The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-04-24
MILITARY BOUNTY LAND-PRE-EMP-
TION RIGHTS.

GENERAL LAND OFFICE. March 81. 1851
TN ORDER that the liberal views Of Congress, in
i passing the act of 2Sth September, 1850, grant
ing bounty land to certain officers and soldiers who
| have been engaged in the military service Of the
United States, may be carried out, and every ex-
pensc to the warrantees be avoided as far as posi-
bic in obtaining the benefits granted by the graft
tude of their country for faithful and patriotic
vices and, at the same time, TO secure to the hardy
| and cnterprisng settlers on the public lands the
fruits Of their industry and privations, the Sccre
tary of the Interior has dirccted:
That public notice be given to all settlers on
public lands subject to private entry to come for
ward and file their declaratory statements, within
thirty days after making their settlements and i'm
4th September, l84l, to secure their pre- emp
ton rights and prevent interference by the location
of these warrants.
And that all warrants may be located upon the
land applied for, If subject to private entry the
Sd March, 1851, without affidavit to whether
said land is improved or not; and after having been
30 located, said warrants shall remain in the hands
of the land officers at least forty days. Ii at the
end Of that time there is interference by those
locations with pre- -emption claims otherwise, the
warrants will be returned to this office for patent
ing; but if there is such interference, new loca
tion will be made.
Warrantees can locate their warrants on their
own pre-emption rights where the land was pro-
claimed and offered at public sale prior to Sd
March, 1851; and where the minimum price of the
land is more than dollar and twenty five cents
per acre, can pay in cash the difference between
the cost of the land and the amount covered by the
warrant, estimating the warrant at 81 25 per
acre. No pre-cmption rights attach to the alter
nate sections reserved to the United States along
the routes Of railroads or canals.
Where application is made to this Office by the
warrantee to locate the warrant, the applicant
should designate the land district, section OF coun
try, or particular tract en- which he wishes the
location made and where the tract ia specified, it
would be we'll to designate several others in the
order in which they are desired, that in case the
tract first selected shall have been taken, the war
rant can be located upon the first of the1others
which may bc vacant without further delay. In
these cases the affidavit Of the applicant, taken
before officer competent to administer oathe,
that he is the identical person mentioned in the
warrant, must accompany the application. The
same rules must be complied with where npplica-
ton by letter il made to the district land officers
Where such application is made by the attorney,
guardian, executor. &c, the evidence duly certi
fed, Of their authority to act must also accompany
the application.
by clause in lst section of the act making ap,
preparations for the support of the Government for
the fiscal year ending Both June, 1852, approved
Sd March, 1851, il Ia enacted that no warrant for
bounty land issued under the act Of 2Sth Septem-
ber, 1850, or by virtue of any other act of Con-
gress, shall be located on any land which had not
heretofore been brought into market and then cub
ect to private entry; that no land can be located
under the Bounty Land law Of 2Sth September,
1850, or any othor law granting bounty land,
except that which had been proclaimed and offered
for sale prior to the Sd OF March, 1851.
J. BUTTERFlELD,
Apr 1l-law6w Commissioner.