Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-03-23

1HE hOAksfkAD 0LLL--Ine nOme'
stead bill has passed the House, and i.
1now before the Senate. Below we copy
the provisions Of the measure as agreed
to by the House:
The bill provides-FErst: That any
free white person who is the head of a
family, or who has arrived at the age oi
21 years, and is citizen of the United
States shall be entitled to enter, free oi
cost, one quarter section of vacant and
unappropriated public land, which, at the
time of the application. may be subject
to private entry at 81 rs per acre, or a
quantity equal thereto. to be located in
a body, in conformity with the legal
subdivisions of the public lands and af-
ter the same shall have been survey
ed.
Second: The person applying for
the benefit of this act shall, upon appli-
cation to the register of the 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 family, or twenty-one years of age,
and upon making affidavit, and fling on
the register he or she shall thereupon
be permitted to enter the quantity of
land already specified; provided that
no certificate shall be given or patent
issued therefor until the expiration Of
FIVE years from the date Of such entry,
and if at the expiration of such time
the persons making such entry, or if he
be dead bis widow, or in case of his
death his heirs or devisee, or in case of
a widow making such entry her heirs
or devisee, or in case of her death, shall
prove by two credible witnesses he or
she or they have continued to reside up
on and cultivate said land, and still re-
side upon the same, and have not alienat-
ed it or any part thereof, then in such
he or she or they shall be entitled to a
patent, as in other cases provided for by
law; provided further, in case of death
of both father and mother, leaving an
infant child or children under twenty
one years of age, the right and the fee
shall insure to the benefit of the said in
fant child or children, and the executor,
administrator, or guardian may at any
time within two years after the death Of
such surviving parent, and in accord
ance with the laws of the State in which
such children for the time being have
their domicil, sell said land for the ben
eft of the said infants, for no other pur-
pose, and the purchaser shall acquire
the absolute title by the purchase and
be entitled to patent from the United
States.
Third: All land acquired under this
act shall in no event become liable to
satisfaction of any debts contracted
prior to the issuing of the patent there
for.
Fourth: In case person who has
filed the affidavit required shall have
changed his or her residence or aban-
doned said entry for more than six
months at any one time, in that event
the land so entered to revert back to
Government, subject to an appeal to the
General Land Office.
Fifth: If any individual now resi-
dent of any one of the States or Terri
tories, and not a citizen of the United
States at the time of making such ap-
plications for the benefit of this act,
shall have filed declaration of inten-
ton, as required by the naturalization
laws of the United States, and shall be-
come citizen of the same before the is
suance of the patent, as made and pro-
vided for in this act, shall be placed up |
on an equal footing with the native
born citizen of the United States.
Sizth:: No individual is permitted to
make more than one entry under the
provisions of this act and the Commits
sioner of the General Land Office is re-
quired to prepare and issue such rules
and regulations. consistent with this act,
as shall be necessary and proper to car
ry its provisions into effect; and the
Registers and Receivers of the several
Land Offices shall be entitled to receive
The same compensation for any lands en-
cred under the provisions of this act
hat they are now entitled to receive
when the same quantity of land is en-
cred with money-one half to be paid
~ the person makirg the application at
he time of so doing, and the other half
IN the issue of the certificate by the
,erson to whom it may be issued:-l
Provided however, all persons entering
and under the provisions of this act
hall, as near as may be practicable in
making such entries, be confined to each
alternate quarter section, and to land
iubject to private entry: And provid-
ID nothing in this act shall be so con-
trued as 70 impair or interfere in any
manner whatever with existing preemp-
ion rights: And provided further, that
he provisions of this act shall be so
Construed as to authorize the class of
persons provided for who may not own (
,ver 100 acres of land, to enter free of I
'ost any public lands adjoining bis or
Ter farm subject to private entry at the
minimum price, in quantity when added :
o what he or she now owns, equal to ,
100 acres, provided he or she shall cul-
ivate the whole or part thereof. Il