New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-05-19
The Homestead Bill.

BE ii enacted, &C., That any person who
is the head of family and citizen of the United States
any person who is the head of family and has be-
citizen prior to the first day of January eighteen
hundred and ffytwo, required by the naturalization
laws othe United States shall from and after the passage
of this act be entitled 10 enter free Of cost onequarter
section of vacant and unappropriaed public lands or
quantity equal thereto to be located in body In con-
formy with the legal subdivisions of the public lands.
and after the shall have been surveyed
SEC 2-And be ii further enacted That the person ap
ply ing for the benefit Of this act SHALL upon application
to the Register of the Land Office in which he or she
is about make such entry make affidavit before the
said Register that he she is the head OF 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 requ ed and filing the affidavit with
the Register, he she shall hereupon be permitted to
enter the quantity Of land already specified Provided
sued therefor until the expiration of five years from
the date OF such entry and IT. at the expiration OF such
time the person making such entry or II he be dead
his widow or in of her death his heirs devsee
or, in case of widow making such entry her heirs
devisee in of her death shall prove by two cred
ibe witnesses, that he she or they have continued to
reside upon and cultivate said land, and still reside
upon the same, and have not aenated the same any
part thereof them in such he she or they shall be
entitled to patent in other provided for by
law And provided, further That in case OF the death
OF both father and mother, leaving in ant child or
children under fourteen years OF the right and the
fee shall enure to the benefit of said infant child chill
dren and the executor administrator guardian may
any time within two years after the death of the sur
vvng parent sell said land for the benefit of such in
fan but for other purpose and the purchaser shall
acquire the absolute tile by the purchase, and be
titled to patent from the United States.
SEC g. And be further enacted That the Register of
the Land Office shall note all such applications the
tract books and pas of his Office and keep register of
all such entries and make thereof TO the General
Land Office, together with the proof upon which they
have been founded.
SEC. 4. and be IL further enacted, That all land ac-
quired under the provisions Of this act shall in event
become liable to the satisfaction OF any debt debts
contracted prior 10 the Issuing the patent therefor
SIC s. And be further enacted That if at any time
after fling the affidavit required in the second
ton OF this act and before the expiration of the 1--WE
years aforesaid II shall be proven by two or more re-
spectable witnesses upon oath, to the satisfaction Of the
Register of the Land Office thar the person having filed
,uch affidavit thall have actually changed his her
residence abandoned the said entry for more than
six months at any time, then and 10 that event. the
land entered shall revert back to the Government
and be disposed Of ss other public lands now by
law.
SEC And Bsa further enacted, That If any individual
now resident Of any one Of the States Territories
and not citizen OF the United States but At the time of
making such application for the benefit Of this shall
have fled declaration of intention required by the
laws Of the United States and shall be-
&C me citizen Of the same before the issuance of the
patent made and provided for la this act shall be
placed upon equal footing with the nstiveborn ch
zens of the United states
SIC T. And be IL further enacted That no individual
shall be permitted u make than one entry under
the prov<ions Of this act and thai the Commissioner
Of the General Land Office is hereby required 20 pre-
pare and ssuc such rules and regulations consssent
with this act sha be necessary and proper u carry
i,s provisions into Effect snd that the Registers and Re-
c.isers the several land Offices shsll be entitled ~
cevc the conpe nssion for any iands patented
der The provisions ot this act that they entitled
10 re .eyc when the quantity of had u entered
With MONEY, 10 be paid BY the party 70 whom the pa,cat
,lsl lie ssoed Provided, however. That I'll p-rsons
sptriing land under the provisions ~ this sct -n n.
ne ar pry be- practicable. In making such cntfes ~
to eacf alternate quattersrcov znJ no land
,pidset 20 p'ivste ebt'y And provided further Taas
isiiins IN tits fr' shall be construed isir az
Interfere IN sry rrn.sr whatever With csissIns pre-.
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