act to regulate the collection of the duties imposed by law on the tonnage of ships or vessels, and on goods, wares, and merchandises, imported into the United States, and for other purposes," did, by virtue of the adoption of the constitution of the United States, by the said state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, cease to operate in respect to the same.

§ 4. That the act, entitled "An act for registering and clear- Act for regise tering vessels, ing vessels, regulating the coasting trade, and for other purpos- &c. in force on es," shall, after the expiration of five days from the passing of the 20th June, this act, have the like force and operation within the state of 1790. Repealed. Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, as elsewhere within Vol. i. p. 33. the United States, and as if the several clauses thereof were repeated and re-enacted in this present act. [Approved, June 14, 1790.]

CHAP. 48. [21. An act for giving effect to an act, entitled "An act to establish Vol. i. p. 233. the judicial courts of the United States," within the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

declared in

§ 1. Be it enacted, &c. That the act, entitled "An act to es. Judicial act tablish the judicial courts of the United States," shall have the force in Rhode like force and effect within the state of Rhode Island and Provi- Island. dence Plantations, as elsewhere within the United States.

one district.

Vol. i. p. 53. § 2. That the said state shall be one district, to be called Rhode Island Rhode Island district and there shall be a district court therein, to consist of one judge, who shall reside in the district, and One resident be called a district judge, and shall hold, annually, four sessions; Four annual district judge. the first to commence on the first Monday in August next, and sessions, at the other three sessions, progressively, on the like Monday of Newport and every third calendar month afterwards. The stated district court Providence. shall be held, alternately, at the towns of Newport and Providence, beginning at the first.

Annexed to

eastern circuit. Circuit courts;

two sessions

§ 3. That the said district shall be, and the same is hereby, annexed to the eastern circuit: And there shall be held, annually in the said district, two circuit courts; the first session of the circuit court shall commence on the fourth day of December annually, &c. next, the second session on the fourth day of June next, and the subsequent sessions on the like days of every December and June afterwards, except when any of the days shall happen on a Sunday, and then the session shall commence on the day following. And the sessions of the said circuit courts shall be held, At Newport alternately, at the said towns of Newport and Providence, begin- and Provining at the last.

dence.

4. That there shall be allowed to the judge of the said dis- Salary of the trict, the yearly compensation of eight hundred dollars, to com- judge, 800 mence from his appointment, and to be paid at the treasury of dollars. the United States, in quarterly payments. [Approved, June 23,

1790.]

CHAP. 49. [22.] An act providing the means of intercourse between the United Vol. i. p. 282, States and foreign nations.

318, 489.

thorized to

1. Be it enacted, &c. That the president of the United States President aushall be, and he hereby is, authorized to draw from the treasury draw 40,000 of the United States, a sum not exceeding forty thousand dol- dolls. for suplars, annually, to be paid out of the moneys arising from the port of foreign

missions.

Proviso; as

to outfits and ministers, &c.

salaries of

duties on imports and tonnage, for the support of such persons as he shall commission to serve the United States in foreign parts, and for the expense incident to the business in which they may be employed. Provided, That, exclusive of an outfit, which shall, in no case, exceed the amount of one year's full salary to the minister plenipotentiary or charge des affairs, to whom the same may be allowed, the president shall not allow to any minister plenipotentiary a greater sum than at the rate of nine thousand dollars per annum, as a compensation for all his personal services, and other expenses; nor a greater sum for the same, than four thousand five hundred dollars per annum to a Charge des af charge des affaires; nor a greater sum for the same, than one faires, and mi- thousand three hundred and fifty dollars per annum to the secretary of any minister plenipotentiary. And provided, also, That President to the president shall account, specifically, for all such expendiaccount speci- tures of the said money as, in his judgment, may be made pubfically, &c. lic, and also for the amount of such expenditures as he may think it advisable not to specify, and cause a regular statement and account thereof to be laid before congress annually, and also lodged in the proper office of the treasury department.

nister's secretary.

Limitation of this act to the 2d March, 1793.

Obsolete.

Act for enumeration of inhabitants, declared in

force in Rhode

Island.

Vol. i. p. 73.

Compensation of the mar

shal.

President au

pose of forti

2. That this act shall continue and be in force for the space of two years, and from thence until the end of the next session of congress thereafter, and no longer. [Approved, July 1, 1790.]

CHAP. 52. [25.] An act for giving effect to an act, entitled "An act providing for the enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States," in respect to the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

1. Be it enacted, &c. That the act passed the present session of congress, entitled "An act providing for the enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States," shall be deemed to have the like force and operation within the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, as elsewhere within the United States; and all the regulations, provisions, directions, authorities, penalties, and other matters whatsoever, contained or expressed in the said act, and which are not locally inapplicable, shall have the like force and effect within the said state, as if the same were repeated and re-enacted in and by this present act.

2. That the marshal of the district of Rhode Island shall receive, in full compensation for the performance of all the duties and services confided to, and enjoined upon him by this act, one hundred dollars. [Approved, July 5, 1790.]

CHAP. 53. [26.] An act to authorize the purchase of a tract of land for the use of the United States.

§ 1. Be it enacted, &c. That it shall be lawful for the president thorized to of the United States, and he is hereby authorized, to purchase West be purchased for the use of the United States, the whole, or Point, for pursuch part of that tract of land situate in the state of New York, fications, &c. commonly called West Point, as shall be by him judged requisite for the purpose of such fortifications and garrisons as may be necessary for the defence of the same. [Approved, July 5, 1790.]

CHAP. 54. [27] An act further to provide for the payment of the invalid pen

sioners of the United States.

1. Be it enacted, &c. That the military pensions which have Military penbeen granted and paid by the states, respectively, in pursu- paid from 4th sions to be ance of former acts of the United States in congress assem- March, 1790, bled, and such as, by acts passed in the present session of con- for one year. gress, are, or shall be, declared to be due to invalids who Vol. i. p. 200. were wounded and disabled during the late war, shall be continued and paid by the United States, from the fourth day of March last, for the space of one year, under such regulations as the president of the United States may direct. [Approved, July 16, 1790.]

CHAP. 55. [28.] An act for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the government of the United States.

Potowmac ac

1. Be it enacted, &c. That a district of territory, not ex- District on the ceeding ten miles square, to be located as hereafter directed, cepted for peron the river Potowmac, at some place between the mouths of manent seat of the Eastern Branch and Connogochegue, be, and the same is government. hereby, accepted for the permanent seat of the government of Vol. i. p. 196. the United States: Provided nevertheless, That the operation of Proviso; as to the laws of the state within such district, shall not be affected the operation by this acceptance, until the time fixed for the removal of the of state laws government thereto, and until congress shall otherwise by law provide.

in the district.

2. That the president of the United States be authorized to appoint, and by supplying vacancies happening from refusals to act, or other causes, to keep in appointment as long as may be necessary, three commissioners, who, or any two of whom, shall, Three comunder the direction of the president, survey, and by proper metes missioners to and bounds define and limit, a district of territory, under the define the limitations abovementioned; and the district so defined, limited limits of the district, &c. and located, shall be deemed the district accepted by this act, for the permanent seat of the government of the United States.

use of the

3. That the said commissioners, or any two of them, shall Land in the have power to purchase or accept such quantity of land on the district for the eastern side of the said river, within the said district, as the pre- United States, sident shall deem proper, for the use of the United States, and &c. according to such plans as the president shall approve, the said commissioners, or any two of them, shall, prior to the first Mon- Suitable day in December, in the year one thousand eight hundred, pro- congress, &c. buildings for vide suitable buildings for the accommodation of congress, and prior to the of the president, and for the public offices of the government of first Monday the United States.

in December

1800.

4. That for defraying the expense of such purchases and President to buildings, the president of the United States be authorized and accept grants requested to accept grants of money. of money, &c.

§ 5. That prior to the first Monday in December next, all offi- Removal of ces attached to the seat of the government of the United States, the govern shall be removed to, and until the said first Monday in Decem- ment to Philadelphia, &c. ber, in the year one thousand eight hundred, shall remain at, the city of Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania, at which place the session of congress next ensuing the present shall be

held.

Removal of the government to the

district accepted: viz. dis

trict of Columbia.

Expense of removal.

Vol. i. p. 418,

496.

6. That on the said first Monday in December, in the year one thousand eight hundred, the seat of the government of the United States shall, by virtue of this act, be transferred to the district and place aforesaid. And all offices attached to the said seat of government, shall accordingly be removed thereto by their respective holders, and shall, after the said day, cease to be exercised elsewhere; and that the necessary expense of such removal shall be defrayed out of the duties on imposts and tonnage, of which a sufficient sum is hereby appropriated. [Approved, July 16, 1790.]

Vol. ii. p. 971. CHAP. 56. [29.] An act for for the government and regulation of seamen in the

Written agreement

between masters and seamen.

Apprentices,

&c. excepted.

merchants' service.

1. Be it enacted, &c. That from and after the first day of December next, every master or commander of any ship or vessel bound from a port in the United States to any foreign port, or of any ship or vessel of the burthen of fifty tons or upwards, bound from a port in one state to a port in any other than an adjoining state, shall, before he proceed on such voyage, make an agreement in writing or in print, with every seamen or mariner on board such ship or vessel (except such as shall be apprentice or servant to himself or owners) declaring the voyage or voyages, terni or terms of time, for which such seamen or mariner shall be shipped. And if any master or commander of such ship or vessel, shall carry out any seaman or mariner (except Master to pay the highest apprentices or servants as aforesaid) without such contract or agreement being first made and signed by the seamen and mariners, such master or commander shall pay to every such seaman or mariner, the highest price or wages which shall have been given at the port or place where such seaman or mariner shall have been shipped, for a similar voyage, within three months next before the time of such shipping: Provided such seaman or mariner shall perform such voyage: or if not, then for such time the voyage by as he shall continue to do duty on board such ship or vessel; and the seamen, shall, moreover, forfeit twenty dollars for every such seaman or mariner, one half to the use of the person prosecuting for the same, the other half to the use of the United States: and such seaman or mariner, not having signed such contract, shall not be bound by the regulations, nor subject to the penalties and forfeitures, contained in this act.

current

wages, &c. on failure.

Proviso; as to the performance of

&c.

Seamen not signing contract, not

bound by this

act.

Memorandum

tract.

Seamen neglecting to render them

selves on

2. That at the foot of every such contract, there shall be a at foot of con- memorandum in writing, of the day and the hour on which such seaman or mariner, who shall so ship and subscribe, shall render themselves on board, to begin the voyage agreed upon. And if any such seaman or mariner shall neglect to render himself on board the ship or vessel, for which he has shipped, at the time mentioned in such memorandum, and if the master, commander, or other officer of the ship or vessel, shall, on the day on which such neglect happened, make an entry in the logbook of such ship or vessel, of the name of such seaman or mariner, and shall, in like manner, note the time that he so neglected to render himself, (after the time appointed), every other seaman or mariner shall forfeit, for every hour which he shall so neglect to render

board, forfeit

a day's pay for every hour's absence, &c.

amount of wa

himself, one day's pay, according to the rate of wages agreed upon, to be deducted out of his wages. And if any such sea- Seamen failman or mariner shall wholly neglect to render himself on board ing to repair on board, or of such ship or vessel, or having rendered himself on board, shall deserting, &c. afterwards desert and escape, so that the ship or vessel proceed to forfeit douto sea without him, every such seaman or mariner shall forfeit ble the and pay to the master, owner, or consignee, of the said ship or ges advanced. vessel, a sum equal to that which shall have been paid to him by advance at the time of signing the contract, over and besides the sum so advanced, both which sums shall be recoverable in any Recovery of court, or before any justice or justices of any state, city, town, from seamen or county, within the United States, which, by the laws thereof, or their surehave cognizance of debts of equal value, against such seaman or ties. mariner, or his surety or sureties, in case he shall have given. surety to proceed the voyage.

forfeitures

ness, &c. at the request of

the mate, &c.

§ 3. That if the mate, or first officer under the master, and a Return of vesmajority of the crew of any ship or vessel, bound on a voyage sel to port, before leaving to any foreign port, shall after the voyage is begun (and before land, on acthe ship or vessel shall have left the land) discover that the said count of leakiship or vessel is too leaky, or is otherwise unfit in her crew, body, tackle, apparel, furniture, provisions, or stores, to proceed on the intended voyage, and shall require such unfitness to be enquired into, the master or commander shall, upon the request of the said mate (or other officer) and such majority, forthwith proceed to or stop at the nearest and most convenient port or place where such enquiry can be made, and shall there apply to the Master to apjudge of the district court, if he shall there reside, or if not, to ply to district some justice of the peace of the city, town, or place, taking with judge, &c. him two or more of the said crew, who shall have made such request; and thereupon such judge or justice is hereby authorized

and required to issue his precept, directed to three persons in Judge to issue the neighborhood, the most skilful in maritime affairs, that can precept, &c. be procured, requiring them to repair on board such ship or vessel, and to examine the same, in respect to the defects and insufficiences complained of, and to make report to him, the said judge or justice, in writing, under their hands, or the hands of two of them, whether in any, or in what, respect the said ship or vessel is unfit to proceed on the intended voyage, and what addition of men, provisions, or stores, or what repairs or alterations in the body, tackle, or apparel, will be necessary; and upon such report, the said judge or justice shall adjudge and deter- Judge to demine, and shall endorse on the said report his judgment, whether termine on rethe said ship or vessel is fit to proceed on the intended voyage; and if not, whether such repairs can be made, or deficiencies supplied, where the ship or vessel then lays, or whether it be necessary for the said ship or vessel to return to the port from whence she first sailed, to be there refitted; and the master and Master, &c. to crew shall in all things conform to the said judgment; and the conform to master or commander shall, in the first instance, pay all the judge's decision, &c. costs of such view, report, and judgment, to be taxed and allow- Master to pay ed on a fair copy thereof, certified by the said judge or justice. costs, &c. But if the complaint of the said crew shall appear, upon the said from the crew Damages, &c. report and judgment, to have been without foundation, then the in case of un

port, &c.