Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-10

B@- We publish below the land bill passed
at the session just closed 1t was introduced
into the House of Representatives by Mr.. Cobb,
of Alabama, and was not amended in the
Senate:
AN ACT to graduate and reduce the price OF
the public lands to actual settlers and cult
vators.
Representatives of the United States Of America
in Congress assembled, That all the public
lands of the United States which shall have
been in market for ten years or upwards, prior
TO the time of application to enter the same un-
der the provisions Of this act, and still remain
ing unsold, shall be subject TO sale at the price
Of one dollar per acre; and all Of the lands of the
United States that shall have been in market
for fifteen years or upwards, as aforesaid, and
still remaining unsold, shall be subject to sale
at seventy-6ve cents per acre and oil Of the
lands of the United States that shall have been
in market for twenty years or upwards, as
aforesaid, and still remaining unso!d, shall be
subject 10 sale at fifty cents per acre and all
Of the lands Of the United States that shall
have been in market for twenty-five years and
upwards, as aforesaid, and still remaining un-
sold, shall be subject 70 sale at twenty-five
cents per acre and all lands Of the United
States that shall have been in market for thirty
years or more, shall be subject to sale at
twelve-and-a-half cents per acre Irorided,
This section shall not be so construed as to
extend TO lands reserved to the United States,
in acts granting lands TO States for railroad or
other internal improvements, or TO mineral
lands held at over one dollar and twenty-five
cents per acre.
SEC. 2. And be IL further enacted, That upon
every reduction in price under the provisions
of this act, the occupant and settler upon the
lands shall have the right Of pre-emption at
such graduated price, upon the same terms,
conditions, restrictions, and limitations, upon
which the public lands of the United States
are now subject TO the right of presumption
until within thirty days preceding the next
graduation or reduction that shall take place
and IL not so purchased, shall again be subject
to the right OF presumption for eleven months
| as before, and so on, from time 70 time, as re-
ductions take place: IroUidcd, That nothing
| in this act shall be so construed as TO interfere
with any right which has or may accrue by
virtue Of any act granting pre- emption to &C
tual settlers upon public lands.
SEC. 3. And be Il further enacted, That any
person applying to enter any Of the aforesaid
lands shall be required 10 make affidavit, be
fore the register or receiver Of the proper land
Office. that he or she enters the same for his OF
her own use, and for the purpose of actual set
Element and cultivation, or for the use OF ar
adjoining farm or plantation owned or occupied
by him or herself and, together with said en-
try, he or she has not acquired from the United
States, under the provisions Of this act, NOR.
than three hundred and twenty acres, accord
ing to the established surveys; and If any per
son or persons taking snch oath or afidayi
shall swear falsely in the premises, ne or .shI
shall be subject to all the pains and penaltie
Of perjury.