The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1861-01-03
THE HOMESTEAD BILL.

THE HOMESTEAD BILL.
We give below copy of the Homestead
bill which passed the House Of Representatives.
The bill avoids the objections made by the
Pres ,ident in his veto Of the bill passed by the
XXXYth Congress, and is likely to become a
law:
A bill to secure homcstcads to actual settlers
on the pub io domain.
BE IL enacted by the Senate and House Of
Representatives of the United States Of Amer
lea IN Congress assembled, Thpt any person
who is the head of n family, or who has afriv.
ed at the age of twenty-one years, and is a
citizen of the United States, or who shall
have fled hisntention to become such, ms re-
quired by the naturalization laws of the Unit.
ed States, shall. from and after the passage Of
this act be entitled to enter, free OF cost, one
hundred and sixty acres of unappropriated
public lands, upon which said person may
have filed pre- mpton claim, or which may
at the time the application is made, be sub
ject to pre- -ampton at one dollar and twenty
five cents, or less, per mere; or eighty acres Of
such unapproprated lands, at two dollars and
fifty cents per acre; to be located in a .ody,
in conformity to the legal subdivisions of the
public lands, and after The same shall have
been surveyed.
Sec. 9. And be il further enacted, That the
persons applying for the benefit OF this act
shall upon application to the register of the
land Office in which he or size is about to
make such entry, make ali laNt before the
Sal register or receiver, that he or she is the
head of family, or is twenty one years or
more of age. and that such application is
made for his or her exclusive use and benefit,
and those specially mentioned in this act, and
not, either dnecdy or Indirectly, for the use
or benefit of any other person or persons
whom oever; aad, upon tiiiug the atli lavt
with the register or rec iver, he on she shall
be permitted to ener the quantity of land
specified; Provided, however, That no certi-
fioate shall be given, or patent issued therfor,
until the expiration OF five years from the date
of such entry; and if at the expiration ofsuch
time, or AT any time within two years there
after, the person making such entry.--or, if
he bo dead, his widow; he, in case OF her
death his heirs or devsee, in case of a widow
making such enry,h heirs or dDvisoe, in
case of her deah shall prove by two credi-
BILE witnesses, that he, she or they have resid-
CD upon and cultivated the same for five years
Immediately succeeding the time of iiug the
affidavit aforesaid, then in such case, he, she
or they, if at that time citizen of the United
States, shall on payment of ten dollars, be en-
titled to patent rs in Other cases provided
for by lawi And provided, fur,her, That in
case of the death of both father and mother,
leaving an infant child, or children under
twenty -one years of age, the rig It and fee
shall enure to the benefit of said infant, child,
or children; and the executor, administrator,
or guardian may, at any time within two
years after the death of the surviving parent,
and in accordance with the laws of the State
in which such children. for he time being,
have their domicle sell said land for the ben
eft of said infants, but for no other purpose;
and the purchaser shall acquire the absolute
title by the purchase, and be entitled to a
patent from the United States. ON pay ment OF
the office fees and sum of money herein speoi.
fed
Sec. 3. And be itfurther enacted That the
Register OF the Land Office shall note all uch
applications on the tracts, books. and plats oI
his oIl1e, and keep q register of all such en-.
tries, and make return thereofto the General
Land Otiice, together with the proof upon
which they have been founded
Src. a. And be it further enacted, That all
lands acquired under the provisions of this act
shall in no event become liable to the satislac.
ion of any debt or debts contra ted prior t.
the issuing of the patent therefor.
Sec 5, And be it further enacted, That IT,
at any time after the filing of the affidavit, as
required in the second section Of this act, and
before the expiration of the five years afore
said, 1t shall be proven, after due notice to the
settler, to the satisfaction of the Register O.
the Land Office that the person having filed
such affidavit shall hava actroll, cLoD,Nal III;
or her residence or abandoned the said entry
Tor more Than SIX months at any time, then
and in that event, the land so en- cred shal
revert TO the Government
Sec 6. Aud be il further enacted, That M
individual shall be permitted to make NOR,
than one entry under the povisons of this act
and that the Commissioner of the Genera
Land Office IS hereby required to prepare anC
issue such rules and regulations. cons i,teu
with ths act, as shall be necessary and prop
er TO carry its provisions into effect; aud tha
the Registers and Receivers of the seyera
Land Offices shall be Ell titled to receive tn
same compensations for any lands entered un
der the provisions of this act that they ar
now entitled to receive when the same quani
tyotland is entered with money, one half TO b.
paid by the persoa making pplicadons at tn
time OF so dong and ihe other halfon the is
sue OF the certiica e, by The person to whom
it may be Issued; Provided That nothing
contained in this act shall be so ooonstrued as {
impair or interfere 10 any manner whateve
with existing pre-empGon rights Aud PFC
yided further, That all per- oas who ma
have filed their applications fora pre-emptio
right prior to the passage OF this act shall b
entitled to all the privileges Of this net.