Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-08-11

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Senate yesterday relieved itself for the
present, Of those great questions con
cerning the public lands by psssing Z
bill containing three important princi'
ples, a. vii. be seen BY the subjoinet
synopsis Of The bill, which hss yet to
receive the sanction Of the House o.
Representatives. Under the presmp'
tion clause. II viii be observed. the
State In which the lands lie can eltel
them eli, or any partic uIar class Of then
% the graduated prices
synopsis OF THE HILL
The cart section provides that the
minimum price Of the public lands OF the
United States shall be reduced after the
lst Of July, 1855. and sold according TO
the following scale: For lands which
shaIl have been offered ct public sale
and remain unsold for Eve years, one
dollar per acre; for lands which have
been offered at public sale and remain
unsold ten years, seventy-five cents an
acre: for lands which shaIl have been
offered at public sale and remain unsoid
fifteen years, fifty cents an acre, Tor
lands which have been offered at public
sale, and remain uusold twenty five cents
an acre; and for lands which shall have
been offered at public sale aud remain
unsold thirty years, twelve and hall
cents an acre; providing that the grad
ustine process. from fifty cents to twen-
ty-fve cents an acre, shall not take piace
until the lands in the fifty cent class
shall have been exposed TO sale for
Dc Rod of Of least two years, at the price
Of fifty cents per acre, after which the
price OF the said lands shall be reduced
to TWENTY-FIVE cents per acre.
The second section provides that
whenever State shall desire 10 acquire
q preemption right to all The lands, or to
all the lands OF any certain class and
price within its borders. for other pur-
poses than railroad or canal. and sig
niles the samc 70 the President OF the
United States by an act Of its Legisla-
ture, they shall be granted on the follow
ing terms: That said State may fix the
price Of said |. ads above that prescribed
in the first section Of this act, reserving
the excess to itself; provided that the
title shall not pass TO the pure haser IN
Ill he has paid the prize fixed in the said
first section to the United States, and
that they shall be subject to the same le-
gal subdivision in the sale and survey as
are now provided by law; and provided
further, that any State which shall ac-
cept the provision OF this act, and shall
preempt any lands under il, shall take
them in foil of the five per cent. fund
thereafter TO become due from the pro-
ceeds Of said lands. But any State ac-
cepting the provisions OF this and the
preceding section shall take the lands at
the price fixed for each particular class.
and no lands shall be sold by them for
twenty-five cents an acre, until tley
shall have been previously subject to
entry through period Of two years at
the price OF fifty cents per acre, TO be
paid to the United States.
The third section provides that when
ever a State shall charter a railroad or
canal to run through the lands Of the
United States. and such State shall sc-
cept the benefit Of the provisions herein
after prescribed by an act TO be passed
at a general session OF its Legislature
upon due notice being given Of the fact
to the Secretary Of the lnteriv,, it shull
be his duty to set apart, Of the public
lands, seven thousand six hundred and
eighty acres per mile OF railroad or ca
nal, within twelve miles on each side,
and ss near the route of such railroad or
canal as possible. and the same shall be
withdrawn from sale or entry by public
advertisement Of the Secretary Of the In
terror, except in the manner and for N
hereinafter prescribed The price of
these lands shall be one dollar per acre
for those which have not yet been Of
fered at public sale, or Tor those which
have been subject to private entry less
than FIVE years; seventy-6ve cents for
those which have been so subject
to entry more than five years and
less than ten years, fifty rents for those
which have been so subject To entry
more than ten years and less than IT, EN-
ty years; and twenty five cent per acre
for those which have been so subject to
entry more than twenty years.
nc ttuftu ccEtiVu pfottuco tuut Wucu-
ever a State through VIII ch sucn r,il-
road or canal passes. and in which the
said lands lie. shall desi e to DO 50, il
may select, as preempter, all the lands
SO reserved at the minimum prices des-
ignated in the third section Of this act;
but the State must take up and pay in
cash for said land within ten years from
the time when set apart by the Secreta-
~ OF the Interior, or otherwise its
right to sach Of them as remain unsold
shall be forfeited. But before the X
piration Of this period the State may sell
the lands thus reserved To individuals or
corporations, provided that no title shall
vest in the purchaser until he pays TO
the receiver Of the proper land Office oil
the United States, for the use of the
United States, the price herein Fixed as
the price per acre for which the lands
shall be sold.
The fifth section provides that in the
event OF difference between the POST
master General and the railroad COM
pany as to the compensation for carry
ing the mails. the matter shall be set
tied by mutual agreement between the
Postmaster G eneral and the Governor
Of the State in which such railroad lies
The sixth section provides that the
lands purchased by any State. under the
provision OF the third section of this act
shall be implied by said State Tor the
construction Of the railroad or canal tor
which they were reserved; and that no
laids shall be included within the ope-
ration OF this act 10 which the India n
title has not been extinguished.
The seventh secticn provides that
this act shall in no way apply to tow n
or village property, either inlots or out
lots, nor be so construed as TO interfere
with any preemption claim. or to land
reserved for schools, salines. or reservc
sections on railroad grants. or other
purposes. under any existing laws OF the
United States, nor to any OF the min :
ernl Ianda AT fhs ffnttaI data