854 THE FARMER'S AND 



satisfaction of the register and receiver of the land district in which 

 euch lands may lie, agreeably to such rules as shall be prescribed by 

 the Secretary of the Treasury, who shall each be entitled to receive 

 fifty cents from each applicant for his services to be rendered as afore- 

 said ; and all assignments and transfers of the right hereby secured 

 prior to the issuing of the patent, shall be null and void. 



Sec. 13. And be it further enacied,Th<it before any person claiming 

 the benefit of this act shall be allowed to enter such lands, he or she 

 shall make oath before the receiver or register of the land district in 

 which the land is situated, (who are hereby authorized to administer 

 the same,) that he or she has never had the benefit of any right of pre- 

 emption under this act ; that he or she is not the owner of three hun- 

 dred and twenty acres of land in any State or Territory of the United 

 States, nor hath he or she settled upon and improved said land to sell 

 the same on speculation, but in good faith to appropriate it to his or 

 her own exclusive use or benefit ; and that he or she has not, directly 

 or indirectly made any agreement. or contract, in any way or manner, 

 with any person or persons wha'soever, by which the title which he or 

 she might acquire from the Government of the United States, should 

 enure in whole or in part, to the benefit of any person except himself 

 or herself; and if any person taking such an oath shall swear falsely in 

 the premises, he or she shall be subject to all the pains and penalties of 

 perjury, and shall forfeit the money which he or she may have paid for 

 said land, and all right and title to the same ; and any grant or con- 

 veyance which he or she may have made, except in the hands of bona 

 fide purchasers, for a valuable consideration, shall be null and void. 

 And it shall be the duty of the officer administering such oath, to file 

 a certificate thereof in the public land-office of such district, and to 

 transmit a duplicate copy to the General Land Office, either of which 

 shall be good and sufficient evidence that such oath was administered 

 according to law. 



Sec. 14. And be it further enacted, That this act shall not delay the 

 sale of any of the public lands of the United States beyond the time 

 which has been, or may be, appointed by the proclamation of the Presi. 

 dent, nor shall the provisions of this act be available to any person or 

 persons who shall fail to make the proof and payment, and file the af- 

 fidavit required before the day appointed for the commencement of the 

 sales as aforesaid. 



Sec. 15. And be it further enacted, That whenever any person has 

 settled or shall settle and improve a tract of land, subject at the time of 

 settlement to private entry, and shall intend to purchase the same un- 



