, 1862-07-17

THE HOMESTEAD LAW.
The following is correct copy Of the Home
stead Bill as passed by both Houses Of Congress,
and signed by the President:
An Act to Secure Hnmcstrads to Actual Set.
tiers on the Public Domain, and TO Provide q
Bounty for Soldiers in lieu Of Grants Of the
Public Lands.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of
Representatives Of the United States OF America,
in Congress ass,.mblrd: That any person who is
the head Of family, or who has arrived at the age
Of twenty -Onc years, aud is citizen Oi the United
States, or who shall have filed bis declaration {
intention to become such, as required BY the
naturalization laws Of the United States, and
who has never borne arms against the United
States Government, or gwen aid and comfort to
its enemies shall from and after the LIST Of Jan.
uary, 1868, be entitled to enter one quarter Sec
ton or less quantity, Of unapprupriated pub.
lie lands, upon which said person may have
filed presumption clauI, or which may, at the
time the application is made, be subject to pre-.
empton at 81 25, or less per acre; or eighty
acres or less OF such nnappropriatrd lands, at
s. 80 per acre, to be located in body, in con-
iormity To the legal sub lvSinnS OF the public
lands, and after the same shall Lave been sur
veyed; provided, that any person ownrg and
residing 0n land may, under the provisions Of
this Act enter other land lying Contiguous to his
or her said land, which shall not, with the land
Sd already owned and occupied, exceed in the
aggregate 1860 acres
Sgc. 2. And be it further enacted, That the
person applying for the benefit Of this Act shall,
upon application TO the Register Of the Land
Oilce in which he or she is about to make such
entry, make aiiilavh before the said Register or
Receiver that he or she is the head Of a family
or is twenty-One years or more Of age, or shall
Lave performed service in the army Of the
United States and that he has never borne
arms against the Government Of the United
States or given aid aud comfort to its enemies, and
that such application is made Eir his or her ex
elusive use and btntit, aud that said entry is
made for the purpose Of actual settlement and
cultivation, and not either directly or indirectly
for the use or benefit Of any Oih,r person or
persons whouisoever; aud upon fling the said
affidavit with the Register or Receiver, and on
payment Of so, ne or she shall thereupon be-
permitted to enter the quantity Of land specified;
provided, however, that no certificate shall be
given or patent issued Therefor until the expira
ton Of Eve years from the date Of such entry
or if he be dead, bis widow; or in case of her
death, his heirs or deyiser; or in case Of a widow
making such enlrv, her heirs or drvisec, in case
'f her death.-shall prove by two credible wit
neSses that he, she, or they, have resided upon
or cultivated tile sane for the term of five yeats
immediately Succeeding the time Of filing the
affidavit afrrsaid, and shall make affidavit that
no part Of said land has been alienaie1, and
that he has borne true allcgiauce to the Govern
ment,o the United States; then, in such case,
he, she, or they IL at that time citizen Of the
United States, shall be entitled to patent, as in
other cases provided for by law And provided,
further, That 10 case Of the death nf both father
and mother leaving an infant child, or children
under twenty-one years 0f age, the right and
fee shall enure to the benefit Of said infant child
or children; and the executor administrator, OF
guardian may, at any time within two years
after the death Of the surviving parent, aud in
accordance with the lawS'of tie State IN which
such ch l,lrsn Tor the time being have their DOM
iC1l, sell Suid land for the benefit said REiuts,
but for no other purpose; and the purchaser
shall acquire the absolute title BY thi purchAsa +,
and be eatitled TO alatent fomt the United States,
on payment Of the Office fees and sum Of money
herein spe ifed.
SRo. 8. And he Il further enacted, That the
Register Of the Land on e shall note all such
applications on the tract books and plats OF his
Office, and keep Tcgisie' Of all such entries,
aud make return thereof to the General Land
0Gloe, together with the proof upon which they
have been founded.
SEC 4 And be Il further enacted, That no
lands acquired under the provisions ol this Act
shall In any event become liable to the satisIac.
ton Of any debt or debts contracted prior to the
Issuing Of the patent therefor.
SIC. 5. And be il further enacted, That IL at
any time after the fling of the affidavit a. re.
quired in the second sectian Of this Act, an I
before the expiration Of the live years ainre ID,
il shall be proven, after due notice to the srt r.
t. the satisfaction Of the register of the Land
Office, that tho person having filed sucn affidavit
shall have actualiy changed his or her residenc
.or abandoned the said laBd, and shall have ceased
to occupy said land Tor more than six months at
any time, then and in that event the land so en-
tered shall revert {, tho Government.
SIC. G. And he il further enacted, That no
individual shall be permitted to acquire title TO
more than one quarter section under the provis-
ions Of this Act, and that the Commissioner Of
the General Land Office Is hr by required to
prepare and issue snch rules and regulations,
consistent with tlis Act, as shall be necessary
and proper TO carry iis provisions into Ell Ct !;
and that the Register. and ReeeveFs Of the sew
eral laad O0lces shall be entitled 10 receive the
sane compensation lor any lands entered undrr
The prorislons Of this Act that they arc now Gu