Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-03-22
THE HOMESTEAD BILL.

The Homestead bill of Mr. Grow, says the
Harrisburg Telegraph, which passed the
House of Representatives on Monday, pro
vides That any citizen of the United States
or any person who has fled his intention to
become such in the manner prescribed by the
naturalization laws !; who is the head of
family, or of the age of twenty-one years.
may enter, free Of cost, one quarter section of
unappropriated public lands, upon which he
may have filed pre-emptor claim, or which
may, at the time of application, be subject to
pre-emption at 81 rs, Or less per acre, or an
equal quantity, to be located in body, after
the same shall have been surveyed. Persons
applying for the benefit of the act, are requir-
ed to make affidavit of the facts cited in the
foregoing, as also that the application is made
for his or her own benefit, and not that of
third person patents to be issued to such ap-
plicants five years after the date of such entry
has been made, and not sooner. If, at the
expiration of that period, the applicant shall
make affidavit that be or she continues to re-
side upon and cultivate such land or if the
applicant be dead, then his or her heirs, or
deVisee, after proving by two creditable wit
nesseS that he, she, or they still reside upon
such land, and have not aliened or disposed of
any portion of it, such person or persons, be-
ing citizens of the United States, on pay
ment of $40, may receive patent therefor.
In case of the death of both parents, leaving
an infant child, or children, the right and the
fee enures to its or their benefit, and the land
may be sold by the administrator for the use
and benefit of such children, but for no other
purpose.
The 4th section provides that lands acquir
ed under the act shall not become liable for
any debts contracted prior to the issuing Of
the patent
The sixth and last section provides that no
person shall be permitted to make more than
one entry under the provisions of the act
This hurried digest scarcely does justice to the
bill, but neither time nor space permit a
lengthier notice to-day.
The passage of this bill in the popular
branch of the National Legislature, by large
majority, is cause enough for graduation on
the part Of wOrkingmen of the country. The
vote on its final passage stood Yeas, lis ;
Nays, 65.
Resolving the vote into elements, we find
that of the ll5 voting for the bill, 29 were
Democrats, American, aud IS Republicans
| To the credit of the free North let it stand,
that of the IS voting against the bill, only
one was representative from a free State
that unenViable one being no other than our
own Montgomery" from the free. State of
Pennsylvania /! On the other hand, of the
us voting "aye," one, JAMES Craig, is from
Missouri. Honor to that man ! Measures
should be taken to secure for Mr.. Montgom-
cry, that which constituted the sum of earthly
happiness in the views of John Mitchell. He
deserves reward for his jealous regard for
the rights of the workngman
The Homestead measure, then, from this
hour, must be considered sectional, rather
than party measure in the popular branch
Of Congress-every "nay," save one coming
from the lips of shareholders. How the meas
ure will be received and acted upon in the
Senate remains to be seen The measure had
its origin with the Republican party, and had
the vote of every Republican present in the
House, and impaired. Besides this full en-
dorsement, the Republican State Convention,
which met and deliberated in the State House
on the 22d ult., gave the measure its unquaIi-
fed and hearty approval, and its candidates
stand pledged to it, before the country. The
silence with which the Reading Convention
passed over this benefcent measure, is quite
as significant as its endorsement of the Ad.
ministration of JAMES BUcHGNAE. Its engi.
neers remembered the President but, true to
their EstGres, forgot the workingmen. There