New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-07-24
THE HOMESTEAD AND GRADUATION BILL.
Frva tn I.,eilio>-o-r. J.Iy p.

After several weeks discussion tie Senate !es'cr-
day relieved itself for the present OF these great qes
lions concerning the public lands. by posing bhl
containing three important principles a Wal De seen
BY he subjonrd synopsis OF the BILL ~HicI aas yet 10
receive tue sanction OF tie House of Representatives.
Under the presumption clause !; VII be- ob-eryed the
States in which the lands lie enter them ALL or
apy particular class OF them az the graduated prices
SYNOPSIS nilL-
The fri section afoyid-s that the mmnum PTe@ Of me
urh!.c .arGs OF IL United States shall ne rduc d eieF
scale: For .aas wa.ea .ha. have been oer 1; P-oo
s-o ard rernsn unsod r Eve years dollar per acre;
for land, been offered al public sale AMI remain
uuot ten years seventy FIVE ace, 70. liais
vh.h ,bsu have been offered public sale AID remain
uusod fifteen years, nifty FOR lands vhSh
have been offered 1t public sale and remain gnsod tSenty
years twenty Eve Ctnts N acre and FOX lands which sad
have been offered at public see and remain un-old thirty
years Twelve and halt cents providing that the
graduating ptocesea from my cents 20 Twenty-Five
cent? an acre shall lot take place until the lands IN
the NY cent ass shall have ben exposed 10 sale for
a uerod of AZ least wo years, az tho price of slty
cents per acre, after when The price Of ne said
lsuos hall be reduced o Twenty-Five cents per
lie second section provides ;ha; whenever state shall
d.. 10 acquire presumption right 20 all the lands or 20
all the lands OF any ass and price within its bor
for other purposes than railroad or can A. aad -
r s n 20 The Pre-ideL. of the United States by
az act Of i,s Legislature they shall be granted the FOL
lowing terms That sad State may fix the price of sad
ancs above that in the FIRST section OF IN act
ing the to iself provided that the title shall
not pass TO the purchaser until be has PAID The price fixed
lands shall % subject 20 the legal subdivisions N
tie sale ami survey provided by law and pro-
vded further shat any State which shall accept the pro-
vision OF tbs act GnI snail pre- npt any lands under x,
> All take them la fall of the five per cent fund h5reai
,er 10 become due from the proceeds of said lands But
any accepting the provisions OF tbs AMI the pre-
c,ing section shall take the lands 1t the price fixed for
each particular class and no lands shall be- sold by them
for twenty five cents an acFe until they shall have been
previously subject 20 entry through period OF two years
the price OF MT! cents per acre TO epHd 70 The United
States.
The bird section prov ide- tina, Fheneyer State shall
charter railroad or canal through tho lands Of the
nt.d ate and such State shall accept the benefit OF
the hereinafter prescribed by an act Ia De
rsstd al general session of Is Legislature upon dac
notice b4b gwen Of the fact 20 the Secretary OF the In
terror shah his duty set apart OF me public lands
seven thousand tx hundred and eshy acres per nae ot
roiroad or canal within Twelve miles on eGca so and ~
near the route such railroad canal ~ possible and
the same shall be withdrawn ir0m sale Or entry by pubic
advertisement the Secretary OF the Interior, except "a
the manner and form hereinafter prescribed The price
OF these lands shall be dollar per TOR hose which
have not been offered az public sae or or hose Whch
have been uhoc; 20 private entry less than five years
seventyfve for those which have been 80 suec -
entry than ave years aud less tan Ten years my
cents for those which have been suboc, 20 entry more
than ten years and less than twenty years and twenty-five
PER for those wncR nave been 50 snoect 70
entry more thau twenty years.
The fourth section provides that Whenever State Though
which such railroad canal passes AMI IN which the su
lands lie shall desire TO do may select, az Pee mper
all the lands reserved tie minimum prices es ,na.ed
in the third section Of this act but the state must take lp
and pay IN cash for sad land within ten years from the
fue when by the Secretary Of the INTERIOR or
otherwise RICH; 10 such Of them az remain unsod sha
be forfeited But before the expiration o tins period the
State may sell the lands thus reserved ~ miVlluas or
corporations provided thar title sha vest m tue pug
chaser until h. tn the receiver of the proper lana OF
fee of United for tue OF the United states
tie Pce herein fixed he price per acre Tor when The
lands shall be sold. -
The nth section provides that in the event of differ
cnce b.tween the Pos;nGs;crGoneal aul the railroad
company a. the compensation Tor carrying me mans ~
matter shall be settled by mutual agreement between tho
Pos,mas terGeueTal and the Governor OF the state III
which -uch railroad Les.
he sixth section provides that the lands purchased By
any State under the prov OF the uurt -econ ~ TINS
ac: sba be applied by said State for the instruction OK
the railroad cana for which they were reserved an
that lands shall Dee included within the operation OF tns
act 20 which the InOian title has not been eNngushe
Tie seventh section provides that this act shall IN no
way appl, village property either niots or ont
lots be- construed as To interfere WIN any preeP
ton claim lands reserved for schools saes, or re-
served sections railroad grants other purposes, un
der any existing laws of the United States nor 10 any OF
the mineral lands of the United states.
The e bih section provides that any Tree whe person.
vto is the head OF family, or who has arrived az tue age
OF twcDy-oue YEAR ami capable OF holding lands under
the laws OF the which the lands lie, or they lie
in Territory then any person who is pabe of acquiring
a pretnIpOn under the laws OF the ned states, shal
from after the passage OF THIS act he entitled to enter
one.quartor section OF vacant and inappropriate public
lands and more, which may at the time the application
j. made be subject 10 private entry, or quantity equal
thereto ,o be located in body, in conformity with the
legal suhdVl>uns at puDc lands provided
coded by any Indian treaty stpulang for the payment TO
such Indians of the net proceeds of the sales of the cee
lands shall not be subjected to the operations OF this act
except the graduated prices fixed therefor.
The ninth section provides that the person applying for
the benefit of the foregoing eighth section shall upon ap-
Ilicaon 10 the egiser of the land office in which he or
She is about make such entry make affidavit before the
ad Register that lie she is the head OF family or Is
twenty years of age and that such application Il made
for his her exclusive ami benefit and those speclty
mentioned herein and either directly indirectly for
the use benefit Of any other person or persons whom
soevcr and upon making the affidavit herein elured and
fling with the Register he or she snail nereupon be
permitted the quantity OF land specified: provided
thai certificate be given or patent issued therefor
until the expiration of five years from the date of such
entry and until the person or persons emitted to the land
entered shall lave pad Tor the same twenty-five cents
uer acre or If the lands have been market more than
twenty ycurs twelve and half cents per and H. at
tie expiration OF such time the person making such entry
shall prove, by credible witnesses that he she has
continued reside upon and cultivate sad land and still
reside upon the same, and in such he she shall be
entitled patent, in other prov ied TOR by law
and all such persons specified IN the eighth secu0n
ard who are settled upon lands subject 10 entry by
This act shal be entitled 20 its benefits upon the eNp
ton of 1--WE wears i!O tie date Of such settlement lac
benefits of th aud the preceding section Of this act snail
he extended 10 the settlers upon the public lands IN Ca
fcrna, upon payment OF one dollar per acre.
The tenth ton provides thai the Register OF the Land
Oce shall keep register OF all entries and make return
thereof 10 the General Land Office.
The eleventh section provides that any person who may
have filed hi. her affidavit Of intention 10 settle
quarter section ID under the provisions OF this act
NAV at any time acquire title thereto by paying the full
graduated price for the But 10 person or persons
shall be allowed file adecaron Of intention % settle
for the purpose Of claiming the bench; OF the provisions OF
tbs act IL regard i've years actual settlement, after the
State hail hey- purchased taken as prermpOr the
class IN which SAID lands lie
ADDRESS From THE POLTSH DEMOCRATIC
SOCiETY ~ NEH-YORh TO TIE POLES