Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-07-12
The HON mestesd Bill,

Homestead Bill as passed by both Houses Of
Ccngress, and signed by the President:
AN AIT to Secure Homesteads to Actual
Settler on the Public Domain, and to Pro-
vide 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 Amer
ica in Congress assembled That any person
who is at the head Of a family, or who has
arrived at the age of twenty ty.one years, and is
a citizen of the United States, or who shall
have filed his declaration of intention to be-
come such, as required by the naturalization
laws of the United States, and who has never
borne arms against the United States Govern
ment. or given aid and comfort to it's enemies,
shall, from and after the first Of January, 1863,
be entitled to enter one quarter section, or less
quantity. of unappropriated public lands, upon
which said person may have filed a pre-emp-
tion claim, or which may, at tho time the ap.
plication is made, be subject to prc-emption
at 81 %, or loss, per acre or eighty acres or
less Of such unappropriated lands, at So so per
acre, to be located in body, in conformity to
the legal subdivisions of the public lands, and
after the same shall have been surveyed; pro-
vided, that any person owning and residing
on 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 so
already owned and occupied, exceed in the
aggregate 16O acres.
Sec 9. And bc it further enacted, That
the person applying for the benefit Of this Act
shall upon application to the Register Of the
Land Otiics in which he or she is about to
make such entry, mack 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
in the army of the United States, and that ho
has never borne arms against the Government
of the United States or given aid and comfort
to its enemies, and that such application is
made for his or her exclusive use and benefit.
and that said entry is made for the purpose Of
actual settlement and cultivation, and not o.
thcr directly or indirectly for the use or ben
eft Of any other person or persons whomsoev-
or; anu upon filing the said affidavit with the
Register or Receiver, .ond on payment Of $40.
he Or she shall thereupon be permitted to en-
ter the quantity Of land specified; provided,
however, that no certificate shall be given or
patent issued therefor until the expiration Of
five years from the date of such entry; and
if. at the expiration of such time, or at any
time within two years thereafter, the person
making such en!ry-or if he be dead, his wild
ow; or in case OF her death. his heirs or devils
CO; or in case of widow r,aking such entry,
her heirs or devisec, in case Of her death
shall prove by two credible witnesses that he,
she, or they. have resided upon and cultivated
the same for tho term of FIVE years immedi.
ately succeeding the time of filing the afida-
Wit aforesaid, aud shall make affidavit that no
part of said land has been alienated, and that
he has borne true allegiance to the Govern
ment Of the United States; then, in such case.
he, she, or they, if at that time a citizen Of
the United States, shall be entitled to a pat
ent, os in other cases provided for by law:
And provided, further, That in case of the
death of both father and mother. leaving an
infant child, or children under twenty-one-
years Of age, tho right and fee shall enure to
the benefit of said infant child or children; !;
and tho executor, administrator, or guardian
may, at any time within two years after thu
death of the surviving parent, and in accord
ance with the laws Of the State in which sIch
children for the time being have their domicil,
sell said land for the benefit Of said infants
but for no other purpose; and tho purchaser
shall acquire the absolute title by tho pur-
chase, and be entitled to patent from the
United States, on payment Of the office fees
and sum of money herein specified.
Soc. 3. And be it further enacted, Thatthe
Register of the Land Office shall note allsuch
applications on tho tract books and plats Of
his Office, and keep a register Of all such en-.
tries, and make return thereof to tho General
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 shalt in any event become liable to the
satisfaction Of any debt or debts contracted
prior to the issuing Of the patent therefor.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted. That Il.
at any time after the filing of the affidavit. a.
as required in the section Of this Act, and
before the expiration Of FIVE years aforesaid
il shall be proven. 6ter due notice to the set
tier, to the satisfaction Of the Register of the
Land Office, that the person having fled such
affidavit shall have actually changed his or
her residence, or abandoned the said land.
shall have ceased to occupy said land for more
than six months 1t any time, then and In that
event the land 90 entered shall rovert to tho
Government.
Sec, G. And be it further enacted. That
no individual sl,all BE- permitted to acquire IT,
tic to moro than one quarter section under tho
provisions Of this Act; and that the commits
sioncr Of the General Land Office 10 hereby
required to prepare and issue such rules and
regulations, consistent with this Act. ~ shall
be necessary and proper to carry it's Provis..
ions into effect and that the Registers and
Receivers Of the several Land O6ices shalt be
entitled to receive the same compensation for