changing prisoners, thus restoring them to their own side. Sometimes, too, prisoners are released on parole, that is, on their word of honor not to re-enter the army. If a paroled prisoner breaks his word in this respect, upon recapture he is liable to be put to death.

Termination.-Peace comes by treaty. There is usually a preliminary treaty, containing the general statement of conditions to which both parties will consent. When all the details have been arranged, a definitive treaty is concluded. Treaties of peace go into effect as between the parties, when they are signed; as between individuals of the billigerent nations, when they are notified.

RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF NEUTRALS.

When intercourse between the countries of the world was small, owing to lack of facilities, the rights of neutrals were regarded as unimportant. But intercourse has increased so enormously, that no great war can be waged without interfering with the interests of almost all the rest of the world, and the rights of neutrals are assuming more importance in international law.

The great obligation resting upon neutrals is "to allow nothing to the billigerents which either would object to as being adverse to his interests.

What Neutrals may do.-The common instincts of humanity may be complied with. Thus a ship of war in distress may run into a neutral port. Soldiers running into neutral territory may be disarmed and then protected as non-combatants.

Things Contraband.—It is a breach of neutrality to lend money or furnish troops or munitions of war to a billigerent, or to allow ships of war to be built by citizens of the neutral power within its borders, if it knows or should know that they are to be armored and used in the service of one of the belligerents.

Citizens of Neutral States.-Members of a neutral state may lend money to a billigerent or may go into the army or navy of a billigerent without breach of the neutrality of their nation. They may sell goods, except materials of war, to either billigerent.

Blockade.-A billigerent may, as a war measure, close the ports of the enemy. This is called a blockade. Two things are necessary to make a blockade valid-due notice must be given, and the blockade must be made effective by placing before the ports armed vessels to prevent the entrance of trading vessels. If the conditions have been complied with, neutrals trade with the port at the risk of losing all captured ships and cargoes.

DECLARATION OF WAR-1812.

An act declaring war between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the dependencies thereof, and the United States of America and their territories.*

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That war be, and the same is hereby declared to exist between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the dependencies thereof, and the United States of America and their territories; and that the President of the United States is hereby authorized to use the whole land and naval force of the United States to carry the same into effect, and to issue to private armed vessels of the United States commissions, or letters of marque and general reprisal, in such form as he shall think proper, and under the seal of the United States, against the vessels, goods, and effects, of the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the subjects thereof.

* Drawn by William Pinckney, Attorney General of the United States.

E. DOCUMENTS.

ACT AUTHORIZING A STATE GOVERNMENT.

[Passed February 26, 1857.]

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the inhabitants of that portion of the Territory of Minnesota which is embraced within the following limits, to-wit: beginning at the point in the center of the main channel of the Red River of the North, where the boundary line between the United States and the British Possessions crosses the same; thence up the main channel of said river to that of the Bois de Sioux River; thence up the main channel of said river to Lake Traverse; thence up the centre of said lake to the southern extremity thereof; thence in a direct line to the head of Big Stone Lake; thence through its centre to its outlet; thence by a due south line to the north line of the State of Iowa; thence along the northern boundary of said state to the main channel of the Mississippi River; thence up the main channel of said river, and following the boundary line of the State of Wisconsin, until the same intersects the St. Louis River; thence down the said river to and through Lake Superior on the boundary line of Wisconsin and Michigan, until it intersects the dividing line between the United States and the British Possessions; thence up Pigeon River and following said dividing line to the place of beginning, be, and they hereby are authorized to form for themselves a constitution and state government by the name of the State of Minnesota, and to come into the Union on an equal footing with the original states, according to the federal constitution.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the State of Minnesota shall have concurrent jurisdiction on the Mississippi and all other rivers and waters bordering on the said State of Minnesota, so far as the same shall form a common boundary to said state and any state or states now or hereafter to be formed or bounded by the same; and said river or waters leading into the same shall be common highways, and forever free, as well to the inhabitants of said state as to all other citizens of the United States, without any tax, duty, impost, or toll therefor.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That on the first Monday in June next, the legal voters in each representative district then existing within the limits of the proposed state, are hereby authorized to elect two delegates for each representative to which said district may be entitled according to the apportionment for representatives to the territorial legislature, which election for delegates shall be held and conducted, and the returns made, in all respects in conformity with the laws of said territory regulating the election of representatives; and the delegates so elected shall assemble at the capitol of said territory on the second Monday in July next, and first determine by a vote whether it is the wish of the people of the proposed state to be admitted into the Union at that time; and if so, shall proceed to form a constitution, and take all necessary steps for the 6зtablishment of a state government, in conformity with the federal con

stitution, subject to the approval and ratification of the people of the proposed state.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That in the event said convention shall decide in favor of the immediate admission of the proposed state into the Union, it shall be the duty of the United States marshal for said territory to proceed to take a census or enumeration of the inhabitants within the limits of the proposed state, under such rules and regulations as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior, with a view of ascertaining the number of representatives to which said state may be entitled in the Congress of the United States. And said state shall be entitled to one representative, and such additional representatives as the population of the state shall, according to the census, show it would be entitled to according to the present ratio of representation.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the following propositions be, and the same are hereby offered to the said convention of the people of Minnesota for their free acceptance or rejection; which, if accepted by the convention, shall be obligatory on the United States, and upon the said State of Minnesota, to-wit:

First. That sections numbered sixteen and thirty-six in every township of public lands in said state, and where either of said sections, or any part thereof, has been sold or otherwise disposed of, other lands, equivalent thereto, and as contiguous as may be, shall be granted to said state for the use of schools.

Second. That seventy-two sections of land shall be set apart and reserved for the use and support of a state university, to be selected by the Governor of said state, subject to the approval of the Commissioner of the General Land Office, and to be appropriated and applied in such manner as the legislature of said state may prescribe, for the purpose aforesaid, but for no other purpose.

Third.-Ten entire sections of land to be selected by the Governor of said state, in legal sub-divisions, shall be granted to said state for the purpose of completing the public buildings, or for the erection of others at the seat of government, under the direction of the legislature thereof.

Fourth. That all salt springs within said state, not exceeding twelve in number, with six sections of land adjoining or as contiguous as may be to each, shall be granted to said state for its use; and the same to be selected by the Governor thereof within one year after the admission of said state, and, when so selected, to be used or disposed of on such terms, conditions and regulations as the legislature shall direct; provided, that no salt spring or land, the right whereof is now vested in any individual or individuals, or which may be hereafter confirmed or adjudged to any individual or individuals, shall by this article be granted to said state.

Fifth.-That five per centum of the net proceeds of sales of all public lands lying within said state, which shall be sold by Congress after the admission of said state into the Union, after deducting all the expenses incident to the same, shall be paid to said state for the purpose of making public roads and internal improvements, as the legislature shall direct; provided, the foregoing propositions herein offered, are on the condition that the said convention which shall form the constitution of said state, shall provide, by a clause in said constitution, or an ordinance, irrevocable without the consent of the United States, that said state shall never inter

fere with the primary disposal of the soil within the same by the United States, or with any regulations Congress may find necessary for securing the title in said soil to bona fide purchasers thereof; and that no tax shall be imposed on lands belonging to the United States, and that in no case shall non-resident proprietors be taxed higher than residents.

ACT ADMITTING MINNESOTA INTO THE UNION.
[Passed May 11, 1858.]

WHEREAS, an act of Congress was passed February twenty-sixth, eigh teen hundred and fifty-seven, entitled "An act to authorize the people of the Territory of Minnesota to form a constitution and state government preparatory to their admission into the Union on an equal footing with the original states;" and whereas, the people of said territory did, on the twenty-ninth day of August, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, by delegates elected for that purpose, form for themselves a constitution and state government, which is republican in form, and was ratified and adopted by the people at an election held on the thirteenth day of October, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, for that purpose; therefore,

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the State of Minnesɔta shall be one, and is hereby declared to be one of the United States of America, and admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original states, in all respects whatever.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That said state shall be entitled to two representatives in Congress, until the next apportionment of representatives amongst the several states.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That from and after the admission of the State of Minnesota, as herein before provided, all the laws of the United States, which are not locally inapplicable, shall have the same force and effect within that state as in other states of the Union; and the said state is hereby constituted a judicial district of the United States, within which a district court with the like powers and jurisdiction as the district court of the United States for the district of Iowa, shall be established; the judge, attorney and marshal of the United States for the said district of Minnesota, shall reside within the same, aud shall be entitled to the same compensation as the judge, attorney and marshal of the district of Iowa; and in all cases of appeal or writ of error heretofore prosecuted and now pending in the supreme court of the United States upon any record from the supreme court of Minnesota Territory, the mandate of execution or order of further proceedings shall be directed by the supreme court of the United States to the district court of the United States for the district of Minnesota, or to the supreme court of the State of Minnesota, as the nature of such appeal or writ of error may require; and each of those courts shall be the successor of the supreme court of Minnesota Territory, as to all such cases, with full power to hear and determine the same, and to award mesne or final process therein.