New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-20
GENERAL NAruRE-No. 39.l

An act to enable hOnOrably discharged
soldiers and sailors, their widows and
orphan children, to acquire hOmesteads
on the public lands of the United States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
! of Representative OF the United States
of America, in Congress assembled,
That every. private soldier and Of
ticer who has served in the army
of the United States during the
recent rebellion for ninety days, or more,
! and who was hOnOrably discharged, and
! has remained loyal to the government, in
| Guiding the troops mustered into the ser
vice of the United States by virtue of the
third section of an act entitled can act
making appropriations for completing the
.defenses of Washington, and for other pUr-
| poses" approved February thirteenth,
| eighteen hundred and sixty-twO, and every
seaman, marine, and officer who has served
| in the navy of the United States, or in the
marine corps, during the rebellion, for
| ninety days, and who was honOrably dis
| charged, and has remained loyal to the gov
eminent, shall, on compliance with the pro-
visions of an act entitled 'An act to secure
hOmesteads to actual settlers on the public
domain" and the acts amendatOry thereof,
as hereinafter modified, be entitled to enter
upon and receive patents for a quantity of
public lands mot mineral) not exceeding
one hundred and sixty acres, or one-quarter
section, to be taken in compact form ac-
cOrding to legal subdivisions, including
the alternate reserved sections Of public
lands along the line of any railroad
or other public work, not otherwise re-
served or appropriated and other lands
subject to entry under the homestead laws
of the United States; provided, that said
homestead settler shall be allowed six
months after locating his homestead within
which to commence his settlement and i'm
prOvement; and provided, also, that the
time which the homestead settler shall have
served in the army, navy, or marine corps
aforesaid, shall be deducted from the time
heretofore required to perfect title, or if
discharged on account Of wounds received,
or disability incurred in the line of duty,
then the term of enlistment shall be de-
Quoted from the time heretofore required to
perfect title, without reference to the length
of time he may have served; provided,
however, that no patent shall issue to any
homestead settler who has not resided upon,
improved, and cultivated his said home
stead for a period of at least one year after
he shall commence his improvements as
aforesaid.
SEC. ?. That any person entitled under
the provisions of the foregoing section to
enter a homestead who may have heretofore
entered under the homestead laws a guam
tity of land less than one hundred and sixty
provisions of this act so much land as, when
added to the quantity previously entered, !
shall not exceed one hundred and sixty
acres.
SEC. 3. That in case of the death of any
person who would be entitled to a homestead !
under the provisions of the first section Of |
this act his widow, if unmarried, or in case !
Of her death or marriage, then his minor !
orphan children, by a guardian duly ap-
pointed and officially accredited at the De |
parrment of the Interior, shall be entitled /
to ali the benefits enumerated in this act, |
subject to all the provisions as to settle /
ment and improvements therein contained: /
provided, that if such person died during |
his term Of enlistment, the whole term Of his 1
enlistment shall be deducted from the time |
heretofore required to perfect the title.
SEC. !. That where party at the date Of /
his entry OF tract of land under the home |
stead laws, or subsequently thereto, was |
actually enlisted and employed in the army /
or navy Of the United States, his services |
therein shall, in the administration of said /
homestead law, be construed 10 be equiva- /
lent to al intents and purposes, to a resi-
denee for the same length Of time upon the |