The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-08-09
Homestead and araduation Bill,

Homestead and Graduation Bill.
The following is the bill providing
homestead for actual settlers and gradua.
ting the price ofthe public lands. as it pass
ed the Senate. We have seen no action
Of the House on this amendment of the
Senate:
BE ii enacted, DC, That the minimum
price OF public lands of the United States
shall remain unchanged until the COM
mencement of the fiscal year. beginning
July |. 1855. but after,ha period the price
shall be reduced according to the following
scale: All lands which shall have been or
tered at public sale, and remaining unsold
five years, shall be reduced to the price OF
one dollar per acre; all lands which shall
have been offered ct public sale. and re-
naming unso!d ten years, shall be redu-
ced to seventy five cents an acre; and all
lands which shall have been offered at
public sale, and remaining unsold fifteen
years. shall be sold at fifty cents an acre:
and all lands which shall have been offer
ed at public sale. and remaining unsold
twenty years, shall thereafter be reduced
to price OF twenty five cents an acre;
and al! lands which shall hays been offer
ed at public sale. and shall remain unsold
thirty years thereafter. shall be reduced to
a price of twelve and a hall cents an acre:
Provided, Tina, the graduating process.
from f!:y cents to twenty-five an acre, shall
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 oi fifty cents per acre. after which
twenty-five cents per acre.
.SEc. 9. That whenever State shall de-
sire to acquire a pre-emp.ioh right 10 all
the lands, of any certain class and price.
as provided in the first section Of this act.
within its borders, for other purposes than
railroad or canal. and signify the same
to the President Of the United States. by
an act of its Legislature at general ses-
sion, duly passed and authenticated, i,
shall be granted on the following terms.
and in the manner hereinafter prescribed:
That said State may fix the price of said
lands above that prescribed in the first Sec
ton Of this act. reserving the excess 10 il
self; Procided. That the title shall not
pass to the purchaser until he has paid the
price fixed in said first section to the Uni.
ted Slates;. which, upon said payment, and
the presentation. Of a certificate of title
from the State, duly authenticated, shall.
through its proper officers, issue paten,
tor said land to the purchaser: Prorided
houeuer, Tha, the lands shall be subject to
the same legal subdivisions in the sale and
survey as are now provided by law; nor
| shall the sites OF foitifications, navy and
dock ards. arsenals, magazines. and 9th.
er public buildings. be considered as in.
cluded within the provisions OF this act;
And, prorided further. Fha: any State
which shall accept the provisions Of thi.
act. and shall preempt any lands under it
shall take them in full of the five per cent
fund thereafter 10 become due from ths
proceeds of said lands; but the State thu.
accepting the provisions of this and the
preceding section, shall take the lands a
the price fixed For each particular class
except that no lands shall be sold by then
for twenty five cents an acre. until they
.Ah Ill Ihay.. hsan nra,ui r,l r..
II period OF Two years. at HE price o'tn'ty
cents per acre, to be paid to the umtet
| States.
| Sec. 8 That whenever State has char
tered, or shall charter. railroad or cana
| to run through the lands OF the Uni'e'
States. or when any company shall hav'
been organized for thatpurpose. under an
general law Of any State. and such Stat
shall accept the benefit OF the provision
hereinafter prescribed by an act tosbe pass
} ed at a general session oI lis Legislature
upon due notice being given OF the fact
the Secretary Of the Interior. il shall be hi
q duty 10 set apart. of the public lends. Sc,
l en- thousand six hundred and eighty acre
+. per mile OF railroad or canal. within lively
miles on each side. and as near the rou'
OF such railroad or canal as possible. an
D the same shall be Withdrawn from sale G
entry by public advertisement OF the Set
u retary Of the Interior. except in The mar
ner and form hereinafter prescribed: III
a price Of these lands shall be one dollar pr
acre for those which have not yet been
}, fered at public sale, or for those which hay
i been subject to private entry less than ii,
l. years; seventy. five cents for those whio
q have been so subject to entry more tha
e five years and less than ten years; I'll
l. cents for those which have been so suble
to entry mere than ten years and less ths
IS twenty years; and twenty five cents p
J. acre for those which have been so subJe
> to entry more than twenty years: Prot
of ded, That tire price which the lands be
when first set apar, shall remain unilorl
and be subjectto TO no graduation during I
the ten years herein prescribed as the p
Rod within which the States may dispo
ID OF the lands.
Ill Sec. 4. That whenever State throu
:. which the said railroad or canal passt
q and in which the said lands lie, shall d
ID sire to do so. it may select. as pre.empt'
tn all the lands so reserved at the minimu
s. prices designated in the third section
in this act. but the State must take up a
r. pay in cash for said land within ten yes
e. from the time when set apart by the Sc
n retary of the Interior, or otherwise its rie
On to such of them as remain unsold shall
us forfeited. But before the expiration OF 4
as period the State may sell the lands tl
It's reserved to individuals or corporation
u Provided, That no title shall vest in
purchaser until he presents to the recei'
OF the proper land Office OF the Uni