The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-06-03
THE HOMESTEAD BILL.

The following is a copy Of the Homestead
Bill as passed by both HI uses Of Congress,
and signed by the President:
AN ACT to secure Homesteads TO Actual Settlers
on the Public Domain; and to prooide a Bounty
for Soldiers in lieu Of grants Of the Public Lands.
Be il enacted by the Senate and House of
Representative of the United States of Amer
ica in Congress assembled: That any person
who is the head Of a family, or who has ar
rived at the age Of twenty one years, and is a
citizen Of the United States, or who shall have
filed his declaration Of intention to become
such, as required by the naturalization laws Of
the United States, and who has never borne
arms again,t the United States Government, :,
or given aid and comfort to its enemies, shall,
from and after the 1st Of January, 1868, be
entitled to enter one quarter section, or a less
quantity, Of unappropnated public lands, upon
which said person may have filed pre- emp
ton claim, or which may at tho time the sp
plication is made, be subject to pre.emptiou at
$l.25 or less, per acre; or eighty acres or less
Of such uuapproprialed lands, at $3.50 per
acre. to be located in body, in conformity to
tho legal subdivisions Of the public lands, and
after the same shall have been surveyed -
Provided, That any person owning and resi-
ding on land may, under the provisions Of his
act, enter other land lying contiguous TO his or
her said lands, which shall not, with the land
SO already owned and occupied, exceed in The
aggregate l60 acres.
Sec. 2. And be 1t further enacted, That
the person applying for the benefit Of this act
shall. upon application to the Register Of the
Lard Office in which be or she ia about to
make such entry, make affidavit 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 have performed service
ih the army Of the United States, and that he
has never borne arms against the Government
Of the United States, or given aid and com
fort to is enemies, and that such application
is made for his or her exclusive use and bene.
fit, and that said entry is made for the pur-
Fose Of actual settlement and cultivation, and
not either directly or indirectly for the use or
benefit Of any other person or persons whom
soever; and upon filing the said affidavit with
the Register or Receiver, and on payment Of
$40. he or she shall thereupon be permitted
t. enter the quf nifty of land specified: Pro
vide3, however, That no certificate shall be
given or patent issued therefor until the expi
ration Of five years from the date Of such en-
try; and il, at the expiration Of such time, or
at any tire within two years thereafter, the
person making such entry-or il be be dead,
his widow; or in case Of her death, his heirs
or devisee; or in case Of widow making such
entry, her heirs or devisce, in case Of ner death
shall prove by two credtabIe witnesses that
he, she, or they, have resided upon or cutiva
ted the same for the term Of five years imme-
iiately succeeding the time Of filing the aft
davit aforesaid, and shall make affidavit that
no part Of said land has been alienated, and
that he has borne true allegiance to the Gov
ernment Of the United States; then, in such
case, he. she, or they, il at that time citizen
Of the United States, shall be entitled to a
patent, as in other cases provided for by law:
4nd proUided, further, That in case of the
death of both father and mother, leaving an
infant child, or children, under twenty -one
years Of age, the right and fee shall euure 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, aud in accord
ance with the laws OF the State 10 which such
children for the time being have their domi-
Gil, sell said land for the benefit Of said 10
fants, but for no other purpose; aud the pur
chaser shall acquire the absolute title by tie
purchase, and be entitled to patent from the
United States. on payment Of the office fees
aud sum Of money herein specified.
SEQ 8. And be Il further enacted, That
the Register of the Land Office shall note all
such applications on the tract books and plats
Of his Office, and keep a register Of all such
entries and make return thereof to tho Gene.
raj Land Office, together with the proof upon
which they have been founded.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That no
lands acquired under the provisions Of this act
shall in any event become liable to the salis-
faction Of any debt or debts contracted prior
to the issuing Of the patent therefor
SEC. s. And be hturther enacted, That If,
at any time after the fling Of the atii Iavlt as
required in the section Of this act, and before
tbe expiration Of the five years aforesaid, il
shall be proven, after due notice to the settle,
to the satisfaction Of the Register Of the LanL
Office, that tho person having fled such afi
davit shall have actually changed bis or her
residence, or abandoned the said land, shall |
have ceased to occupy 'aid lsad for more than
six months at any time, then and in that event
the land so en- cred shall revert TO the Govern
msnt.
SEC. 6. And be ifurther enacted, That no
shall be permitted to acquir, title
to more than ono quarter section under the
provisions Of this act; and that the Commls
sioner Of the General Land Office is hereby 70
quired to prepare and issue such rules aud
regu stions, consistent with this act, as shall
be necessary an proper to carry its provis-
ions into effect; and tha, the registers aud re.
ceiven Of the several land offices shall be ent- |
tied TO receive the same compensation for any
lands entered under the protection Of this act
that they are now entitled to receive when
the same quality Of land i- entered with mon.
ey, one half TO be paid by the person making
the application at the time Of so doing, and
the other half on the issue OF the certificate
by the person to whom il may be issued; bot
this shall not be copstrusd to enlarge the
msximum Of compensation nos prescribed by
lsw fos any register or receiver; Prorided
That uothiug contained in this act shall be 20
as to impair or interfere in any
manner whatever with existing pre-emption
rights: And provided, farther, That all per
sons who may have fled their applications for
a pre.emp'ion right prior TO the passage o.