Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Acts of Congress.

list or lists of votes given in conformity with the Constitution, as in force on the day fixed by law for the meeting of the electors, by whom the said votes shall have been given.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That when ever, by the provisions of the second section of this act, it shall be the duty of the electors for any State to vote, in conformity both with the Constitution and the proposed amendment thereto, the Executive authority of such State shall cause six lists of the names of the electors for the State, to be delivered to the said electors, on or before the day fixed by law for them to meet and vote for President and Vice President; and the said electors shall enclose one of the said lists in each of the certificates by them made and sealed, in conformity with the provisions of this act, and of the act to which this is a supplement. Approved, March 27, 1804.

An Act to amend an act, entitled "An act concerning the registering and recording of Ships and Vessels.” Be it enacted, &c., That no ship or vessel shall be entitled to be registered as a ship or vessel of the United States, or, if registered. to the benefits thereof, if owned in whole or in part by any person naturalized in the United States, and residing for more than one year in the country from which he originated, or for more than two years in any foreign country, unless such person be in the capacity of a Consul or other public agent of the United States: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent the registering anew of any ship or vessel before registered, in case of a bona fide sale thereof to any citizen or citizens resident in the United States: And

provided, also, That satisfactory proof of the citizenship of the person on whose account a vessel may be purchased, shall be first exhibited to the collector, before a new register shall be granted

for such vessel.

service. And the President of the United States is hereby further authorized to attach permanently to the said navy-yard and vessels, one other commissioned officer of the navy, who shall receive for his services the pay and emoluments of a captain commanding a twenty-gun ship, one surgeon and one surgeon's mate of the navy, who shall be severally allowed for their services the same pay, rations, and emoluments, as are allowed to a surgeon and to a surgeon's mate, in the army of the United States; one sailing-master, one head carpenter, one plumber, one head block-maker, one head cooper, two boatswains, two gunners, one sailmaker, one storekeeper, one purser, one clerk of the yard; and also such seamen and marines as in the opinion of the President shall be deemed necessary: Provided, That the number of seamen or marines shall not at any time be greater than what is at present authorized by the act to which this is a supplement.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That that part of the act to which this is a supplement, which attaches to each frigate laid up in ordinary, one sailing master, one boatswain, one gunner, one carpenter, and one cook, one sergeant or corporal frigates twelve, and to the small frigates ten seaof marines, and eight marines, and to the large shall have the care of the ship, and shall execute men, and which declares that the sailing master such duties of a purser as may be necessary, shall be, and hereby is, repealed.

Approved, March 27, 1804.

An Act supplementary to the act, entitled "An act con

cerning the City of Washington."

Be it enacted, &c., That the several compensations and allowances established by the act entitled "Anact concerning the City of Washington." shall be compensated from the first day of June, one when the services, so compensated and allowed, thousand eight hundred and two, being the time commenced under the authority of the President

of the United States.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the proviso in the act, entitled "An act in addition to an act, entitled 'An act concerning the registering SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the surand recording of ships and vessels," passed the Veyor of the said city shall receive as a compentwenty-seventh of June, one thousand seven hun-sation for his services an allowance of three dol

dred and ninety-seven, shall be taken and deemed to extend to the executors or administrators of

the owner or owners of vessels, in the said proviso

.described.

Approved, March 27, 1804.

An Act supplementary to the act, entitled "An act providing for a Naval Peace Establishment, and for other purposes."

Be it enacted, &c., That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized to attach to the navy-yard at Washington, and to the frigates and other vessels laid up in ordinary in the Eastern Branch, a captain of the navy, who shall have the general care and superintendence of the same; and shall perform the duties of agent to the Navy Department, and shall be entitled to receive for his services, the pay and emoluments of a captain commanding a squadron on separate

lars

per day.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the suhe hereby is, authorized to pay the said compensaperintendent of the City of Washington be, and tions and allowances, from the said first of June, one thousand eight hundred and two, in conformity with the provision of the said recited act, until Congress shall otherwise direct; and also to pay and discharge all expenses of an incidental nature, which have been or may be incurred in the discharge of the functions of his office and the office of surveyor, which shall be approved by the President of the United States.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the said superintendent be, and he hereby is authorized and directed to settle and pay the claim of Peter Charles L'Enfant, for his services whilst employed by the late Board of Commissioners, in the manner, and on the terms, heretofore proposed by the said Commissioners.

Acts of Congress.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted. That the several expenses authorized by this act shall be paid and discharged out of any funds of the City of Washington, in possession of the superintendent, which are not otherwise appropriated. Approved, March 27, 1804.

An Act concerning the public buildings at the City of Washington.

Be it enacted, &c., That fifty thousand dollars shall be, and the same is hereby, appropriated, to be paid out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be applied under the direction of the President of the United States, in proceeding with the public buildings at the City of Washington, and in making such necessary im provements and repairs thereon, as he shall deem expedient.

Approved, March 27, 1804.

An Act supplementary to the act, entitled, "An act to prescribe the mode in which the public acts, records and judicial proceedings in each State shall be authenticated, so as to take effect in every other State." Be it enacted, &c., That from and after the passage of this act, all records and exemplifications of office books, which are or may be kept in any public office of any State, not appertaining to a court, shall be approved or admitted in any other court or of fice in any other State, by the attestation of the keeper of the said records or books, and the seal of his office thereto annexed, if there be a seal, together with a certificate of the presiding justice of the court of the county or district, as the case may be, in which such office is or may be kept; or of the Governor, the Secretary of State, the Chancellor, or the Keeper of the Great Seal of the State, that the said attestation is in due form and by the proper officer; and the said certificate, if given by the presiding justice of a court, shall be further authenticated by the clerk or prothonotary of the said court, who shall certify, under his hand and the seal of his office, that the said presiding justice is duly commissioned and qualified; or if the said certificate be given by the Governor, the Secretary of State, the Chancellor or Keeper of the Great Seal, it shall be under the great seal of the State in which the said certificate is made. And the said records and exemplifications, authenticated as aforesaid, shall have such faith and credit given to them in every court and office within the United States, as they bave by law or usage in the courts or offices of the State from whence the same are or shall be taken.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That all the provisions of this act, and the act to which this is a supplement, shall apply as well to the public acts, records, office books, judicial proceedings, courts, and offices, of the respective Territories of the United States, and countries subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, as to the public acts records, office books, judicial proceedings, courts, and offices, of the several States. Approved, March 27, 1804.

An Act for imposing more specific duties on the importation of certain articles; and also, for levying and collecting light money on foreign ships or vessels, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted, &c., That, from and after the thirtieth day of June next, the following articles, in addition to those already exempted from duty, shall and may be imported free from any duty; namely, rags of linen, of cotton, of woollen, and of hempen cloth; bristles of swine, regulus of antimony, unwrought clay, unwrought burr stones, and the bark of the cork tree.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That, from and after the thirtieth day of June next, the duties now in force upon the articles hereinafter enumerated and described, at their importation into the United States, shall cease; and that, in lieu thereof, there shall be thenceforth laid, levied and collected upon the said articles, at their said importation, the several and respective rates or duties following, that is to say:

On foreign caught dried fish, fifty cents per

quintal.

On foreign caught pickled fish, as follows, to

wit:

On salmon, one hundred cents per barrel; on mackerel, sixty cents per barrel; on all other pickled fish, forty cents per barrel.

On cables, tarred cordage, white lead, red lead, almonds, currants, prunes and plums, figs, raisins imported in jars and boxes, and muscadel raisins, two cents per pound.

On all other kinds of raisins, one cent and a half per pound.

On tallow, yellow ochre in oil, anchors, and sheet iron, one cent and a half per pound.

On Spanish brown, dry yellow ochre, slit and hoop iron, one cent per pound.

On starch, three cents per pound.

On hair powder, glue, and seines, four cents per pound.

On pewter plates and dishes, four cents per

pound.

On untarred cordage, two cents and a half per pound.

On quicksilver, six cents per pound.

On Chinese cassia and gunpowder, four cents per pound.

On cinnamon and cloves, twenty cents per pound.

On mace, one dollar and twenty-five cents per pound.

On nutmegs, fifty cents per pound.

On black glass quart bottles, sixty cents per gross. On window glass, as follows: On all not above eight inches by ten, one dollar and sixty cents per hundred square feet; not above ten inches by twelve, one dollar and seventy-five cents per hundred square feet; and on all above ten inches by twelve, two dollars and twenty-five cents per hundred square feet.

On cigars, two dollars per thousand.

On kid and Morocco shoes, fifteen cents a pair. On foreign lime, fifty cents per cask containing sixty gallons; and on Sicily wine, thirty cents per gallon.

Acts of Congress.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That an ad- nor of the said Territory, from the time when he dition of ten per centum shall be made to the sev-shall enter into the functions of his office, in coneral rates of duties above specified and imposed in formity with the provisions of the said act, until respect to all such goods, wares, and merchandise the end of the next session of Congress, and no as aforesaid, as shall, after the said thirtieth day of longer. June, be imported in ships or vessels not of the United States.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the duties laid by this act, shall be levied and collected in the same manner, and under the same regulations and allowances as to drawbacks, mode of security, and time of payment, respectively, as the several duties now in force on the respective articles herein before enumerated: Provided, however, That no drawbacks shall be allowed on the exportation of foreign fish, or fish oil, or of playing cards.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That all duties and drawbacks which, by virtue of this act, shall be payable and allowable on any specific quantity of goods, wares, and merchandise, shall be deemed to apply, in proportion, to any quantity greater or less than such specific quantity.

Approved, March 27, 1804.

An Act relative to the compensations of certain officers of the customs, and to provide for appointing a Surveyor in the district therein mentioned.

Be it enacted, &c., That, from and after the last day of June, in the present year, the salaries heretofore allowed, by law, to the several collectors of the customs for the districts of Bath, Portsmouth, Newport, Middletown, New Haven, Delaware, Richmond, Wilmington, in North Carolina, Newbern and Edenton, shall cease and be discontinued. And there shall be allowed and paid, annually, to the officers of the customs hereafter named, the following sums, respectively, viz:

To the collector for the district of Natchez, in addition to the fees and other emoluments of office, the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars; and to each of the surveyors at New London, Middletown. New Haven, and Alexandria, in addition to the allowances already established by law, the sum of fifty dollars.

To the collectors for Petersburg and Richmond, two per cent.

To the collectors for Kennebunk and New Lon

To the collector for Bath, one and a half per cent.

To the collectors for New Haven and Middletown, one and three-eighths per cent.

To the collectors for Providence and Alexandria, one and one-quarter per cent.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That a duty of fifty cents per ton, to be denominated "light money," shall be levied and collected on all ships or vessels not of the United States, which, after the aforesaid thirtieth day of June next, may enter the ports of the United States: Provided, however, That nothing in this act shall be so construed as SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That, from to contravene any provision of the treaty or con- and after the said last day of June, in lieu of the ventions concluded between the United States of commissions heretofore allowed by law, there America and the French Republic, on the thir-shall be allowed to the collector of the customs for tieth day of April, one thousand eight hundred Wilmington, in North Carolina, and Newbern, and three: And provided, also, That the said two and a half per cent. light-money shall be levied and collected in the same manner, and under the same regulations, as the tonnage duties now imposed by law. SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the per-don, one and three-quarters per cent. son exercising the powers which, under the Spanish Government, were vested in the Intendant of the province of Louisiana, shall, until a district court of the United States shall be established in the Territory of Orleans, in conformity with the provisions of the act, entitled "An act erecting Louisiana into two Territories, and providing for the temporary government thereof," have and ex-eighth per cent. ercise, in all cases whatever arising within the said Territory, under the laws regulating and providing for the collection of duties on imports and tonnage, or under any other revenue laws of the United States, the same jurisdiction and powers which, by law. are given to the district and circuit courts of the United States. And the powers to remit fines, penalties, or forfeitures, and to remove disabilities, which, by law, are vested in the Secretary of the Treasury, may and shall, in all cases of such fines, penalties, forfeitures, or disabilities, incurred within the Territory of Orleans, and until a Governor of the said Territory shall be appointed. and shall enter into the functions of his office. be exercised by the person exercising the powers, which, under the Spanish Government, were vested in the Governor of the province of Louisiana; An Act for the appointment of an additional Judge for and the said powers to remit fines. penalties, or the Missisippi Territory, and for other purposes. forfeitures, and to remove disabilities, may and Be it enacted, &c., That there shall be appointshall, in like manner, be exercised by the Govered an additional judge for the Mississippi Terri

To the collector for Newport, one and one

To the collector for Portland, three-quarters of one per cent.

And to the collectors for Salem and Beverly, five-eighths of one per cent., on all moneys by them respectively received on account of the duties arising on goods, wares, and merchandise, imported into the United States, and on the tonnage of ships and vessels.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That there shall be appointed a surveyor for the district of Marblehead, to reside at Marblehead, who shall be entitled to receive, in addition to the other emoluments allowed by law, a salary of one hundred dollars annually.

Approved, March 27, 1804.

Acts of Congress.

tory, who shall reside at or near the Tombigbee settlement, and who shall possess and exercise, within the district of Washington, as fixed and ascertained by an act of the General Assembly of the Mississippi Territory, entitled "An act for the more convenient organization of the courts of said Territory," the jurisdiction heretofore possessed and exercised by the superior court of the said Territory within the said district of Washington, and to the exclusion of the original jurisdiction of the said superior court within the same: Provided, always, That the said superior court shall have full power and authority to issue writs of error to the court established by this act, and to hear and determine the same, when sitting, for the district of Adams, as fixed and ascertained by the act of the General Assembly of the Mississippi Territory, herein before mentioned.

SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That the said superior court are hereby authorized, upon the reversal of a judgment of the court established by this act, to render such judgment as the said court ought to have rendered or passed, except where the reversal is in favor of the plaintiff in the original suit, and the debt or damages to be assessed are uncertain, in which case the cause shall be remanded in order to a final determination.

SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That when any person, not being an executor or administrator, applies for a writ of error, such writ of error shall be no stay of proceedings in the court to which it issues, unless the plaintiff in error shall give security, to be approved of by a judge of the said superior court, that the plaintiff in error shall prosecute his writ to effect, and pay the condemnation money and all costs, or otherwise abide the judgment in error, if he fail to make his plea good.

SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, That all pleas, process, and proceedings whatever, which may have been commenced in the said superior court, within the aforesaid district of Washington, shall be, and the same are hereby, transferred to the court established by this act, and the officers appointed to issue or execute the process of the said superior court within the district of Washington, and to record the proceedings of the same, are, hereby, authorized and required to issue and execute the process of the court established by this act, and to record the proceedings thereof.

SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, That the court established by this act shall hold two terms in each and every year, at the place where the courts for Washington county, within the said Territory, shall be held, to commence on the day following, to wit: on the first Monday in May and September, annually, and shall then and there proceed to hear and determine the pleas, process, and proceedings depending before them, in the same manner as the said superior court, within the district of Washington aforesaid, might or could have done, in case this act had not been passed.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the judge to be appointed by virtue of this act shall receive the same salary, and payable in the same manner, which is established by law for judges 8th CON.-42

of the said superior court of the Mississippi Territory. Approved, March 27, 1804.

An Act to provide for a more extensive distribution of

the Laws of the United States.

Be it enacted, &c., That the Secretary for the Department of State be, and he hereby is, authorized and empowered to procure four hundred copies of the laws of the United States: one hundred copies of which shall be distributed in just proportions in the Territory of Orleans and district of Louisiana, the other three hundred copies to be reserved for the disposal of Congress.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That one thousand copies of the laws of the United States which shall be printed at the close of each session, shall be reserved for the disposal of Congress, and that the distribution of the remainder shall be extended to the Territory of Orleans and district of Louisiana, and to such other Territories as are or may hereafter be established, in the same manner and proportion as is already provided by law for distributing them among the several States and Territories; and the Secretary of State shall cause to be published in one newspaper in each of the Territories of the United States where newspapers are printed, the laws which have passed during the present session, and which may hereafter be passed by Congress.

shall be transmitted, by the Secretary of State, to SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That there each member of the Senate and House of Representatives, and to each Territorial Delegate, as soon as may be after the expiration of each session of Congress, a copy of all the laws which shall have been passed at such session.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the sum of two thousand dollars be, and the same hereby is, appropriated for defraying the expense authorized by this act, payable out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated. Approved, March 27, 1804.

An Act supplementary to the act, entitled "An act regulating the grants of land, and providing for the disposal of the lands of the United States south of the State of Tennessee."

Be it enacted, &c., That persons claiming lands in the Mississippi Territory, by virtue of any British or Spanish grant, or by virtue of the three first sections of the act to which this is a supplement, or of the articles of agreement and cession with the State of Georgia, may, after the last day of March, in the year one thousand eight hundred and four, and until the last day of November, then next following, give notice in writing, of their claims, to the register of the land office, for the lands lying west of Pearl river, and have the same recorded, in the manner prescribed by the fifth section of the act to which this is a supplement: Provided, however, That where lands are claimed by virtue of a complete Spanish or British grant, in conformity with the articles of agreement and cession between the United States

Acts of Congress.

and the State of Georgia, it shall not be necessary claims for lands, and to oppose all such as he may for the claimant to have any other evidence of deem fraudulent and unfounded. And each of his claim recorded except the original grant or the said Boards of Commissioners shall have the patent, together with the warrant or order of sur- same powers to compel the attendance of witvey, and the plot; but all the subsequent convey-nesses, as are now vested in the courts of the Uniances of deeds shall be deposited with the Regis-ted States. ter, to be by him laid before the Commissioners SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the when they shall take the claim into consideration: Board of Commissioners appointed to adjust the and the powers vested by law in the Commission- claims to lands lying west of Pearl river, shall be ers appointed for the purpose of ascertaining the authorized to employ an assistant clerk, and also claims to lands lying west of Pearl river, shall, in a translator of the Spanish language, to assist every respect, extend and apply to claims which them in the despatch of the business which may may be made by virtue of this section; and the be brought before them, and for the purpose of same proceedings shall thereupon be had, as are recording Spanish grants, deeds, or other evidences prescribed by the act aforesaid in relation to claims of claims on the Register's books. The said transwhich shall have been exhibited on or before the lator shall receive, for the recording done by him, last day of March, in the year one thousand eight the fees already provided by law, and may be alhundred and four. lowed, not exceeding fifty dollars, for every month he shall be employed, provided that the whole compensation, other than that arising from fees, shall not exceed six hundred dollars. The assistant clerk shall be allowed a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars for his services; and each of the Commissioners of the said Board, in addition to the compensation now fixed by law, shall be allowed six dollars for every day he shall attend on the Board after the last day of November, in the year one thousand eight hundred and four: Provided, That this additional compensation shall not exceed two thousand dollars, for each of the said Commissioners.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Commissioners aforesaid, appointed to adjust the claims to lands lying west of Pearl river, shall have power to adjourn from time to time, and for such time as they may think fit: Provided, however, That they shall meet on the first day of December, in the year one thousand eight hundred and four, and shall not afterwards adjourn for a longer time than three days, nor until they shall have completed the business for which they were appointed: And provided, also, That nothing contained in this act, nor in that to which this is a supplement, shall be construed to prevent the said Commissioners, nor those appointed to adjust the claims to lands lying east of Pearl river, from acting and deciding at any time, on any claim which has been exhibited in the manner prescribed by law, although the evidence of the same may not, at that time, have been transcribed on the books of the register.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That, from and after the first day of April, in the year one thousand eight hundred and four, the Surveyor of the lands of the United States south of the State of Tennessee, shall receive an annual compensation of two thousand dollars, in lieu of the annual compensation now fixed by law. And the lands claimed by virtue of Spanish grants, legally and fully executed, and the titles to which were confirmed by the articles of agreement and cession between the United States and the State of Georgia, shall be surveyed in the manner prescribed by the act to which this is a supplement, at the expense of the United States, anything in the said act to the contrary notwithstanding.

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the tract of country lying north of the Mississippi Territory, and south of the State of Tennessee, and bounded on the east by the State of Georgia, and on the west by Louisiana, shall be, and the same is hereby, annexed to, and made a part of the Mississippi Territory.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That when any Spanish grant, warrant, or order of survey, shall be produced to either of the said Boards of Commissioners, for lands which were not, at the date of such grant, warrant, or order of survey, or within one year thereafter, inhabited, cultivated, or occupied by, or for the use of the grantee; or whenever either of the said boards shall not be satisfied, that such grant, warrant, or order of survey did issue, at the time when the same bears date, the said Commissioners shall not be bound to consider such grant, warrant, or order of survey, as conclusive evidence of the title, but may require such other proof of its validity as they may deem proper: And the said Boards shall make a full report to the Secretary of the Treas- SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That so ury, to be by him laid before Congress for their much of the eighth section of an act, entitled final decision, of all claims grounded on such "An act regulating grants of lands, and providing grants, warrants, or orders of survey, as may have for the disposal of the lands of the United States been disallowed by the said Boards on suspicion south of the State of Tennessee," as provides, of their being antedated, or otherwise fraudulent." that no certificate shall be granted for land lying SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treasury shall be, and he is hereby, authorized to employ an agent, whose compensation shall not exceed one thousand five hundred dollars in full for all his services, for the purpose of appearing before the said Commissioners, in behalf of the United States, to investigate the

east of the Tombigbee river," be, and the same hereby is, repealed: Provided, That no certificate shall be granted for any lands to which the Indian title has not been extinguished.

SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That the Commissioners appointed in pursuance of the act aforesaid, be, and they are hereby, authorized and

« AnteriorContinuar »