The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-06-06
Homes for the Homeless-.Free Farms
Z In Minnesota.

raCOD, Dy leaOlD8 nen III tuo w esq, and IN
the great Middle States /; and while they
were defeated from year to year in getting
the law through Congress, they have per.
severed until the circumstances of great
rebellion have opened up the way to final
success.
The question OF Free Homesteads never
assumed political character in the West.
ern States, because, upon its advantages,
all were united nor in any other portion
of the Union was it ever regarded as oh.
jectionable, except from the feelings of
jealousy originating in the constant absorp-
ton, by the West, of the surplus popula.
ton of the older States, and their conse.
quent increase of political power for the
control of the government.
To the West, the passage of the Home.
stead Law will go great way towards
recompense for the tens of thousands of
brave men whom she has so eagerly sent
forward for the defence of our national
government.
By the passage OF this law, the Great
West extends welcome to hundreds of
thousands now living in comparative poverty
in the crowded cities of the Union, and the
landless farmers scattered over the barren
hills of New England and the Middle
States. And not to the natives of our own
country alone, is this glorious offer Of free
home made; but to the poor and worthy OF
sorejgn nations more earnest welcome is
given--a free government, free land, and
the most undoubted protection for life and
property.
To this magnificent heritage offered to the
Oppressed and poor of all nations, Minnesota
stands pre.eminent, az the very garden of
Eden in this wide domain. Embracing
within its boundaries land enough for three
hundred thousand farms, each OF l6O acres,
OF which at least two hundred and fifty
thousand farms are open to occupation and
settlement under the Homestead Law
with soil unsurpassed for fertility and easy
cultivation "a climate unparalleled for the
purity of its air and invigorating health
"a land OVERLOOKING in every essential with
the choicest gifts of nature "a very Eden
for contentment and true happiness .
MINNESOTA, foremost among her Western
sisters, more beautiful than the land OF
Canaan to the Wandering Jews, invites the
oppressed of all nations to seek homes and
happiness within her borders.
The following is correct copy of the
Homestead bill as passed by both houses of
Congress, and signed by the President:
AN ACT to secure Homesteads to Actual Set.
tiers on the Public Domain; and to pro-
vide 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--Ameri-
who is the head OF a family, or who has ar
rived at the age of twenty one years, and is q
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 against the United States Gov
eminent, or given aid and comfort to its enc.
mics, shall, from and after the LIST of January,
1863. be entitled to enter one quarter section,
or less quantity, of unapprOpriated public
lands upon which said person may have filed
presumption claim, or which may at the time
the application is made, be subject to pre-.
emption at $l.25 or less, per acre; or eighty
Of at
$3.50 per acre, to be located in body, in con-
formity to the legal subdivisions of the public
lands, and after the same shall have been sur
veyed: Provided, That any person owning
and residing on land may, under the provision,
Of this 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. z. And be it further enacted, That the
person applying for the benefit of this act,
shall, upon application to the Register Of the
Land Office in which he or she is 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
in the army of the United States, and that he
has never borne arms again,t the Government
Of the United States, or given aid and comfort
to its enemies, and that such application is
made for bis 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 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 to enter
the quantity OF land specified: Provided, how.
ever, That no certificate shall be given or pat.
ent 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 max.
ing such entry-or if 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 devisee, in case of her death-shall
prove by two credtable witnesses that he, she
or they, have resided upon or cultivated the
same for the term of five years Immediately
succeeding the time of filing the affidavit atore-
said, and shall make affidavit that no part of
said land has been alienated, and that he has
BONE true allegiance to the Government of
the United States; then. in such case, he, she
or they. if at that time citizen of the United
States, shall be entitled to patent, as in other
cases provided for by law: And provided, fur
Their, That in case of the death of both father
and mother, leaving an infant child, or chill
dren, under twenty-One years of age, the right
and fee shall enure to the bene fit of said infant,
child or guardian; and the executor, admins.
traitor, or guardian may, at any time within