The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-04-25
The Hfomestead Bill.

Mr.. Johnson, (dem.) of Tenn, from the
Committee on Public Lands, reported back
the Homestead bill as modified by the Com
mittee.
Mr.. Johnson, (dem.) of Ark, explained
the difference in the present bill and that
originally presented. The first difference
was as to the class OF persons provided for.
The original bill gave lands to heads Of fam.
lilies, and all persons over twenty-one; this
only to heads Of families. The second dif.
ference was the requiring the payment Of
twenty-five cents per acre; the original
gave the land absolutely away; twenty five
cents the acre was The actual cost OF the
lands to the government. The amended bill
further required FIVE years. residence, and an
actual title to be given at the expiration of
that time, the price fixed being then paid
The House bill required consecutive resi-
dence Of five years, but the titles were not
given till two years afterwards. Further,
the Senate bill only included lands open to
private entry, while the House bill opens all
land subject to preemption. The Senate
bill also required the constant settlement on
the land for five years, and prohibits any
sale, transfer, or Abandonment, upon penalty
of forfeiture. The House bill allowed the
settler to sell it at the end of five years, or
to abandon it for two years, aad then dispose
Of it. The House bill further provided that
! homestead shall not be liable for any debt
contracted prior to the seven years of occu.
pancy. The Senate bill provided that the
land shall not be sold for debt of the settler
until the United States part With the title
The Senate further required an alien to file
hic onl nf int fO N 6if
izen before he could avail himself of the
benefits of the bill. The effect of this was
TO restrict the operation Of the act TO citi-
zens of the United States and the heads oi
families. Mr.. Johnson argued at some
length in favor OF the new bill, pointing ouI
its advantages over the House bill Ii gave
the settler right at any time within five
years to perfect his title by paying the gov
eminent price. He read a statement from
the Commissioner OF the Land Office, show
ing that under the donation acts passed il
regard to Oregon and Florida, over sevent
per cent of the settlers availed themselve
of the provisions of the acts, and RENAME
on the land, petilioned Congress to ALLOW
them to pay the government price, and per
feet their titles before the expiration OF th
period of four years, at the end of whic
they would obtain the title without payinI
, anything. In the case Of Florida oil ,36O
acres were seized upon under the grant mad
by Congress, OF these 1873, 400 acres wer
Afterwards abandoned and forfeited 10 th
government.
He called attention TO another provision
in the amended bill not embraced in th
House Bill, which compels the sale Of sur
! veyed public lands two years after the sur
veys are made. The last provision Of tht
amended bill was that lands in any STATE
, remaining unsold alter thirty.fve years
, should be ceded to the States in which they
J lie.
Mr.. Gwin offered an amendment legali
zing the occupancy of the mineral lands il
California and Oregon by the citizens of th
United States, or persons who have declared
their intention TO become citizens.
Mr.. Mason, (Dem. of Va.) wanted t.
HDow ii miners on the government land
hud been troubled by any one!
Mr.. Gwin said, no.
Mr.. M sJn thought it better to adhere t
tie old Roman maxim, "Let things at res
remain at rest"
Mr.. Gwin avowed that the object of hi
amendment was to drive out cooiie lubo
lrL NJ the mines, and coDine it to agriculture
+ The bill was laid aside TO receive mes
j.; message from the President.