Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1870 — Interesting to Soldiers. [ARTICLE]

Interesting to Soldiers.

The following is the text of the instructions forwarded from the General Land Office toallßegisters and Receivers, In regard to pre-emptions under a provision of the new army bill: DWAftTHKirr OT THH IRTSBIOR, I Gssibal Lard Owice, August 8, 1870. f Gentlemen : The following is the 25th section of the act of Congress approved July 15,1870, entitled "An act making appropriations for the support of the army for the year ending June 30,1871, and for other purposes,” viz: Sec. 20. And be it further enacted, That every private soldier ana officer who has served in the army of the United States during the rebellion for ninety days, and remaining loyal to ithe government, and every seaman, marine and officer, or other person who has served in the navy of the United States, or in the marine corps or revenue marine during the rebellion for Dinety days, and remained loyal to the government, shall, on paying the , fee or commission to any Register or Receiver of any land office required by law, be entitled to enter one-quarter section of land, not mineral, of the alternate reserve sections of public lands along the lines of any one of the Railroads or other public works in the United States, wherever public lands have been or may be granted by acts of Congress, and to receive a patent thereof UDder and by virtue of the provisions of the acts to secure homesteads to actual settlers on ihs public domain, and the acts amendatory thereof, and on the terms and conditions therein prescribed ; and all the provisions of said acts, except as herein modified, shall extend and be applicable to entries under this act, and the Commissioner of the General Land Office is hereby authorized to prescribe the necessary rules and regulations to carry this section into effect, and determine sll facts necessary therefor. By these provisiohs the homestead law of 20th May, 1862, and the acts amendatory thereof, are modified as to allow entries to be made by the parties mentioned therein of the maximum quantity of onequarter section, or one hundred and sixty acres oflsnd, held at the double minimum priee of $2.50 ptr acre, instead of one-half quarter section, or eighty acres, as hereto* fore. In caso of a party desiring to avail himself thereof, you will require him to file the usual homestead application for the tract desired, if legally liable to entry, to make affidavit according to the form hereto annexed, instead of the usual homestead affidavit, and on his doing so allow him to make payment of the $lO fee stipulated in the act of the 20th of May, 1862, and the usual commissions on the priee of the land at $2.50 per acre, the entry to be regularly numbered and reported to this office in your monthly homestead returns. Regarding settlement and cultivation, -the requirements of the law in this class of entries are the same as in other homestead entries. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, (Signed) Joseph 8. Wilson, Commissioner, Register and Receiver. AFFIDAVIT. Land Office, at 1, , of . hiving filed say application, No. —; 0 r an entry underlhe provisions of the act of Congress, approved May 20, 1862, aud desiring to avail myself of tho twenty-flf h section of the act cf Ju y 15, 1870, In regard to land held at the double minimnm price of $2.50 per acre, do solemnly swear that I pm the Identical — —, who was a In tho company* commanded by Captain , in the regiment of , commanded by , In the war of 1801; tint I continued In actual service for u ncty day*, and have remained loyal to the Government; that said application. No. —, 1s made l'ur my exclusive benefit, and for the purpose of actusf settlement aud cultivation, and not directly or Indirectly for the use or benefit of any other person or Sereons, and that l have to. heretofore hsd tho eneflt cf the llomeste-.d -aw. Bworn to and subscr.bed this day of , before , Register or Rocelver of the Land Office. Approved: (Signed) J. DrCox, Secre’ary. Dcpar. ment cf the Interior, Acgust 8, 1870. - Where tho party was a regimental or staff officer, cr wsa In a different b.anch of the service, the affidavit must be varied fn form according to the facta of the case.