Corporations of Georgetown au up depots slaves. of SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may Washington and be lawful for each of the Corporations of the cities of Washingthorized to break ton and Georgetown, from time to time, and as often as may be necessary, to abate, break up, and abolish any depot or place of confinement of slaves, brought into the said District as merchandise, contrary to the provisions of this act, by such appropriate means as may appear to either of the said Corporations expedient and proper. And the same power is hereby vested Levy court of in the levy court of Washington county, if any attempt shall Washington co. be made within its jurisdictional limits, to establish a depot or place of confinement for slaves brought into the said District as merchandise for sale contrary to this act. vested with same authority. Approved September 20, 1850. pay. CHAP. 64.-AN ACT to supply a deficiency in the appropriation for pay and mileage of members of Congress for the present session. [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress asMileage and sembled, That the sum of one hundred and sixty thousand dollars Stationery. Contingent expenses of H. of Reps. Mileage and pay of delegates from Utah. be, and the same is hereby, appropriated out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the payment of mileage and per diem of Senators, members of the House of Representatives, and Delegates in Congress, at the present session: two thousand three hundred and thirty dollars, for additional expense of stationery for members of the House of Representatives, during the present session: Provided, That the mileage of the Senators and Representatives from California, and the Delegate from Oregon, be computed according to the most usual travelling route within the limits of the United States; and the per diem of said Senators and Representatives for this session shall commence from the day on which the constitution of California was first communicated to the two Houses of Congress, respectively: And that the sum of fifty thousand dollars, in addition to the sum already provided for, in the Civil and Diplomatic Appropriation bill be, and and the same is hereby, appropriated for the contingent expenses of the House of Representatives: And that Hugh N. Smith and Almon W. Babbit, late claimNew Mexico and ants for seats in the House of Representatives, from New Mexico, and Utah, be allowed their per diem of five dollars, from the day of their arrival in Washington, to the day when their claim to a seat was rejected by a vote of the House of Representatives; and, also, the sum of two thousand dollars each for their mileage: Provided, That no per diem, shall be allowed, for any time previous to the commencement of the present session of Congress. Proviso. .. Approved September 20, 1850. CHAP. 65.-AN ACT to repeal so much of the act approved eleventh of August, eighteen hundred and forty eight, as extends the provisions thereof to Macao. Judicial powers withdrawn from ministers and consuls of the U. [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That so much of the act to carry into effect certain provisions in the treaties between the United States and China and the Ottoman Porte," giving certain judicial pow- as regards Maers to ministers and consuls of the United States in those cao. countries, approved the eleventh day of August, eighteen hundred and forty-eight, as extends jurisdiction over, or the right to exercise any of the powers conferred by said act in Macao, be, and the same is hereby repealed. Approved September 20, 1850. CHAP. 66-AN ACT. to amend an act entitled "An act for the relief of D. To be paid travelling expenses [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the act entitled "An act for the relief of D. A. Watterston," approved August fourteen, one thousand eight instead of salary. hundred and forty-eight, be so modified and construed as to make the sum therein specified, payable to said Watterston for travelling expenses incurred while acting as assistant surveyor of Louisiana, during the fourth quarter of eighteen hundred and forty-four, and the first quarter of eighteen hundred and fortyfive, instead of for his salary during that time, as is erroneously. provided by said act. Approved September 20, 1850. CHAP. 67.-AN ACT for the relief of Leuright Browning. [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior be authorized to place the name of Leuright Browning, widow of the late Lieutenant Robert L. Browning, on the list of naval pensions, and that she be allowed, annually, for the period of five years, the pension now provided by law for the widows of lieutenants of the navy who die in service; said pension to commence the twelfth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and fifty. Approved September 20, 1850. A pension allowed for five years. ficers of the Trea to settle this account. CHAP. 68.—AN ACT for the relief of Captain Nathan Adams, of Tennessee. [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep resentatives of the United States of America in Congress asAccounting of sembled, That the proper accounting officers of the Treasury sury authorized settle and adjust the account of Captain Nathan Adams, on the principles of justice and equity, and admit to his credit such sums, not exceeding three hundred and thirty-five dollars and two cents, as shall be proved to their satisfaction to have been expended in the service of the United States in the quartermaster's department, pertaining to the war with Mexico. Approved September 20, 1850. Treasury autho tish North Ame lade or unlade at may provided same are extended to CHAP. 69.-AN ACT to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to permit vessels from the British North American provinces to lade and unlade at such places in any collection district of the United States as he may designate. [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep resentatives of the United States of America in Congress asSecretary of the sembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury, with the approrized to permit bation of the President of the United States, provided the latter vessels from Bri- shall be satisfied that similar privileges are extended to vessels rican provincesto of the United States in the colonies hereinafter mentioned, is such places as he hereby authorized under such regulations as he may prescribe, designate, to protect the revenue from fraud, to permit vessels laden with privileges the products of Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newvessels of the U. foundland, and Prince Edward's Island, or either of them, S. by said pro- lade or unlade at any port or place within any collection district of the United States which he may designate; and if any such vessel entering a port or place so designated, to lade or unlade, shall neglect or refuse to comply with the regulations so prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, such vessel and the owner or owners, and master thereof, shall be subject to the same penalties as if no authority under this act had been granted to lade or unlade in such port or place. Approved September 26, 1850. vinces. to CHAP. 70.-AN ACT to increase the Commissariat of the United States Army. [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep resentatives of the United States of America in Congress as Four commissa sembled, That there be added to the subsistence department, ries to be taken four commissaries of subsistence with the rank of captain, to be the army. taken from the line of the army. from the line of Senior Aid-de. jor General com SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the senior aid-decamp of the Ma- camp of the Major General commanding the army, may be manding the Ar- taken from the captains, or majors, of the army, and shall be allowed the pay and emoluments of a major of cavalry. Approved September 26, 1850. my. CHAP. 71. AN ACT providing for the examination and settlement of claims for land at the Sault Ste. Marie, in Michigan. [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the register and receiver of the land office at the Sault Ste. Marie be, and they are hereby, authorized to examine, and report upon claims to lots at the Sault Ste Marie, in township forty-seven north, of ranges one east and one west, in Michigan, according to the provisions hereinafter contained, and pursuant to such instructions as may be given by the Commissioner of the General Land Office. Register and re ceiver authorized to examineclaims to certain lots. Commissioner of General Land Ofice to furnish the register and large map, upon for military and other public pur receiver with a which the tracts SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said commis sioner shall cause the register and receiver to be furnished with a map, on a large scale, of the lines of the public surveys at the Sault Ste. Marie, and it shall be the duty of the Secretary of War to direct the proper military officer, on the application of the register and receiver, to designate, or cause to be designated, upon the map aforesaid, the position and the extent of designated. lots necessary for military purposes, as also the position and the extent of any other lot or lots, which may be required for other public purposes, and also the position and extent of the Indian agency tract, and of the Indian reserve. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That, in the case of any person or persons, or the legal representatives of any person or persons, who are the present bona fide claimants, under the original claims, which are entered in book number seven of the report of the Board of Commissioners, under the act of Congress approved twenty-first of February, eighteen hundred and twenty-three, entitled, "An act to revive and continue in force certain acts for the adjustment of land claims in the Territory of Michigan," it shall and may be lawful for such person, within one year from the passage of this act, to present a sworn notice in writing to the register and receiver, setting forth the nature of his claim, with the front and depth necessary to embrace his settlement and improvements, and its position and limits, as accurately as practicable, on the public surveys; also the length of time it has been settled by the present claimant, and the estimated value at the time his right originated, and the estimated value at the present time, exclusive of improvements; and it shall be the duty of the register and receiver to receive and consider testimony, which may be presented in each case, and call for such further testimony as they may deem necessary, in order to enable them to determine the precise nature of each claim or title, and ascertain under whom the same originated, and to fix its position and extent on the public surveys, and its present value, exclusive of improvements, and also to ascertain the value of the improvements, and further to ascertain whether it interferes with any adverse claim, and the extent of, and nature of, such interference; and for the purposes. aforesaid, the register and receiver are hereby authorized each, to administer oaths, or affirmations, and it shall also be the duty a poses are to be Claimants under the original claims to present sworn notice in gister, setting of their claim, its position, and the tion thereof. writing to the re forth the nature time of occupa rized to adminis ceive fees. ter oaths and re Claimants without any right un der original bona fide sct sworn notice of ments, extent, &c. of those officers to record all notices and testimony in support of each claim; and for administering oaths they shall be allowed a fee of twelve-and-a-half cents, and a like sum for every hundred words of testimony which they may record, to be paid by the claimants, and equally divided between the officers aforesaid. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That in the case of any bona fide claimant who has no right under an original claim, but being claim, entered in the aforesaid book number seven, but who, tlers, to file a on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord eighteen the time of pos- hundred and forty-nine, had reduced a lot into possession, and session, improve- is an actual and bona fide settler thereon, or occupant thereof, it shall and may be lawful for him to file a sworn notice, stating how long he has been in the actual possession of the lot, the nature of his improvements, the extent of front and depth requisite to embrace his actual settlement and improvements, the estimated value of the lot at the time of his settlement, and its present value, exclusive of improvements, as also the value of such improvements, and also designating, as accurately as practicable, its position upon the public surveys; and it shall and may be lawful for the aforesaid officers, also, to take all necessary testimony in this class of cases in like manner, and perform similar duties as required in the foregoing section, and to receive any notice and evidence of any missionary claim from any party authorized to act, both as to the nature and extent of the same, and the grounds on which it may be entitled to equitable consideration. Officers to arrange cases and abstracts. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That it shall also be the testimony under duty of the land officers to examine and arrange the notices and certain classes of testimony in all cases filed under this act; and the cases contemplated by the third section, which they may confirm, shall be placed in abstract A, first class, and those under that section which may be rejected by them, shall be placed in abstract A, second class; and in all cases contemplated by the fourth section of this act, the confirmation of the commissioners shall be placed in abstract B, first class, and their rejections in abstract B, second class. Form and con SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That in the aforesaid tents of abstracts. abstracts, the register and receiver shall designate the number of each claim, name of present and of original claimant, area, present value of the lot, exclusive of improvements, and the amount, which in their opinion, it would be just to require as a payment for the same to the Government; and the said officers shall designate on the aforesaid map of the public surveys the location of each claim as near as it can be ascertained from the testimony, with the estimated actual value, and the assessment thereon of the sum which, in their judgment, should be paid for the same to the Government. Surveyor general at Detroit, on be ing informed of completion of map & abstracts, to send a deputy SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the surveyor general at Detroit, on being notified of the completion by the land officers of the aforesaid abstracts and map, shall despatch a skilful deputy to the Sault Ste. Marie, who shall file in the |