Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-04-10

ger and expense Of securing homes for
their families and surrendering the local
advantages Of schools churches, mills,
wagon roads, aud whatever else pertains
TO the necessities and enjoyments OF q
well settled neighborhood This policy
would stop the advancing column OF en-
migration from Europe aud Of emigration
from the States, which has done so much
10 make the public domain q source Of
productlye wealth, subject OF revenue,
aud home for the. lapdless thousands
who have thus az once become useful ciii-
zons and an element Of national strength.
Ii would. in fact, amount 10 a virtual over
throw Of the benehcent policy of the
homestead law, which has, perhaps done
more 10 make tho American name honor.
cd aud loved among tho Christian nations
OF the earth than any single enactmen I
since the formation Of the government. .
These considerations are quite as pertinent
TO day as they we're two years ago; indeed,
time and events have given them a new
emphasis, aud invested them with a mean.
ing which the representatives OF the peo-
pie have no liberty TO disregard. Con.
sidered in the light Of the facts We LIE
submitted, the measure updef notice can
only be regarded as fightful scheme OF
spoIiation and miscbief, and while 1t was
doubtless proposedfn the imagined in :
terest of the soldier, the committee can
not. believe that the men whose valor and
self-secrificc saved the nation from ruin
d<nand any such relief from the hands
Of Congress.
pa. RL;aeihe- -eammittee earnestly urge
these considerations, fbey believe the land
policy Of Government ought to discrim-
mate in favor Of our honofably discharg.
ed soldiers and seamen, whore this can be
done consistently with the actual settle
ment of the public lands. Such discrim-
ination may be made by declaring them
absolutely free TO such persons, 7sys-!ss..- :.
tritlng fees Of the land officers, the ag
gregate Of which forms aH important part
of their compensation, and cannot be re-
mitted without disturbing the long estab.
ished and satisfactory machinery of our
land policy. The committee therefore
beg leave to report the accompanying bill
us a substitute for that which they have
considered, and which they ask may lie
upon the table.
BILL
Amendaiory Of the act entitled "An act 10 se-
cure homesteads to actual settlers on the
public domain" approved May 20, 1861,
and OF The acts smeadaiory thereof ap-
proved March 2l, 1864, and June 2l, 1866.
BE IL enacted by he Senatc and House
OF Representatives. of the United States Of
ABlerico an Congress assembled, That any
person who may have been in actual SER
vice in the military or naval service Of the
United States during the late civil war
and who may have been honorably dis
charged therefrom, be, aud such person is
hereby relieved from the payment of the
fee required by the several acts to which
this is amendatory: Prorided ho,oerer, That
this shall not be construed to relieve the
party from the payment Of the commits
sions allowed to the local land officers un-
der the homestead acts: And prorided
further, That the proof of such actual
service shall be produced according to
such instructions as may be given by the
Commissioner of the General Land Office,
with view to give full effect to this act.