Adm. Whig. John K. Griffin R. B. Rhett John Campbell Thomas Glascock W. C. Dawson John L. Murray John Calhoon John Pope William S. Graves John White Richard Hewes R. A. Menefee GEORGIA. Adm. J. F. Cleveland Seaton Grantland Charles E. Haynes MISSISSIPPI. John F. H. Claiborne KENTUCKY. Whig. ARKANSAS. Archibald Yell MICHIGAN. Isaac E. Crary. LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES, PASSED AT THE FIRST SESSION OF THE 25TH CONGRESS. PUBLIC.-No. 1. AN ACT to postpone the fourth instalment of deposite with the states. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled, That the transfer of the fourth instalment of deposite directed to be made with the states, under the thirteenth section of the act of June twenty-third, eighteen hundred and thirty-six, be and the same is hereby postponed till the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine: Provided, That the three first instalments under the said act shall remain on deposite with the states, until otherwise directed by congress. JAMES K. POLK, Speaker of the House of Representatives. AN ACT to authorise the issuing of treasury notes. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled, That the president of the United States is hereby authorised to cause treasury notes for such sum or sums as the exigencies of the government may require, but not exceeding, in the whole amount of notes issued, the sum of ten millions of dollars, and of denominations not less than fifty dollars for any one note, to be prepared, signed, and issued in the manner hereinafter provided. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said treasury notes, authorised to be issued by the first sec. tion of this act, shall be reimbursed and redeemed by the United States, at the treasury thereof, after the expiration of one year from the dates of the said notes respectively; from which said dates, for the term of one year, and no longer, they shall bear such interest as shall be expressed upon the face of the said notes; which rate of interest, upon each several issue of the said notes, shall be fixed by the secretary of the treasury, by and with the advice and approbation of the president; but shall in no case exceed the rate of interest of six per centum per annum. The reimburse. ment herein provided for shall be made at the treasury of the United States to the holders of the said notes respectively, upon presentment, and shall include the principal of each note, and the interest which may be due thereon at the time of payment. For this reimbursement, at the time and times herein specified, the faith of the United States is hereby solemnly pledged. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said treasury notes shall be prepared under the direction of the secretary of the treasury, and shall be signed, on behalf of the United States, by the treasurer thereof, and countersigned by the register of the treasury; and that those officers respectively shall, as checks upon each other, and to secure the public safety, keep separate, full, and accurate accounts of the number, date, denomination, and amount of all the notes signed and countersigned by them respectively; which said And so much of any unappropriated money in the treasury as may be necessary for that purpose is hereby appropriated, for paying the principal and interest of said notes. SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That a sum not exceeding twenty thousand dollars, to be paid out of any unappropriated money in the treasury, be, and the same is hereby, appropriated for defraying the expense of preparing, printing, engraving, signing, and otherwise incident to the issuing of the treasury notes authorised by this act. accounts shall be carefully preserved and placed on file [notes. in the treasury department; and, also, similar ac. counts, kept and preserved in the same manner, of all the said notes redeemed, as the same shall be returned and canceled; and the treasurer shall further account quarterly for all such notes delivered to him for signature or issue by the register. The treasurer and register of the treasury are hereby authorised, by and with the consent and approbation of the secretary of the treasury, to employ such additional temporary clerks as the duties enjoined upon them by this section may render necessary: Provided, Said number shall SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That if any not exceed four, and with a salary of not more than at person shall falsely make, forge, or counterfeit, or the rate of twelve hundred dollars to each per annum. cause or procure to be falsely made, forged, or counterSEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the secre-feited, or willingly aid or assist in falsely making, tary of the treasury is hereby authorised, with the ap-forging, or counterfeiting, any note, in imitation of, or probation of the president of the United States, to purporting to be, a treasury note aforesaid; or, shall cause to be issued such portion of the said treasury falsely alter, or cause or procure to be falsely altered, notes as the president may think expedient, in pay. or willingly aid or assist in falsely altering any treasury ment of debts due by the United States to such public note issued as aforesaid; or shall pass, utter, or pubcreditors or other persons as may choose to receive lish, or attempt to pass, utter, or publish, as true, any such notes in payment, as aforesaid, at par. And the false, forged, or counterfeited note, purporting to be a secretary of the treasury is further authorised, with the treasury note as aforesaid, knowing the same to be approbation of the president of the United States, to falsely forged or counterfeited, or shall pass, utter, or borrow, from time to time, not under par, such sums publish, or attempt to pass, utter, or publish, as true, as the president may think expedient, on the credit of any falsely altered treasury note, issued as aforesaid, such notes. knowing the same to be falsely altered, every such person shall be deemed and adjudged guilty of felony, and being thereof convicted by due course of law, shall be sentenced to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for a period not less than three years, nor more than ten years, and be fined in a sum not exceeding five thousand dollars. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the said treasury notes shall be transferable by delivery and assignment endorsed thereon, by the person to whose order the same shall, on the face thereof, have been made payable. SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the said treasury notes shall be received in payment of all du SEC. 11. And be it further enacted, That if any ties and taxes laid by the authority of the United person shall make or engrave, or cause or procure to States, of all public lands sold by the said authority, be made or engraved, or shall have in his custody or and of all debts to the United States, of any character possession, any metallic plate, engraved after the simiwhatsoever, which may be due and payable at the time litude of any plate from which any notes issued as when said treasury notes may be so offered in pay-aforesaid shall have been printed, with intent to use such ment. And on every such payment credit shall be plate, or to cause or suffer the same to be used in forggiven for the amount of the principal and interesting or counterfeiting any of the notes issued as aforewhich, on the day of such payment, may be due on the note or notes thus given in payment. SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That any person making payment to the United States in such treasury notes, into the hands of any collector, receiver of public moneys, or other public officer or agent, shall on books, kept according to such forms as shall be prescribed by the secretary of the treasury, give duplicate certificates of the number and respective amount of principal and interest of each and every treasury note thus paid by such person; and every collector, receiver of public moneys, or other public officer or agent, who shall thus receive any of the said treasury notes in payment, shall, on payment of the same, receive credit both for principal and interest computed as aforesaid, which on the day of such last mentioned payment shall appear due on the note or notes thus paid in, and he shall be charged for the interest accrued on such note or notes from the day on which the same shall have been received by him in payment as aforesaid to the day on which the same shall be paid by him as aforesaid. SEC, 8. And be it further enacted, That the sccretary of the treasury be, and he is hereby, authorised and directed to cause to be reimbursed and paid the principal and interest of the treasury notes which may be issued by virtue of this act, at the several time and times when the same, according to the provisions of this act, should be thus reimbursed and paid. And the said secretary is further authorised to make purchases of the said notes, at par, for the amount of the principal and interest due at the time of purchase on such said; or shall have in his custody or possession any blank note or notes engraved and printed after the similitude of any notes issued as aforesaid, with intent to use such blanks, or cause or suffer the same to be used in forging or counterfeiting any of the notes issued as aforesaid; or shall have in his custody or possession any paper adapted to the making of notes, and similar to the paper upon which any such notes shall have been issued, with intent to use such paper, or cause or suffer the same to be used, in forging or counterfeiting any of the notes issued as aforesaid; every such person, being thereof convicted by due course of law, shall be sentenced to be imprisoned, and kept to hard labour, for a term not less than three nor more than ten years, and fined in a sum not exceeding five thousand dollars. SEO. 12. And be it further enacted, That the secretary of the treasury be, and he is hereby, authorised to make and issue, from time to time, such instructions, rules, and regulations to the several collectors, receivers of public money, depositaries, and all others who may be authorised to receive the said treasury notes on behalf of and as agents in any capacity for the United States, as to the safe keeping, disposition, return, and canceling of the said notes so paid to and received by them respectively, and as to their accounts and returns to the department of all such receipts, as may seem to him best calculated to promote the public interests and convenience, and secure the United States and the holders of the said notes against frauds and losses: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to authorise the secretary of the treasury to reissue any of said notes, but upon the return of the said notes, or any of them, to the treasury, the same shall be canceled. SEC. 13. And be it further enacted, That it shall be, and hereby is, made the duty of the secretary of the treasury to cause a statement to be published monthly, of the amount of all treasury notes issued or redeemed, in pursuance of the provisions of this act; and that the power to issue treasury notes, conferred on the president of the United States by this act, shall cease and determine on the thirty-first day of December, eighteen hundred and thirty-eight. JAMES K. POLK, APPROVED, October 12th, 1837. M. VAN BUREN. PUBLIC.-No. 3. AN ACT to regulate the fees of the district attorneys, in certain cases. For pay and mileage of the members of congress and delegates, two hundred and forty-eight thousand five hundred dollars. For stationery, fuel, printing, and all other contingent expenses of the senate, thirty thousand dollars. For stationery, fuel, printing, and all other contingent expenses of the house of representatives, fifty thousand dollars. For the contingent expenses of the navy, as enumerated in the act of the 3d of March last, in addition to the amount appropriated by that act, one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. For the relief and protection of American seamen in foreign countries, ten thousand dollars. For defraying the expenses attending the prosecution of the claim of the United States to the legacy be queathed by the late James Smithson, of London, five thousand dollars. For the contingent expenses in the office of the treasurer, five hundred dollars. eighteen hundred and thirty-seven, and the 2d March, eighteen hundred and thirty-seven, to be disbursed under the direction of the committee to audit and control the contingent expenses of the senate, twenty-five thousand dollars. For preparing, printing, and binding documents ordered by the resolutions of the senate of the 2d of July, Be it enacted by the senate and house of represent-eighteen hundred and thirty-six, 25th of February, atives of the United States of America in congress ussembled, That, in all cases of extension of the time of payment of bonds given for duties on imports, it shall be according to such directions as may be given by the secretary of the treasury; and the extension of payment of the old bond, or the taking of a new bond, shall be by the respective collectors subject to no other charge than such as may be legally receivable on the taking of an original bond, upon the entry of merchan-officers, be not sufficient at any time to pay debentures dise. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That no fee shall accrue to any district attorney on any bond left with him for collection, or in a suit commenced on any bond for the renewal of which provision is made by law, unless the party or parties shall neglect to apply for such renewal for more than twenty days after the maturity of such bond. Approved, October 12, 1837. [PUBLIC.-No. 4.] An ACT to continue in force certain laws to the close of the next session of congress. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled, That all acts and parts of acts, or provisions contained within any act, which, by the terms thereof, are made to expire at the termination of the first session of the twenty-fifth congress, be, and the same are hereby, declared to continue in force to the end of that session of congress which shall commence, or shall be in session, on the first Monday of December, eighteen hundred and thirty-seven. Approved, October 12, 1837. [PUBLIC.-No. 5.] An ACT to amend an act, entitled, "An act to provide for the payment of horses lost or destroyed in the military service of the United States, approved January 18th, 1837." [PUBLIC.-No. 6.] An ACT making further appropriations for the year eighteen hundred and thirty-seven. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled, That the following sums be, and the same are hereby, appropriated, to be paid out of any unappropriated money in the treasury, viz: SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That, if the reve. nue from duties, or from the sales of public lands remaining in the hands of the receiving and collecting and other charges which are, by existing laws, made payable out of the accruing revenue before it is transferred to the credit of the treasurer, the secretary of the treasury is hereby authorised to pay the said debentures and other charges out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the secretary of the treasury be, and he is hereby, authorised to arrange and settle any of the outstanding transfer drafts given to transfer moneys to the states under the act of 23d of June, eighteeen hundred and thirty-six, which they were drawn or otherwise arranged and and which have not been paid by the depositaries upon settled by the United States by receiving such drafts at par in payment of any debts due to the United States, without any allowance of interest for the time the drafts have been outstanding and unpaid, or any other allowance for interest or damages of any description. Approved, October 16, 1837. An ACT authorising a further postponement of payment upon duty bonds. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled, That the secretary of the treasury be, and he is hereby, authorised to grant such further extension of credit upon all bonds for duties now outstanding as shall make the whole extension of credit, upon each bond, nine months from the time when the original bond became due and payable; making the extension in each case to depend upon the same conditions as to additional security, the payment of interest, and other terms, which have been prescribed by the treasury department, to the extension of revenue bonds since May last: Provided, That nothing herein contained [ secretary of the treasury, a bond, with security, to be shall be construed to include any existing bonds where approved by the solicitor of the treasury, to pay to the the parties to the same have not, since the bonds be- United States the whole moneys due from it in three came payable, given additional security, or made part instalments. The first to be paid on the first day of payment, and are by the proper officers of the govern- July next, the second on the first day of January, ment considered insolvent, or unsafe securities for the eighteen hundred and thirty-nine, and the remaining in. payment of their bonds. stalment on the first day of July, eighteen hundred and thirty-nine; and the default mentioned in this act on which interest is to commence at the rate of six per centum shall be understood to be the neglect or omis sion of said banks, or any of them, to answer the drafts or requisitions of the secretary of the treasury, made on them according to the provisions of the first section of this act; and interest thereon at the rate of six per centum per annum, from the time of default, together with any damages which may have accrued to the United States from protests of drafts drawn upon it, or from any other consequence of its failure to fulfil its obligations to the public treasury. Approved, October 16, 1837. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That a credit of three and six months shall be allowed on the duty on all merchandise which shall have been, or may be, imported on or before the first day of November next, upon which the duties are payable in cash, and that the bonds received for such duties shall be payable in equal instalments bearing interest at the rate of six per centum per annum, and shall be in the form and upon the conditions prescribed by existing laws and by this act. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That where the security, in any bond which has been or may hereafter be postponed, is entirely satisfactory, the principal or sureties in the same shall not be disabled from being in the mean time, till the period of postponement provided for by this act expires, received as principal or sureties in other bonds for duties, notwithstanding the bond first given may not have been actually paid, discharged, or extended, before or on the day it fell due: Provided, That such principal and sureties shall be found, in all other respects, safe and satisfactory security for the funds to which they may be proposed as parties. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the operation of all prior laws, and parts of laws, so far as inconsistent with this act, be suspended in the particulars in which they may conflict with, or differ from, its provisions, until this act shall cease by its own limita. tions. [PUBLIC.-No. 9.] [PRIVATE.-No. 1.] An ACT for the relief of D. P. Madison. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled, That the president of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorised and requested to cause to he executed, a grant and reconveyance to Mrs. D. P. Madison, her executors, administrators and assigns, of the right to publish in foreign countries, for her own benefit, the manuscript debates of the convention which formed the constitution of this government, as well as the net avails of any such publication which may have been ordered by her: Provided, however, That she shall not be allowed to withdraw from the possession of the government either of the copies of said debates which accompanied her conveyance. Approved, October 14, 1837. [RESOLUTION NO. 1.--PUBLIC.] A RESOLUTION directing the postage on letters sent by the express mail to be paid in advance. Resolved by the senate and house of representatives of An ACT for adjusting the remaining claims upon the the United States of America in congress assembled, late deposite banks. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled, That the secretary of the treasury be, and he is hereby, authorised to continue to withdraw the public moneys now remaining in any of the former deposite banks, in a manner as gradual and convenient to the institutions as shall he consistent with the pecuniary wants of the government, and the safety of the funds thus to be drawn; and that no further interest than that required by the deposite act of 23d of June, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, under which those deposites were made, shall be demanded of any bank which has met, and shall hereafter meet, the requisitions of the department. This provision shall also extend to such public moneys as may remain in any of the said banks, whether standing to the credit of the treasurer of the United States, or of any disbursing or other public officer of the government. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That in case of neglect or refusal by any of the said banks to comply with the requisitions of the secretary of the treasury, as he shall make them, in conformity with the first section of this act, suits shall be instituted, where that has not already been done, to recover the amounts due to the United States, unless the defaulting bank shall forthwith cause to be executed and delivered to the That the postmaster general be, and he is hereby, directed to cause the postage on all letters sent by the express mail of the United States to be paid in advance at the time of depositing them for transportation by said mail. Approved, October 12, 1837. TREASURY DOCUMENTS. NOTICE. Information is hereby given that, during the continuance of the present unfortunate suspension of spe cie payments by many of the banks, the treasury de partment will continue to issue warrants, for the payment of which drafts or checks will be given by the treasurer on banks or officers in the neighbourhood where the creditor resides, or the debt was incurred. The checks will, according to former practice, be is sued separately from the warrants, and in such amounts as may be convenient. The treasurer will draw these checks only on such banks or officers as have heretofore received ample funds to meet them, and it is therefore hoped that they will be promptly paid in a manner satisfactory to the holders; but if they shall not be paid when presented, the collectors of customs and the receivers of the pub lic lands will be instructed to redeem them in behalf of the treasury, by receiving them for duties and lands. If they are not paid in either of these modes, and confident that this suggestion will attain the object you notice of the fact is communicated to the department, desire; but I am aware of no authority in this office no reasonable efforts will be spared to preserve the to prevent the delivering to the district attorney, as public faith inviolate, and to cause them to be other- now required by law, of custom-house bonds due and wise discharged as soon as possible in specie or its unpaid, nor to interfere with the fees established by equivalent, as the existing laws require; and if return-law; the latter subject is under the control of the dised to the department and remaining unpaid till the trict judge. next session of congress, it will feel bound earnestly to request authority for early means to satisfy them in a manner acceptable to the holders. Circulars to the proper officers, containing particular instructions on this subject, will be prepared and published in a few days. LEVI WOODBURY, Secretary of the Treasury. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, May 15, 1837. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, SIR: The near approach of the session of congress makes it proper for me to apprise you, in order that the information may be used for the benefit and accommodation of the members of the house of representatives, that this department will be prepared to furnish funds for their payment in notes of the city banks or specie, or to give drafts upon several of the collectors of the customs and receivers of the public money, or the former deposite banks, in suitable sums, as may be most convenient to any of them. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, LEVI WOODBURY, Secretary of the Treasury. W. S. FRANKLIN, Esq. SIR: A bill is now before congress to authorise the president of the United States to cause the issue of treasury notes for such sum or sums as he may think expedient; but not exceeding, in the whole amount of notes issued, the sum of twelve millions of dollars, and of denominations of not less than one hundred dollars for any one note, to be reimbursed at the treasury of the United States, after the expiration of one year from the dates of the said notes respectively. I will thank you to state whether, in the event of the passage of this bill, you will agree to take the said notes from the government, and give the treasurer of the United States a credit for the amount; to be drawn for as may be necessary, and payable in specie if required; and, if so, to state what amount you will receive, and the lowest rate of interest to be borne by said notes. I am very respectfully, your obedient servant, LEVI WOODBURY, Secretary of the Treasury. OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR OF THE TREASURY, SIR: The secretary of the treasury has referred to this office your letter of yesterday, suggesting the propriety of issuing some special and immediate direction to relieve the merchants of New York from the payment of a retaining fee on the bonds for duties which will be at maturity on the 1st of October. In compliance therewith, I have written to the district attorney at New York, and also of other principal ports, suggesting the propriety of taking no measure which may increase any expense to the parties thereon, except in cases where, in the exercise of a sound discretion, he is of opinion the interest of the United States will be impaired thereby. I am very I have the honour to be, very respectfully, sir, Hon. EDWARD CURTIS, H. G. GILPIN, Solicitor of the Treasury TREASURY Department, Congress has, by an act approved on the 12th instant, authorised the issue of treasury notes to the amount of ten millions of dollars, in denominations not less than fifty dollars each, receivable in all payments to the United States, and bearing interest at a rate not exceeding six per centum per annum. The undersigned, for the purpose of effecting payments to such of the public creditors as may not choose to receive said notes, invites offers for the exchange or loan of them for the legal currency of the United States. The proposals will state the place where the money will be deposited, and the lowest rate of interest to be borne by the notes when taken at par. Those who receive no reply will consider it as suffi- Circular to Collectors of the Customs. SIR: Annexed are copies of two acts passed at the late session of congress, one in reference to the extension of the payment stipulated in bonds given to the United States for duties, and the other relating to that and the fees to be charged thereon. In pursuance of the provisions of these acts, I have to request that you will extend the credit in all cases embraced by them, and in the manner prescribed, upon safe and proper terms, looking to the instructions heretofore given by the solicitor of the treasury to the district attorneys on the same subject, copies of which are enclosed. The bonds heretofore renewed were so various in their original periods of payment, that much care will be necessary to confine the extension to such only as are provided for by law, and to have the period of pay. ment not deferred in any case beyond the term permitted in the act. It will be perceived by the second section of the act, approved the 16th instant, that a credit of three and six months is to be allowed" on all merchandise which shall have been, or may be, imported on or before the first day of November next, upon which the duties are payable in cash, and the bonds received for such duties shall be payable in equal instalments, bearing interest at the rate of six per centum per annum." This provision will embrace the case of all goods paying cash duties which may be lying in the public stores at this time, as well as those of a similar description which may be imported on or before the first day of November next. In these cases, the credit will commence with the last mentioned date. The solicitor of the treasury has issued instructions to the district attorney to hand over to you all the bonds in his possession entitled to extension under the law now sent, and for which you will give him receipts, |