Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-08-02
SYNOPSIS OF HUNTERS BILL.


of the public lands of the United States shall be re-
dIced after the 1st of July 1885, and sold according
! to the following scale: For lands which shall have
been offered at public sale and remain unsoid hVe
years. one dollar per acre. for lands which shall
| have been offered at public sale and remain unsod
ten years seventyfve cents acre. for lands whlch
| shall have been offered at public sale and remain
unsold fifteen years, fifty cents an acre; Tor lanos
which have been offered at public sale and remain
unsod twenty years, twenty-five cents an acre; ana
for lands which shall have been offer at puohc sae
and remain unsold thirty years, twelve anu NAN
cents acre. provided that the graduating process,
from fifty cents twenty-five cents an acre, snail
not take place until the lands in the fifty cent class
shall have been exposed to sale for PERIOD OF at
least two years. at the price of fifty cents per acre,
after which the price of the SAID iands snail De re-
duced to twenty-five cents per acre.
The second section provides that whenever a
State shall desire to acquire pre-empuon right 10
all the lands all the lands OF any certain class
and price within its borderS for other purposes IMAM
a railroad or canal, and signifies the same to the
President of the United States by an act OF Its Legs
lature they shall be granted on the following terms
That said State may fix the price OF SAID ans ABOVE
that prescribed in the first section OF ths ACT, re-
serving the excess itself; provided that the title
shall not pass to the purchaser until he mas pad the
price fixed in the said first section to the ohitea
States, and that the lands shall be SUBJECT 10 the
same legal subdivisions in the sale and survey as are
now provided by law; and provided further, that
any State which shall accept the provisions OF TINS
act and shall pre-cmpt any LANDS unoer IL, Shali
take them in full of the five per cent fund thereal-
ter to become due from the proceeds OF SAID lahus;
But any State accepting the provisions OF this and
the preceding section shall take the lands at the
price fixed for each particular class, and no lands
shall be sold by them for twenty-five cents an acre
until thev shall have been previously SUBJECT to en-
try through a period of two years at the price OF
fifty cents per acre. to be paid to the United States
The third section provides that whenever State
shall charter railroad or canal to run through the
lands of the United States, and such State shall ac-
he Of
scribed by act to be passed at general session
of it's Legislature, upon due notice beng given OF the
fact to the Secretary OF the Interior, sha oe HIS
duty to set apart, of the public lands seven thou
sand six hundred and eighty acres per mile OF rali-
road or canal within twelve miles on each Size, ana
as near the route of such railroad or canal as posi-
bic, and the same shall be Withdrawn from SAFE OF
entry by public advertisement OF the secretary OF
the Interior except in the manner and form hereln-
after prescribed The price OF these lands snail De
one dollar per acre for those which have not yet
been offered at public sale, or for those which have
been subject to private entry less than five years
seventvfve cents for those which have been so sub
iect to entry than FIVE years and less than ten
years. fifty cents for those which have been so sub
ject to entry more than ten years ana less th s
twenty years and twenty-five cents per acre for
those which have been subject to entry more
than twenty years.
The fourth section provides that whenever State
through which such railroad canal passes, and IN
which the said lands lie shall desire to do so, it may
select pre-empter, all the lands so reserved at the
,nilnum prices designated in the third section OF
this act; but the State must take up and pay IN cash
for said land within ten years from the time when
apart by the Secretary of the Interior, or other
wise its right such Of them as remain unSod shall
be- forfeited. But before the expiration OF tins pc
Rod the State may sell the lands thus reserved to IN
livdualS corporations, provided that no TITLE Shall
in the purchaser until he pays to the receiver
Of the proper land office of the United States for the
use of the United States the price herein fixed as
the price per for which the lands shall be sold
baI, r a
difference between the Postmaster General and Tie
railroad company as to the compensation Tor carry
ing the mails, the matter shall be settled by mutual
agreement between the Postmaster General and the |
Governor of the State in which such railroad hes
The sixth section provides that the lands purchas-
ed by any State, under the provisions of the third
section of this act shall be applied by said State for
the construction Of the railroad or canal Tor which
they were reserved and that no lands shall be in
Guided within the operation of this act to which the
Indian title has not been extinguiShed.
The seventh section provides that this act shall in
no way apply to town or village property either In
OTIS out-ots, nor be construed as to interfere
with any presumption claim, or to lands reserved for
schools, sa!ines reserved sections on railroad
grants or other purposes, under any existing laws
Of the United States, to any OF the mineral lands
Of the United States.
The eighth section provides that any free white
person, who is the head Of family, or who has ar
lived at the age Of twenty lone years, and is capable
If holding lands under the laws of the State in which
person who is capable of acquiring pre-emption
lnder the laws of the United States, shall, from and
ter the passage Of this act be entitled to enter
quarter section of and unappropriated public
andS and no more, which may at the time the ap-
)iicatiOn is made be subject to private entry, or
quantity equal thereto, to be located in body,
ormity with the legal subdivisions of the public
ands provided, that lands coded by any Indian
reaty STIMULATING for the payment to such Indians of
he nett proceeds of the sales of the coded lands
hall not be subjected the operations of this act,
Except at the graduated prices liked therefor.
The ninth section provides that the person apply
ng for the benefit of the foregoing eighth section
hail. upon application to the register of the land of
ice in which he she is about to make such entry,
make affidavit before the said register that he she
the head of family, is twenty years of age,
nd that such application is made for his or her ex-
lusive use and benefit, and those specially men-
toned herein, and not either directly or indirectly
n the use benefit Of any other person persons
Thomsoever; and upon making the affidavit as here
required and filing it with the register, he she
hall thereupon be permitted to enter the quantity
land specified provided, that no certificate shall
&c given patent issued therefor until the expira-
ion of five years from the date of such entry, and
ntil the person persons entitled to the land so
ntered shall have paid for the same twenty cents
err acre, if the lands have been in market more
nan twenty years, twelve and a half cents per acre;
nd if at the expiration of such time, the person
lakng such entry shall prove by two credible wit
eSseS that he she have continued to reside upon
nd cultivate said land, and still reside upon the
ame then, in such case, he she shall be entitled
} a patent, as in other cases provided for by law
nd all such persons specified in the eighth
ecton, and who are settled upon lands subject
, nv this shall be entitled TO benrtitS