and charging it to the credit of the United States. The assistant treasurers shall be paid as follows:- the one at New York, $4,000 a year; at Boston, Charleston, and St. Louis, $2,500 a year each; the treasurers of the mints at Philadelphia and New Orleans, in addition to their present salaries, $500 a year each; and if they make any further charge for any official service whatever, they shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor. $5,000 are appropriated for incidental expenses under this act. Aug. 6, 1846. No. 49. An Act to provide for the confirmation of certain settlement claims in the Greensburg land district, Louisiana. Aug. 6, 1846. No. 50. An Act to surrender to the State of Tennessee all title the United States have to lands in Tennessee south and west of the line commonly called the Congressional reservation line, and to release to said State the proceeds of such of said lands as may have been sold by the State of Tennessee as the agent of the United States. This surrender and transfer is made on condition that the State applies $40,000, if the proceeds of the lands amount to so much, for the support of a college at Jackson, Madison county, Tennessee. Provided also, that this release shall satisfy all claims of the State for services rendered and expenses incurred under the act of Congress of Feb. 18, 1841. Aug. 7, 1846. No. 51. Appropriation for defensive works. See page 200. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 52. Army appropriation bill. See page 199. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 53. Military Academy appropriation bill. See page 199. Aug, 8, 1846. No. 54. An Act supplementary to the Act of Feb. 20, 1846, entitled an Act to enlarge the powers of the several Orphans' Courts in the District of Columbia. Orphans at any age between 14 and 21 may choose guardians for themselves, but these guardians must be approved by the court and give security; the court may also remove such a guardian, and cite the orphan to make a new choice. If any surety of a guardian petitions to be set free from the liability, the court may require the guardian to give counter security, or to deliver up the ward's estate. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 55. An Act to regulate the proceedings in the circuit and district courts of the United States, and for other purposes. The circuit court may remit to the next term of the district court in the same district any pending indictment cognizable by said district court; and the district court may do likewise to the circuit court. The grand juries empanelled for the district court may take cognizance of all crimes within the jurisdiction of either the circuit or district court; "and an indictment for à capital offence, or one involving important questions of law, may be remitted to the circuit court. Hereafter, no grand jury shall be summoned for either of these courts, except the judge at his discretion order a venire for the same; provided, that persons accused of crime be still liable to imprisonment before indictment. Any one admitted to bail may be arrested by his bail, held in custody, and the bail exonerated. Any officer or mariner of a vessel who feloniously runs away with it or with goods in it worth $50, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and fined not over $10,000, or imprisoned not over ten years, or both. The judge may require a person under bail to give further or better security, or be committed. Witnesses may be compelled to recognize, with or without sureties, to appear at a trial. So much of the law of July 7, 1838, as distributes trials between the circuit court at Canandaigua and that at Albany according to the locality of the cause of action, is repealed. The court may order witnesses to be subpoenaed for a defendant, and the costs and fees to be discharged as if they were witnesses for the United States, if it thinks proper. See also pp. 114, 115. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 56. An Act to attach to the Fort Wayne land district certain tracts of lands lying within the limits of that district which are not now attached to any district. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 57. An Act to provide for the distribution of the edition of the laws and treaties of the United States, published by Little and Brown, under the resolution of March 3, 1845. The copies distributed to public officers shall be held for the use of their offices, and as the property of the United States. This edition is declared to be competent evidence in all the tribunals and public offices in the United States and of the several States, without further proof or authentication. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 58. An Act to provide for the more effectual publication of the laws of the United States. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 59. An Act for the allowance of drawback on foreign merchandise imported into certain districts of the United States from the British North American Provinces, and exported to foreign countries. The drawback is allowed, subject to existing laws and regulations, if the exportation be made within one year from the date of importation. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 60. An Act granting certain lands to the Territory of Iowa to aid in the improvement of the navigation of the Des Moines river in said Territory. One equal moiety, in alternate sections, of the lands remaining unsold in a strip five miles wide on each side of said river is granted for this purpose. These lands shall be sold only as the improvements make progress; that is, not more than $30,000 worth shall be sold till half of that sum is expended on the improvement; and then the residue may be sold to replace the amount expended, and so on. The river shall remain a public highway, and the lands shall not be disposed of at less than $1 25 per acre. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 61. An Act to regulate writs of error and appeals from the district courts of the United States for the middle district of Alabama. They shall be taken directly to the Supreme Court of the United States, and not to the circuit court of Alabama. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 62. An Act more effectually to provide for the enforcement of certain provisions in the treaties of the United States. As some of these treaties provide that the consuls, vice-consuls, and commercial agents may act as judges and arbitrators between the captains and crews of vessels belonging to their re spective nations, without interference from the local authorities, except the case disturbs the tranquillity of the country, or their interference be requested by the consuls, authority is hereby given to the courts and magistrates of the United States to aid in carrying into effect any award or decree of the consuls made under these circumstances. Recusant persons may be im=prisoned or discharged by the written consent of the consul, provided the foreign government pay the expenses of imprisonment and the costs. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 63. An Act to equalize the compensation of the surveyors general of the public lands of the United States, and for other purposes. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 64. An Act making copies of papers certified by the Secretary of the Senate or Clerk of the House of Representatives, legal evidence. Extracts from the journals thus certified shall be legal evidence. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 65. An Act to carry into effect the convention between the United States and the Republic of Peru, concluded at Lima, March 17, 1841. The attorneygeneral of the United States is authorized to adjudicate the claims arising under this convention, and the necessary documents in the Department of State shall be delivered to him for this purpose. He shall report to the Secretary of State a list of the awards made by him, which shall be transmitted to the Secretary of the Treasury, who shall pay out, in ratable proportion to the successful claimants, the money that may be received from Peru under this convention. For their services, the attorney-general shall be paid $2,000, and his clerk, $1,000, out of the first funds received from Peru. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 66. An Act to establish an additional land district in Iowa. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 67. An Act to amend the Act of April 2, 1844, entitled an Act directing the disposition of certain unreclaimed goods, wares, and merchandise seized for being illegally imported into the United States. The act shall apply to property appraised at $100 or less. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 68. An Act to enable the Secretary of the Navy to purchase the right of using Mix's patent manger stopper. $3,000 appropriated for this purpose. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 69. An Act to grant a certain quantity of land to aid in the improvement of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, and to connect the same by a canal, in the Territory of Wisconsin. Land equal to one half of three sections in width, on each side of Fox river from its mouth to the entrance of the canal, and on each side of the canal, reserving the alternate sections to the United States, is granted for this purpose. The sections reserved shall not be sold at less than $2 50 an acre, nor shall any preëmptive right to them be admitted; and the lands granted shall not be sold for less than $1 25 an acre. The money received for the lands must be expended in due season on the work; the sales shall never be more than $10,000 in advance of the expenditure. The improvement must be commenced within three years, and com pleted within twenty years from the time that Wisconsin becomes a State. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 70. An Act to authorize the constituted authorities of the county of Polk in the Territory of Iowa to enter a quarter section of land for a seat of justice. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 71. An Act authorizing the inhabitants of township one, of range thirteen east, Seneca county, Ohio, to relinquish certain lands selected for schools, and to obtain others in lieu of them. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 72. An Act to authorize the Trustees of Tymochtee township, Wyandott county, to select lands for schools within the Wyandott cession. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 73. An Act to refund to certain persons an excess of duty, exacted on the importation of foreign merchandise. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to refund what has been illegally exacted by collectors since March 3, 1833, when satisfied by decisions of the United States courts that the duties were illegally exacted. Aug. 8, 1846. No. 74. Civil and diplomatic appropriation bill. See page 199. Aug. 10, 1846. No. 75. Navy appropriation bill. See page 199. Aug. 10, 1846. No. 76. An Act to establish the Smithsonian institution, for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men. The President and Vice-President of the United States, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, the Postmaster-General, the Attorney-General, the Chief-Justice, and the Commissioner of the Patent Office of the United States, and the Mayor of the city of Washington, during the time for which they shall hold their respective offices, and such other persons as they may elect honorary members, are hereby constituted an “establishment," by the name of the "Smithsonian Institute," for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men; and by that name shall be known and have perpetual succession. From the interest already accrued on the fund, $242,129 are appropriated for the erection of a suitable building. All future appropriations for the institute are to be made exclusively from the interest accruing, at 6 per cent. on the fund, which amounts to $515,169, this interest being now devoted to this object forever. The institution is to be conducted by a board of regents, composed of the Vice-President and the Chief-Justice of the United States, and the Mayor of Washington, during their terms of office, of the three Senators appointed by the President of the Senate, three Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House, and six other persons not members of Congress, two of whom must be members of the National Institute, and residents in Washington, appointed by joint resolution of the Senate and House. The term of service for these last six members shall be six years, two of them going out biennially. The regents shall meet at Washington, Sept. 7, 1846, and organize by choosing one of their own number as chancellor, and a suitable person as secretary, of the institution, who shall also be secretary of the board of regents. They shall choose three of their number as an executive committee, and fix the times for their future meetings; five shall be a quorum. The services of the regents shall be gratuitous, but they shall be paid their travelling and other actual expenses. A suitable site for the building may be taken from any of the public grounds in Washington. A suitable edifice shall be erected" of plain and durable materials and structure, without unnecessary ornament, and of sufficient size, and with suitable rooms or halls for the reception and arrangement, upon a liberal scale, of objects of natural history, including a geological and mineralogical cabinet; also, a chemical laboratory, a library, a gallery of art, and the necessary lecture rooms." "All objects of art and of foreign and curious research, and all objects of natural history, plants, and geological and mineralogical specimens, belonging or hereafter to belong to the United States, shall be delivered to such persons as may be authorized by the board of regents to receive them, and shall be arranged so as to facilitate the examination and study of them, in the building erected for the institution; and the regents shall afterwards, as new specimens in natural history, geology, or mineralogy may be obtained by exchanges of duplicate specimens belonging to the institution, (which they are hereby authorized to make,) or by donation, which they may receive, or otherwise, cause such new specimens to be also appropriately classed and arranged. And the minerals, books, manuscripts, and other property of James Smithson shall be removed to said institution, and shall be preserved separate from the other property." The secretary of the regents shall have charge of the buildings and property, shall keep a record of proceedings, shall be librarian and keeper of the museum, and may with the consent of the regents appoint assistants; and the said officers shall be paid for their services, salaries to be established by the regents, and be removable by the regents. Appropriations from the fund shall be made by the regents, not exceeding an annual average of $25,000, for the gradual formation of a library "composed of valuable works pertaining to all departments of human knowledge." Of any portion of the interest of the fund not herein appropriated, the managers may make such disposal as they shall deem best suited to promote the purposes of the testator. Persons taking out copyrights, within three months after the publication of the work copyrighted, shall give one copy of it to the Smithsonian institution, and one to the library of Congress.* Aug. 10, 1846. No. 77. Navy pensions appropriation bill. See page 199. Aug. 10, 1846. Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Roger B. Taney, William W. Seaton, George Evans, Sidney Breese, William J. Hough, Henry W. Hilliard, Rufus Choate, Richard Rush, Gideon Hawley, Alexander D. Bache, J. G. Totten. |