[AN ACT AND TWO RESOLUTIONS OMITTED IN THEIR PROPER PLACE.] United States of America, Begun and held at the City of New-York, on AND OF THE Independence of the United States, THE THIRTEENTH. CHAPTER IV. An Act for establishing an Executive Department, to be denominated the Department of Foreign Affairs. Section 1. B affairs, hts E it enacted by the Senate and secretary Houfe of Reprefentatives of the foreign United States of America, in Congress assembled, duty. That there fhall be an executive department, to be denominated the department of foreign affairs, and that there shall be a principal officer therein, to be called the Secretary for the Department of Foreign Affairs, who fhall perform and execute fuch duties as fhall from time to time be enjoined on or intrusted to him by the Prefident of the United States, agree Principal duty. able to the constitution, relative to correspon dences, commiffions or inftructions to or with public minifters or confuls, from the United States, or to negociations with public minifters from foreign ftates or princes, or to memorials or other applications from foreign public ministers or other foreigners, or to fuch other matters respecting foreign affairs, as the Prefident of the United States fhall affign to the faid department: And furthermore, that the faid principal officer fhall conduct the business of the faid department in fuch manner as the Prefident of the United States fhall from time to time order or instruct. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That there elerk, his fhall be in the faid department, an inferior officer, to be appointed by the faid principal officer, and to be employed therein as he fhall deem proper, and to be called the chief clerk in the department of foreign affairs, and who, whenever the faid principal officer fhall be removed from office by the President of the United States, or in any other cafe of vacancy, fhall, during fuch vacancy, have the charge and cuftody of all records, books and papers appertaining to the faid department. Oath of ffice. Secretary to take Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the faid principal officer, and every other perfon to be appointed or employed in the faid department, fhall, before he enters on the execu tion of his office or employment, take an oath or affirmation, well and faithfully to execute the truft committed to him. Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary for the department of foreign affairs, to be appointed in confequence of this of foreign act, fhall forthwith after his appointment, be entitled to have the cuftody and charge of all barge of papers, &c. depart records, books and papers in the office of Secretary for the department of foreign affairs, heretofore established by the United States in Congrefs affembled. FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG, Speaker of the House of Reprefentatives. JOHN ADAMS, Vice-Prefident of the United States, and Prefident of the Senate. APPROVED, July twenty-feven, 1789: GEORGE WASHINGTON, R ESOLVED by the Senate and House of Reprefenta tives of the United States of America in Congrefs affembled, That it be recommended to the Legislatures of the feveral states to pafs laws, making it expressly the duty of the keepers of their gaols, to receive and fafe keep therein all prisoners committed under the authority of the United States, until they fhall be difcharged by due course of the laws thereof, under the like penalties as in the cafe of prisoners committed under the authority of fuch ftates respectively; the United States to pay for the use and keeping of fuch gaols, at the rate of fifty cents per month for each prifoner that fhall, under their authority, be committed thereto, during the time fuch prifoners fhall be therein confined; and alfo to fupport fuch of faid prifoners as fhall be committed for offences. . FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG, Speaker of the House of Representatives. JOHN ADAMS, Vice-President of the United States, and Prefident of the Senate. APPROVED, September the 23d, 1789: GEORGE WASHINGTON, Prefident of the United States. ESOLVED, That it fhall be the duty of the Se fuch of the ftatutes of the feveral ftates as may not be in his office. FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG, JOHN ADAMS, Vice-Prefident of the United APPROVED, September the 23d, 1789: GEORGE WASHINGTON, Profident of the United States. |