The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-03-16
The Homestead Bill

I 30 HlUeh idduit. tias HcSi hiauS VI 40 WV
regard to the features oi this bill, that Ve
presume we can present nothing OF more
interest to the generality Of cur readers
than the following synopsis OF It As tho
above Bill was made the special order Of the
day in the Senate yesterday We presume u
will soon b. passed.
Fsrst.-That any free white person who
i The head 81 family, Or Nho has arrived
at the age of ! | years, and i citizen OF the
United States. shall be entitled - enter,
free OF cost, one quarter section Of vacant
ana uuappfopriated land, which at the slmo
s of the application may Be subject 70 private
entry. Il $l,15 Per acre. or quantity
equal thereto, 10 he located in body in
conformity with the legal subdivisions 81
lie public lands, and AFTER the same Shall
have been smv we'd.
/ Scaa3.-The person applying foi the
benefit ~ this act, shall, upon appIicatioato
tbs Register Ut the Land Office In which he
( or sr sis IS about II taake such entry, make
affidavit before the said Register. that he
/ or she is the head Ut family, or twenty
one years Of age, and upon making attida-
yit ana fling ii with the Register. he or she
shall there upon be permitted TO enter the
auanty OF land already specified, provided
/ thar rs certificate shaIlhe given, or patent
issued thare tar, until The expiration ot fifa
wears from the Bate Of such entry; and i
atthe expiration Of such time the person
making suth entry he dead, his widow, og
" I'll cssc 81 1 widow WakiHE sgeh entry
her heirs Or aey.sec, i'm case Gf her death
shall prove by Tvs credible Witnesses, he r
she ~ they have continued To reside upon
and cultivate said land, and still reside upon
same, and have MT aiienated i or ans part
theFeol-shen III such case he Of Size u
they shall, be entitled to patent as IN eth
er cases provided Tor by law; provided fur.
ther, III cass II deGth Ut both father amt
mother. leaving IN ii.taat ch,ld or children
under ; years OF age The right and the tes
shall iaure rs the benefit ofthe sld intant
child or children, and the executor, admints-
traitor, q guardian may IL any time with
II Two wears alter tie death u such survt-
ing parent, aud in accordance WitA;he laws
81 the State, ia which such children, f3r the
line being, haye tapir dam.eI, sell said
land for the baaaiit ii the Sal infants, far
ID eiher purpose, aHd tie purchaser shall
acquire tbe ~ts3tatc title ~ the purchase
and be entitled 10 patent from the
United States.
Iairl,-.A.l land acquired under this ac'
! shah in nocyeAt become liable ~ sat.sfae-
lion OF any debts contracted psior = the s
suing u the patent thereof.
Toar!h In ease person who bias .ilsa
the aliidaYit required shall have changed hIs
H. .s n. .1fI 80
more thaH siN months a any enc tjme, In
that event the Ianl>o entered 10 revert hack
to Government, subject to appeal 10 the
General Lanl Office.
Ftflt-if any individual now a resident
III any enc n tie States Or Territories, and
not citizen vi ,ae United States ut the
time Of making such application for the BEN
81. 81 tbs Net shalt haze fled Geelara-
ration III Intention as required bf tha nat.
ufaiiz-tion laws Of the United States, and
shall. become a citizen 81 the same before
the issuance Of the patent, as made aa4
provided for 10 this act, such individual shall
BE- placed upon an equal footing ~lth
tide natige.born citizen OF the United
States.
Sj2A--No individual Is permitted to
make more than one entry, under the pr3-
visions Of this act, and the Commi ssiOner q.
the General Land Office Is required to pre-
pare and issue such rules and regulations.
consistent with this act, as shall be neces-
sary ana proper to carry its provisions into
effect; and the Registers aud the Receivers
Of the several Land Offices shall be euti-
tied to receive the same c0mpen-
satian fer any lands entered under CHG pro-
visions Of this act that they are now ent-
tied to receive, when The same guarantee
Of land is entered with money. one-halt t.
be paid by the person making the applica-
ton 1T the time Of So doing, and the other
half On the Issued. protsdaI, however, ali
person entering laEd under the provisions
ofthis ret shall, os near d may be practical
bic in making such entries, DO confined To
each alternate quarter section and lard sub
iect to private entry; and provided nothing
i'm this act shall be 80 constructed as TO im-
pair or interfere, in any manner whatever,
with existing Precmpt5on rights; and rr5y!-
dad further, thai the provision Of this act
shah be so cons'uyed a 10 authorize the
class oG persons provided Gor who NAV not
own over 1850 acres of land, to enter free of
cost, any public lands adjoining his or her
farm subject to private entry, the minimum,
price in quantity, when added to what he or
she now owns equal to $50 acres, provided
he or she shall cultivate the whole or part
thereof.