Year: 1872



 GENERAL LAND OFFICE, June l3, 1872. GENTLEMEN: Attached is a copy of the amend ed law of Congress granting homesteads 10 SOL diers and Sailors their widows and orphan cbil- dren.

 1st Every soldier and officer of the Army, and every seaman, marine, and officer of the Ma ", who served for not less than ninety days in the Army or Navy of the United States during the recent rebellion" and who was honorably discharged, and has remained loyal to the Gov ernment, to enter, under the provisions of the homestead law, one hundred and sixty acres of public land, including the double minimum lands.

 term of enlistment, when discharged on account of wounds or disability, shall be deducted from the time heretofore required 10 perfect tle frOrid ed hocerer, That the person shall reside upon, in prove and cultivate his homestead for period of at least one year after he shall commence his im- provements. It is required that the period (wheth- CT one year or more) of actual residence, improve mcnt, anu cultivation that may be found necessa- ry to perfect each case of entry under this 2ct, shall follow immediately upon the date of entry Sd. That any person entitled to the benefit ot this act, and who has heretofore made a home stead entry of less than one hundred and sixty acres may enter under this act an additional quantity of land contiguous to the first entry which shall make in the aggregate one hundred and sixty acres

 4th. That the widow, if unmarried, or in case of her death or marriage. then the minor orphan children of person who would be entitled to the benefits of this act, may enter lands under It's pro visions, with the additional privilege accorded that if the person died during his term of enlist mcnt, the widow, ,.or minor children, shall have the benefit of the whole term of enlistment. 5th. That where person may heretofore have made an entry under the homestead laws while in the United States military or naval service, or be- fore entering such service, the time of service shall be equivalent to a residence for the same length of time upon the tract so entered: Pro- rided That the party shall show at least one years continued residence upon, and improvement and cultivation of, the tract. The law also reinstates such entries as may have been cancelled because of the party's absence from the land while In the military or naval service provided the land has not been disposed of And where it has been dispos- ed of the statue authorizes another entry and the application to the second entry the proofs touch ing his residence and improvement on the first tract.

 9th. That any person entitled to the benefit of this act may file his claim for tract of land through an agent, and shall have six months thereafter within which to make his entry and commence his settlement and improvement upon the land.

 The last section of this act authorizes the Com missioner of the General Land Office ito make all needful rules and regulations to carry into ef , feet the provision" of the act.

 Therefore, when application shall be made 70 enter tract of land under the provisions of this act, you will permit

 |. In case of o,SginGl ciain,ants, immediate entry 10 be made; but if the party so elects, he may file declaration to the effect that he claims specified tract of land as his homestead, and that he takes it for actual settlement and cultivation. These statements you win enter upon your rec ords and report in an abstract as homestead dec laratioas, commencing the series with numoer one. Thereafter, and at any time within six months from the date of said declaration, you will allow the principal to make, in the usual manner, a homestead entry of the tract. These entries you will report with your regular series or nomesteads' using, however, the forms hereto attacne9. Should the party present his declaration through an agent as authorized by tho fffth section, saia agent must produce duly executed power U attorney from the principal desiring to make toe entry, who will be bound blythe selection nis agent may make, the same as though made Dy hirnself Failure on the part of the principal 70 make the entry of the tract filed upon by himself. Or arent within six months from the dnte of said fling, win be regarded as an abandonment and will entail forfeiture of all right of the said pripcipal to the benefits of this act.

 3. Claims Of scidosos ond erphaa chitdkesa-Ihe initiation of aclaim by declaration will be the same