, 1862-12-02

The following important circular has just
been issued BY the Commissioner Of the Gen
eral Land Office to the receivers aud registers
Of United States Lard Offices:
GENERAL LAND OFFICE Gent1easca: Au-
ne xed is copy Of an set uf Congress approv=d
May 20, 1862, entitled san act to SECURE
homestcads to actuel settlers on the public
domain" The privileges of this law are ex-
tended to every person who is the head of
family, or Eho l,as arrived at the age OF t;7eu-
f3-cne yearH, and is q citizen Of The Uuited
s1a,ee, or has declared his intention Of becom-
ing such, and who has done no disloyal act,
Giiect OF iadirect, an exception, however, to
the foregoing requirement. US to age, made in
tle 9th section OF the act, in favor OF any per-
aon who has served not less than fourteen
days in the army or navy Of The United States,
either regular or volunteer, during actual var,
domestic or foreign. Any person coming
within tie foregoing requirements will, from
and after January i, 1868, have the right to
en,er one quarter section. CT j less quantity,
Of unnpprcpriated laud, upon which said per
son m5y have filed q presumption claim, or
presumption at Sl+1e5 per acre, OF eighty acres
OF less Of such unapproprlnted 1auds At $3.50
Tie law requires the land tsto be located in
one body, in conformity to the legal subdi-
ss E1s1S1s o. 1ne Public lanes and alter the same
Any person owping and residing On lind
may enier contiguous laad, which, with that
already owned and occupied, shall not exceed
| IL the aggregate one hundred and sixty a:res.
The applicant for the benefit Of the la" is
| required by the I'd section to file with the
register bis 'tappiieation," which should
designate the tract desired 20 be entered HI
must also file his "athdayit," to be taken be-
kore the register Or receiver, setting forth the
!acts whicn bring bin within The require
! ments ct the laW, and adding that the sap
1'lic:a:1on is made for his or her exclusive use
| fer Tie purpose Of actual settlement ard cul-
tivation, and Gc:, either directly or indirectly,
for the use OF benefit Of any other person OF
| persons WhonsceTer.H
The said I'd section Of the set further pro-
vldes for the issne ct patent to the applicant
cession IN case Of his death, and for the sa1s oi
tie land for the tene6to OF infant heirs, but fol
| no other purpose.
Tic sd section requires the register to en-.
ter all publications. On the tract books and plats
OF this GtHce; to Keep q register oi entrie:
The 4th section declares land acquired uu-
der this act not liable for debts contracted
riior 10 the Issuing ct the patent.
TIE 5Ih section makes abandonment OF the
land for more thau eix months at any tint
| Fifhiu the five yesrs cause of forfeiture.
more than one quarter section by anF ina!vt
dual under this tt.pfotects existing pre"emp'
tions, repeating ths provision OF section in
regard to pTe-emptionE, giving them a.! tbs
privileges OF the act, allowing the registers
a2d receivers the same compensation TOR lands
l entered under this act which they are entitled
to when the Same quantity is: entered with
uore5; cnc-halt 20 be paddy the person
making the application at tie time Of so do
icg, and the other half on the Issue OF the
I FxY{ {4nAJ1a IN fr1r rner
it may be issued, nut Eos to enlarge the maxi
nun compensation now al1oEed By 1aw.
l. The 7h Section 'stipulates the penalty fol
false swearing.
The Sth section permits the claimants TO paJ
for their cntries 81 any time before the expira
making 3,voof: Of settlement aud cultivation
! as required BY the presumption laws.
! You will accordirgfy be prepared, on TIL
1st Gay Of January Ec1t, to receive aQE1i2a
1ioIs and afIidayits (forms 4 and ~ -
The register ehou1d test the cor-acEness<
: thest appliea&ion'' by mis- records, being care
|, ful that The tiact applied for ehall be Of tn
class and quantity stipulated by the 1st sec
tion Of the act, lying in one body, and CON
| prieing legat subdivisions, and Will then ap
pend thereto his certificate Of its regularity
Il /. The applicant Will then be allowed T.
enter the tract applied for, By paJiag to tn
receiver the $40 lee stipulated ID the act, an'
| the further payment asr077sn1ssssons OF reg1ste
and receiver Of one.hdlf Of one pcT cent. to eac
| upon the cash value Of the lnantity Of Ian
I applied for; the other halt OF one per cent
| as commissions to said officers, not to be pai
f! until 3he certificate Is issued, when the part
t | Obtaining such certificate is to make that pay
. | Ment.'
2. The receiver will issue homestead dupl
, cate receipts for each entry, form G, herr
: | with, one to be delivered to the applicant
, I the other returned to this Office. a ne# hu
: | icdeueudeot series of numbers to be ad0pte