Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-11-01


gentlemen come up. ss | did to day.
and refuse. By their votes. to aid my
constituents. refuse to place the actual
tiller of the soil. the honest. in
1ustrious laborer. beyond the srasr
and avarice of the specu 'stor. | tell
you. air. / fslter AMI hesitate.
The amendment of Mr. Grow,
forbiiiing the public sales of lands
for at least ten years after their
survey. would secure the great bulk
Of the lands TO pre-emptors. AMI
would give to pre-emptorS long paw
dav. and thus ,ave them from the
enoi mou- usury they are now compel
led to pay to money lenders. II
would not reduce the revenue derived
by the Treasury from the publi. lands.
but would only postpone it. and this
postponem.nt would be far less prcjn.
dicisl to the Cove nment than it woul |
he beneficial to the settler. The
Government can borrow money at
fsur and half per cent per anunm
while the settler frequently paws 6ve
per cent. per month for the money To
enter his lands. to prevent their sale
at public auction.
On the lst OF February the question
of the public lands was again before
the House, the pending bill (House
bill 40. 72) being a bill to secure
homestead- to actual settlers, and
being in the words following:
BILL TO SECURE H0MEsrE,ps To AC-
TCAL SETTLERS on THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
Be IL enucted BY tie Senate and
House Of RePresentatiues Of the United
.Stotss Of .Imerica in Congre assem-
bed, That any person who is the heal
of a family. or who has arrived at the
age of twenty-one years. and is cit-
zen of the United States. or who shall
have filed his intention to become
such. as required hv the naturalization
laws of the United States. shall, from
and after the passage of this sc:. be
entitled to enter. free OF cost, one
quarter section of vacant AMI unappro-
priated public lanls which may. at
the time the application is made. be
subject to private entry, at $l.25 per
acre. or a quantity equal the eto, to
be located in body. in conformity
with the legal subdivisions of the pub
lie lands. and after the same shall
have been surveyed
SEC 2 And be it further enacted
That the person applying for the bene.
ht of this act shall upon application
to the register of the land oAi e in
whjCh he or she is about 10 make such
entry. make aft lavit before he sail
register that he or she is the head OF q
family, or il twenty-one years or more
of age. and that .uch application il
male for hts or her exclusive use AMI
benefit, and those specially mentioned
in this act, and not either directly for
the use or benefit of any other person
or PERSONS whomsoever; AMI up n
making the affidavit as above required
and filling the affidavit with the regi,-
ter. he shall thersupon be psrmit.
ted to enter the quantity of land al
ready specified: Provided. however,
That no cert iiirste shall be given or
patent issued therefor until the ex.
piration of five years from the
date of such entry; and at the cx
piration OF such time. or at any time
thereafter, the person making such
entry. or if he be deal, his widow, or
in case of her death. his hers or de-
visee, or in case of widow making
such entry, her heirs or devi e.. IN
case of her death shall prove by
two credible witnesses that he, or
she, or they. have continued to reside
upon and cultivat. such land. AMI still
reside upon the same, and have not
aienatet the saline. or any part there
of, then, in such case, he, she. or they,
il a, that time citizen of the United
States. shall, on pa ment of ten dol
lars, be entitled toa patent, a. in
other cases proA ided for by law: And
provided. further, In case Of the death
of both father and mother leaving an
infant child or children nnder twenty
one years of age, the right AMI the Zee
shall inure 10 the benefit Of said in ant
chill or children, AMI the executor,
administrator. or guardian. may. at
any time within two years after the
death of the surviving parent, ali ia
accordance with the laws of the State
in which such children 20. tho time
being have their domicil. scli sell
land for the benefit 6f said infants.
but for no other purpose; and the pur
chaser shall acquire the absolute title
by the purchase. and be entitled to q
patent from the United States.
Sec 8. And be II further enacted.
That the register OF the lani office
shall note all such applications on the
tract books anl plats OF his Office and
keep . register of all such entries
anil make rsturn thereof to the Gen
sral Land Ofh .. together with tn.
proof upon which they have beer
founded.
SEC. t. A~a b 4 furt.er snoeted
That all land- acquired nnder the pro
vi. ions OF this act shall in no even
become liable to the satisfaction o
any debts contracted prior to the Is
suing the patent therefor.
SEC. 5. And Be it further enacted
That il. at any time alter filing tn
aft lsvit. a. required in the secon'
section of this act. anil before the ex
piration of the five years aforesaid. j
hall he proven. after due notice Il
the settler. to the satisfaction of th
register of the land off g. that tn
person having filed snch affidavit shal
have ac,usllv changed his or her re-