PRIVATE ACTS OF THE FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, Passed at the first session, which was begun and held at the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, on Monday, the sixth day of December, 1875, and was adjourned with out day on Tuesday, the fifteenth day of August, 1876. ULYSSES S. GRANT, President. THOMAS W. FERRY was chosen President of the Senate pro tempore on the nineteenth of March, 1875, in special session, and continued to act as such until the termination of that session, and from the beginning of the regular session on the sixth of December, 1875, until its termination on the fifteenth of August, 1876. MICHAEL C. KERR was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives on the sixth of December, 1875, and continued to act as such until the first of May, 1876, when he authorized SAMUEL S. Cox to act in his stead as Speaker pro tempore. On the twelfth of May, 1876, SAMUEL S. COX was elected Speaker pro tempore, and on the twenty-fourth of June, 1876, MILTON SAYLER was elected Speaker pro tempore and continued to act as such until the end of the session. Feb. 7, 1876. Political disabil CHAP. 7.—An act to remove political disabilities of George S. Hawkins, of Florida Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, (two-thirds of each House concurring therein) That the political disabilities imposed by the fourteenth ties of George S. amendment of the Constitution of the United States by reason of participation in the rebellion, be, and they are hereby, removed from George S. Hawkins, of the State of Florida. Approved, February 7, 1876. CHAP. 8.-An act to authorize George P. Marsh to accept a certain presont from the government of Switzerland, and a certain present from the government of Italy. Hawkins. Feb. 12, 1876. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That George P. Marsh, the George P. Marsh minister of the United States to the Kingdom of Italy, be, and he may accept preshereby is, authorized and empowered to accept a chronometer tendered ente. him by the Republic of Switzerland, and a table tendered him by the Kingdom of Italy, in recognition of his services to said governments as arbitrator in a disagreement between the same touching a question of boundary. Approved, February 12, 1876. CHAP. 16.-An act to remove the political disabilities of Daniel T. Chandler, of March 2, 1876. Political disabil Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, (two-thirds of each House concurring therein,) That all political disabilities imposed upon Daniel T. ities of Daniel T. Chandler, of Baltimore, Maryland, by the fourteenth amendment of the Chandler. Constitution of the United States, by reason of participation in the rebellion, are hereby removed. Approved, March 2, 1876. 415 March 13, 1876. Homestead entry of Phoebe C. Oakley confirmed. CHAP. 21.—An act legalizing the homestead entry of Mrs. Phoebe C. Oakley, of Bay Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the homestead entry of Mrs. Phoebe C Oakley, of Bay County Michigan, number twenty-seven hundred and thirteen, embracing the east half of northwest quarter of section eighteen, in township number fourteen north, of range number three east, in the State of Michigan, be, and the same is hereby, declared to be as valid as though she was the head of the family within the meaning of the homestead laws, and upon the proofs of occupancy and improvement by herself and family in the time and manner as required by law, the Commissioner of the General Land Office shall cause to be issued to her a patent therefor Approved, March 13, 1876. March 13, 1876. Pension to Eliza beth A. Neibling. CHAP. 22.—An act granting a Pension to Elizabeth A. Neibling. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Inte rior be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to place upon the pension-roll, subject to the provisions and limitations of the pension laws, the name of Elizabeth A. Neibling, widow of James M. Neibling, late colonel of the Twenty-first regiment Ohio volunteers, and pay her a pension from and after the passage of this act. Approved, March 13, 1876. March 14, 1876. money order account. CHAP. 24.—An act for the relief of Ezra B. Barnett, postmaster at Norwich, New Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United Appropriation, States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treas ury be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to place the sum of ninety-five dollars to the credit of the Postmaster-General, with the assistant treasurer of the United States at New York, on money-order account; whereupon the Auditor of the Treasury for the Post Office Department shall credit Ezra B. Barnett, postmaster at Norwich, New York, with said Credit in accounts of Ezra B. amount in his account as said postmaster, it being the amount of surplus Barnett. money-order funds mailed by said postmaster September twenty-ninth, eighteen hundred and seventy-four, for deposit with the postmaster at Binghamton, New York; said money having been burned and destroyed, with the mail-car containing it, on the route to Binghamton, without the fault of said postmaster. Approved, March 14, 1876. March 14, 1876. CHAP. 25.-An act for the relief of S. K. Thompson. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United Samuel K. States of America in Congress assembled, That the President is hereby Thompson to be appointed second authorized to appoint Samuel K. Thompson to the rank of second lieutenant in the Army, with benefits of, and credit for, length of service as a commissioned officer in the Army prior to August tenth, eighteen lieutenant. hundred and seventy-four: Provided, That no pay be given him for the MICHAEL C. KERR President of the Senate pro tempore Received by the President March 2, 1876. [NOTE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.-The foregoing act having been presented to the President of the United States for his approval, and not having been returned by him to the house of Congress in which it originated within the time prescribed by the Constitution of the United States, has become a law without his approval.] CHAP. 26.-An act to remove the political disabilities of Samuel Cooper Jr, of Vir ginia. March 14, 1876. Political disabilities of Samuel Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, (two thirds of each House concurring therein) That all political disabilities imposed by the fourteenth Cooper, jr. amendment of the Constitution of the United States by reason of participation in the rebellion, be, and they are hereby, removed from Samuel Cooper, Jr. of the State of Virginia. Approved, March 14, 1876. CHAP. 32.-An act for the relief of C. H. Frederick, late a lieutenant-colonel in the Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the sum of three hundred and eighty-eight dollars and twenty-four cents be, and is hereby, appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, being amount due the said C. H. Frederick from date of enlistment to date of muster. MICHAEL C. KERR Speaker of the House of Representatives President of the Senate pro tempore Received by the President March 10, 1876. [NOTE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.-The foregoing act having been presented to the President of the United States for his approval, and not having been returned by him to the house of Congress in which it originated within the time prescribed by the Constitution of the United States, has become a law without his approval.] March 22, 1876. Payment to C. H. Frederick. CHAP. 33.—An act granting six hundred and forty acres of land to the widow and heirs of James Sinclair, deceased. March 22, 1876. Grant of land to widow and heirs of Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the tract of land known as the Military Timber Reservation, in Walla Walla County, Washing James Sinclair. ton Territory, containing six hundred and forty-one and sixty-four hundredths acres, situate partly in township seven north, of range thirty-six east, and partly in township seven north, of range thirty-seven east, of the Willamette meridian, be, and the same is hereby, granted as follows: The west half of the said tract to Mary Sinclair, widow of |