land obtaired there
by, be in any ways affected by, or charged with,
or subject to. the payment Of any debt or clam
incurred by such officer or soldier prior to the
issuing of the patent: Provided, That the ben
efits of this act shall. not accrue TO any person
who is member of the present Congress =
Prorided, further, That it shall be the duty of
the Commissioner of the General Land Office,
under such regulations as may be prescribed by
the Secretary of the Interior. to cause to be 10
Gated, free of & ense, any warrant which the
holder may transmit to the General Land Office
Tor that purpose in such State and land district as
the said holder or warrantee may designate, and
upon good farming land, 90 far as the same can
be ascertained from the maps, plass, end field
notes of the surveyor, or from any other inior-
nation in the possession Of the local Office; and
upon the location being made AZ aforesaid, the
Secretary shall cause a patent to be transmitted
to such warrantee: find, PROVIDED, further, Tha,
no patent issued under this act shall be deliver
ed upon any power of attorney or agreement
dated before the passage of this act and thai
all such powers of attorney or agreements be
considered and treated as null and void,
Approved, Sept q, lS50.