The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1852-05-20
The Homestead Bill

parties already IN the possession OF land, or
who may sell land with an intention to OBJ
tain free grant; and that the land acquired
under its regulations shall not be held La
BILE for debts contracted prior to the issuance
of the patent. The following is the bill it.
self:
Be itenactsd, &C., That any person who
is the head Of a family and citizen Of the
United States, or any person who is the head
Of family, and had become a citizen prior
to the first day Of January, eighteen hundred
and fifty-two, as required by the naturaliza-
ton laws of the United States, shall, from
and after the passage Of this act, be entitled
to enter, free of cost, one quarter section of
vacant and unappropriated public lands, or
a quantity equal thereto, to be located in a
body in conformity with the legal subdvis-
ions Of the public lands, and after the same
shall have been surveyed.
Sec. 2. And be il further enacted, That the
person applying for the benefit of this act
shall, upon application to the Register ofthe
Land Office, in which he or she is about to
make such entry, make affidavit before the
said register that he or she is the head of a
family, and Is not the owner Of any estate in
land at the time Of such application, and has
not disposed Of any estate in land to obtain
the benefits of this act; and, upon making
the affidavit as above required, and filing the
affidavit with he register, he or she shall
thereupon he permitted to enter the qulnti-
ty Of land already specified: Provided, ho'o-
erer, That no certificate shall be given or
patent issued therefor until the expiration OF
five years from the date OF such entry; and
fiat the expiration of such time, the person
making such entry, or fhe be dead, his wild
ow, or, in case OF her death, his heirs or de-
visee; or in case Of widow making such
entry, her heirs or dcvisce, in case OF her
death, shall prove by two credible witnesses
that he, she or they have continued to reside
upon and cultivate said land, and still reside
upon the same, and have not alieDated the
same, or any part thereof, then in such case,
he, she or they shall be entitled to a patent,
as in other cases provided for by law: And
provided further, That in case of death of
both father and mother, leaving an infant
child or children under fourteen years fage,
the right and the fee shall enure to the ben
eft of said infant child or children; and the
executor, administrator or guardian, may, at
any time within two years after the death OF
the surviving parent, sell such land for the
benefit of such infants, but for no other
purpose; and the purchaser shall acquire the
absolute title by the purchase, and be enti-
tied to patent from the United States.
Sec. 3. And be ii further enacted, That the
register the land Office shall note all such
applications on the tract books, and plats
T Of his Office, and keep a register Of all such
entries, and make return thereof to the Gen
erGl Land Office, together with the proo
upon which they have been founded.
Sec. 4. AndJe ii further enacted, That al
land acquired under the provisions of thi
act shall limo event become liable to til,
satisfaction of any debt or debts contracte
prior to the issuing the patent therefor.
Sec. 5. And he it)urther enacted, That if, a
any time after filing the affidavit as require,
in the second section of this act, and before
the expiration of the five years aforesaid, i
shall be proven by two or more respectable
witnesses, upon oath, to the satisfaction o
the register of the land office, that the per
son having filed such affidavit shall have &C
tually changed his or her residence, or aband
oned the said entry for more than six months
at any one time, then, and in that event, thu
land SO entered shall revert back to thu
Government, and be disposed of as othe
public lands are now by law.
Sec. O. And he ii further enacted, That
any individual, now resident of any one o
the States or Territories, and not a citzel
! of the United States, but at the time of max
| ing such application for the benefit of thi
, act shalrhave filed declaration ofintentiol
as required by the naturalization laws of tn
United States, and shall become n citizel
of the same before the issuance of the patent
as mi dc and provided for in this act, shall b,
placed upon an equal footing with the nativ'
born citizens of the United States.
Sec. 7. And he ii further enacted, That n,
individual shall be permitted to make NOR,
than one entry under the provisions Of thi
act; and that the Commissioner of the Gen
eral Land Office is hereby required to pre-
pare and issue such rules and regulation
consistant with this act as shall be necessO
ry and proper 70 carry its provisions into el
iect; and that the registers and receivers O
the several land offices shall be entitled T.
= receive the same compensation for any land
patented under the provisions Of this ac
, that they are now entitled to receive whc
. the same quantity of land is entered wit
money, to be paid by the party owhom tn
> patent shall be issued: Proptded hopert
3 That all persons entering land under tn
I provisions Of this act, shall, as near as ma,
be practicable, in making such entries, b,
confined to each alternate quarter-section
and no land subject to private entry: AM
Provided further That nothing in this ac
shrll be so construed as to impair or inter
Gcre in any manner whatever with cxlstin!
pre-emption rights.
DISTRESSING AccIDENT.-In New York, oil
Monday last, little boy, about twelve year