Mr. KIRKWOOD. I move to take up House bill No. 85. The motion was agreed to; and the Senate, as in ComWhole, proceeded to consider the bill (H.R.No. 85) for the disposal of the public lands for homestead actual settlement in the States of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkanfis, and Florida. It provides that hereafter all the public lands in the States of Alabama, Mississippi. Louisiana, Arkansas, and Florida shall be disposed of accordin to the stipulations of the homestead law of 20th May, 1862, entitled “An act to secure hgmesteads to actual settlers on the public domain, ” and the act supplemental thereto, approved 21st of March, 1864, but with this restriction, that no entry shall be made for more than a half quarter section, or 80 acres; and in lieu of the sum of ten dollars required to be paid, there shall be paid the sum of 5 dollars at the time of the issue of each patent; and that the public lands in those States shall be disposed of in no other manner after the passage of this act. No distinction or discrimination is to be made in the construction or execution of this act on account of race or color; and no mineral lands are to be liable to entry and settlement under its Provisions. The 1st amendment reported by the comPubLands was to insert in line 20, after the word “lands” in the proviso at the end of the bill, the words or lands mainly valuable for timber and not suit ablg for cultivation;” so that the proviso will rea: Aml provided further. That no mineral lands or lands mainly valuable for timber and not suitable for cultivation shall beliable to entry and settlement under its provisions. 7 The amendment was agreed to. The next amendment reported by the committee was to add as an additional section the following: i nAgnfodr Abife:.That the person iipply 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 iiflidavit before the said fegister or receiverthat heor she is the bead of family, or is 21 yearsor moreof a e, or shall have performedservice in the Army or my of the U.S and that such application is made for his or her exclusive use and benefit and that said out il made for the purpose of iv: al settle nien an cultivation, and not either dir tly or in 3 ly for the useor eneflt of any other personor sersons whomsocver: and upon filing the said affidavit Ilh the register or receiver and on payment of 5 dollars. heor sheshrill thereupon be permitted to enter the amount of land specified: Provided. er, That no certificateshall be uiven or patent issued therefor until the expiration of 5 years from the dateof such entry; an if, at the expiration of such t ime or at any time within 2 yearsthereafter. the person making such ent or if he be dead, his Widow; or in caseofher deat, his heirs or doVlSE e; or in ciise of a.widow making such entry, her heirs 01devise e, in case of her death, shall prove bytwo credible witnesses that he, she, or they have resided upon oi“ cultivated the same [or the term of 5 years immediately succeeding the time of filing the affidavit aforesaid, and shall makeuffizlawtthat no artof said land has been alienated, and that hewill ear true allegiance to the Government of the U.S.; then, in such case, be, she, or they, if at the timea citizen of the U.S., shall e entitled to a patent. as in other cases provided by law: and provided further That vminxcaansoinpffatnhteedheialdthoorf children under 21 yearsofage, the right and fee shall inure to the benefit of said infant child or children: and the executor administrator or guard ian may, at any time within 2 years after the death of the surviving parent and in accordance mth the laws of the State in which such children for the time being Jinve their domicile. sell said land for the benefit of said infants. but for no other purpose; and the purchasershall acquire the absolute title byths gurchase. and be entitled to apnteut from the U.S. on the payment of the office fees and sum of moneyherein specified.