Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-05-29
The Homestead Bill.

The following Is correct copy OF the
Homstead bill as passed by both houses
of Congress. and signed by the President:
AV dCT to secure Homesteads to Acfuai
Setflers on Tire Pubiic Domain; and TO
provide a Bounty )or Soldiers ia lieu Of
grams Of the Public Lands:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
Of Representatives of the Unitel States of
America in Congress assembled: That
any person who is the head of family. or
who has arrived at ,he age Of twen,y-one
years. and is citizen of the United States,
or who shall have fled his declaration of
the naturalization laws of the United
States. and who has never borne arms a.
gainst the United States Government. or
given aid and com fort to its enemies. shall.
from and after the LIST Of January. 1868,
be entitled TO enter one quarter section. or
less quantity. of unappropriated public
lands. upon which said person NAV have
filel pre-emption claim. or which may
at the time the application is made. be
subject to -emption at S1.25 or less.
per acre: or eighty acres or less of such un-
appropriated lands. at $500 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:
Provided. That any person owning end
residing on land may, under the provisions
Of this act. enter land lying contigu-
Gus to his or her said lands. which shall
not. with the land so already owned and
occupied. exceed in the aggregate 160
acres.
SEC. 2. Andbe IL further enacted. That
the person applying for the benefit Of this
act. shall. upon application to the Regis
ter OF the Land Office in which he or she
is about to make such entry. make affidavit
before the said Register and Receiver. that
he or she is the head of family. or is
twenty one years or more OF age. or shall
have performed service in tho army Of the
United States. and that he has never borne
arms against the Government Of the Unit
ted 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 either directly or indirectly for the use
or benefit of any other person or persons
whomsoever; and upon filing the said affi-
davit with the Register Receiver, and
on payment of $40. he or she shall there
npon be permitted to enter the quantity
of land specified Provided howeper. That
no certificate shall be given or patent is
sued 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 per-
son making such entry-or if he be dead.
his widow: or in case Of her death. his
heirs or devisee, or in case of q widow
making such entry, her heirs or devisee.
in case of her death-sha.l prove by two
creditable witnesses that he. she. or they.
have resided upon or cultivated the same
for the term OF five years Immediately sue
ceeding the time of filing the affidavit
afores aid. and shall make affidavit that no
part Of said land has been aiienated, and
that he has bon ne true allegiance TO the Gov
ernmem ofhe United States; then. in such
case. he. she. or they. if at that time citi-
zen of the United States. shall be entitled
to a patent. as in other cases. provided
for by law: And prorided further, Tha:
in case of the death vf both father anil
mother, leaving an infant child. or chill
dren. under twenty -one years Of age. the
right and fee ahall enure to the benefit oi
said infant child or children. AMI the ex-
ecutor. administrator. or guardian may, a,
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 the time being have theiI
domicil, sell said land for the benefit oil
said infants. but for no other purpose: and
the purchaser shall acquire the absolute
patent from the United States. on payment
of the Office fees and sum Of money herein
specified.
SEC. 3. And be IL further enacted. That
the Register OF the Land Office shall note
all sueh applications on the tract books
and plats of his Office. and keep register
of all such entries and make return thereof
to the General Land Office. together with
the proof upon which they have been
founded.
SEC. 4. -4nd be IL further enacted. That
, no lands acquired under the provisions o
this act shall in any event become liable
to the satisfaction of any debt OF debts
contracted prior to the issuing of the pat
ent thereof
: SEQ. 5. And be IL further enacted, That
ii. at any time after the time Of filing ol
the affidavit. as .required ia the section oil
this act. and before the expiration Of the
five years aforesaid. it shall be proven. af.
ter due notice to the settler. to the salts
faction Of the Register of the Laud Office,
that the person having fled such affidavit
! shall have actually changed his or her res
idence. or abandoned the said land, shall
have ceased 10 occupy said land for more
than six months at any time, then and 10
that event the land SO entered shall revert
to the Government
! SEC. g. And be IL further enacted. That
no individual shall be permitted to acquire
title to more than one qnarter sectioa un-
der the provisions Of this act; and that the
Commissioners of the General Land Office
Is hereby required to prepare and issue
such rules and regulations consistent with
this act. as shall be necessary and proper
to carry its provisions into effect; and that
tho VonsSfo~o ~f tIo