ACTS OF THE FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, Passed at the second session, which was begun and held at the City of JAMES MADISON, President of the United States; JOHN GALLIARD, STATUTE II. Jan. 14, 1817. Tonnage duties to be the same as by the act of 20th July, 1790, ch. 30, except, &c. Act of April 27, 1816, ch. 107. Act of March 3, 1817, ch. 109. Proviso: asto treaty rights, &c. Two dollars per ton on vessels from ports where, &c. The duties to be collected as prescribed by law. STATUTE II. CHAP. III.—An Act supplementary to an act to regulate the duties on imports and tonnage. (b) Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the tonnage duties to be paid by ships or vessels which shall be entered in the United States, excepting only such foreign ships or vessels as shall be entered from any foreign port or place to or with which vessels of the United States are not ordinarily permitted to go and trade, shall be the same as are provided by the act, entitled "An act imposing duties on the tonnage of ships or vessels," passed on the twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety: Provided always, That nothing in this act contained shall be deemed in any wise to impair any rights and privileges which have been or may be acquired by any foreign nation under the laws and treaties of the United States relative to the duty on tonnage of vessels. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That on all foreign ships or vessels, which shall be entered in the United States before the thirtieth day of June next, from any foreign port or place, to and with which vessels of the United States are not ordinarily permitted to go and trade, there shall be paid a duty at the rate of two dollars per ton. And the duties provided by this act shall be levied and collected in the same manner and under the same regulations as are prescribed by law in relation to the duties upon tonnage now in force. APPROVED, January 14, 1817. STATUTE II. Jan. 20, 1817. [Obsolete.] The collec CHAP. IV.-An Act to authorize a new edition of the collection of laws respecting the public lands. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United tion of land laws States of America, in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and hereby is, authorized to cause the collection of laws, resolutions, and treaties, printed under authority of an act, entitled to be revised, &c. (a) The decease of the Honourable Elbridge Gerry made the office of Vice President of the Senate vacant during this session. (b) See note of the acts relating to duties on tonnage, vol. i. 27. 344 Act of April "An act providing for the printing and distributing of such laws of the United States as respect the public lands," passed on the twenty-seventh 27, 1810, ch. 33. day of April, one thousand eight hundred and ten, to be revised, and the acts passed, and treaties formed, subsequent to the publication of the said collection, and relating to the public lands, to be embraced therein; the acts to be digested and arranged in their proper order, and fifteen hundred copies thereof to be printed and preserved for the future disposition of Congress. APPROVED, January 20, 1817. CHAP. VII.—An Act making a partial appropriation for the subsistence of the army during the year one thousand eight hundred and seventeen. The acts to be digested, &c. and 1500 copies to be printed, &c. STATUTE II. Jan. 22, 1817. [Obsolete.] 40,000 dolls. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That towards the sub- appropriated. sistence of the army for the year one thousand eight hundred and seventeen, there be appropriated the sum of four hundred thousand dollars, to be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. APPROVED, January 22, 1817. CHAP. IX.-An Act to repeal, after the close of the present session of Congress, the act, entitled "An act to change the mode of compensation to the members of the Senate and House of Representatives and the delegates from territories," passed the nineteenth of March, one thousand eight hundred and sixteen. STATUTE II. Feb. 6, 1817. The act of the 19th March, 1816, ch. 30, re pealed. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That, from and after the close of the present session of Congress, the act, entitled "An act to change the mode of compensation to the members of the Senate and House of Representatives and the delegates from territories," passed the nineteenth of March, one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, shall be, and the same is hereby, repealed: Provided always, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to revive any act or acts, or parts other act reof acts, repealed or suspended by the act hereby repealed. APPROVED, February 6, 1817. Proviso: no vived. STATUTE II. CHAP. X.-An Act to extend the provisions of the act to authorize certain officers Feb. 8, 1817. and other persons to administer oaths, approved May the third, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the chairman of any standing committee, either of the House of Representatives or of the Senate of the United States, shall be empowered to administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses in any case under their examination; and any person who shall be guilty of perjury before such committee shall be liable to the pains, penalties, and disabilities, prescribed for the punishment of the crime of wilful and corrupt perjury. APPROVED, February 8, 1817. Act of May 3, 1798, ch. 36. The chairman of any standing committee empowered to ad minister oaths to witnesses, &c. CHAP. XIII.-An Act to repeal the second section of an act, entitled "An act concerning the pay of officers, seamen, and marines, in the navy of the United States." Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the second section VOL. III.-44 STATUTE II. Feb. 22, 1817. [Obsolete.] Second section of the act of 18th April, 1814, ch. 84, repealed. STATUTE II. Feb. 22, 1817. The sections designated to be offered for sale in quarter or half quarter sections, &c. Manner of surveying the land. of an act, entitled "An act concerning the pay of the officers, seamen, and marines, in the navy of the United States," passed the eighteenth of April, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fourteen, be, and the same is hereby repealed. APPROVED, February 22, 1817. CHAP. XV.-An Act providing for the division of certain quarter sections, in future sales of the public lands. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That, from and after the first day of September next, the sections designated by number two, five, twenty, twenty-three, thirty, and thirty-three, in each and every township of the public lands, the sale of which is now, or hereafter may be authorized by law, shall be offered for sale either in quarter sections, or half quarter sections, at the option of the purchaser; and in every case of the division of a quarter section, the partition shall be made by a line running due north and south, and in every other respect the said sections shall be offered, whether at public or private sale, on the same terms and conditions as have been, or may be, by law, provided for the sale of the other public lands of the United States. APPROVED, February 22, 1817. STATUTE II. Feb. 24, 1817. [Obsolete.] The superintendent to lay the public reservation of ground described. To sell half the lots, &c. CHAP. XVIII.—An Act authorizing the sale of certain grounds belonging to the Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United off that part of States of America, in Congress assembled, That the commissioner for the superintendence of the public buildings in the city of Washington be, and he hereby is, authorized to lay off into building lots all that part of the public reservation of ground in the said city, numbered ten, lying on the north side of the Pennsylvania avenue, between Third and Four and an Half streets west, embraced by the whole of the front of said reservation on said avenue, and extending back, or northwardly, not exceeding two hundred feet; and, under the direction of the President of the United States, to sell any number of such lots, not exceeding one half of the whole number, and the avails thereof to pay into the treasury of the United States; and in such sales the commissioner is hereby directed to reserve to the United States every other lot, except in particular cases it may be expedient to sell two or more contiguous lots; but all sales made in virtue of this act shall be under and upon the express condition, that the purchaser shall build and finish, or cause to be built and finished, within three years from the day of sale, a good and substantial brick or stone house of not less than three stories high, exclusive of the basement story, nor less than twenty-five feet front, and in failure of a compliance with the said conditions, or any of them, the lots so sold shall revert to the United States, and the party failing shall incur a forfeiture of any and all moneys which may have been paid for the same. Condition of sale. Appropriation of the moneys arising from the sales. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the moneys arising from the sales aforesaid be, and they hereby are, appropriated to the payment of any moneys which may hereafter be expended for the public buildings and public improvements in the city of Washington. APPROVED, February 24, 1817. CHAP. XXI.-An Act authorizing vessels departing from the town of Bayou St. John and Basin of the Canal de Carondelet, for foreign ports, to clear out at the Custom-house in the city of New Orleans. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That all ships or vessels, about to depart for foreign ports or places, from the town of Bayou St. John, or Basin of the Canal de Carondelet, shall be permitted to clear out, with their cargoes, at the Custom-house, in the city of New Orleans, and depart, under the same rules, regulations, and restrictions, and in every respect in the same manner, as vessels clearing out and departing, for foreign ports, from the said city of New Orleans, by the way of the Mississippi river. APPROVED, March 1, 1817. CHAP. XXII.—An Act making reservation of certain public lands to supply tim- March 1, 1817. ber for naval purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Navy be authorized, and it shall be his duty, under the direction of the President of the United States, to cause such vacant and unappropriated lands of the United States as produce the live oak and red cedar timbers to be explored, and selection to be made of such tracts or portions thereof, where the principal growth is of either of the said timbers, as in his judgment may be necessary to furnish for the navy a sufficient supply of the said timbers. The said Secretary shall have power to employ such agent or agents and surveyor as he may deem necessary for the aforesaid purpose, who shall report to him the tracts by them selected, with the boundaries ascertained and accurately designated by actual survey or water courses, which report shall be laid before the President, which he may approve or reject in whole or in part; and the tracts of land thus selected with the approbation of the President, shall be reserved unless otherwise directed by law, from any future sale of the public lands, and be appropriated to the sole purpose of supplying timber for the navy of the United States: Provided, That nothing in this section contained shall be construed to prejudice the rights of any person or persons claiming lands which may be reserved as aforesaid. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any person or persons shall cut any timber on the lands reserved as aforesaid, or shall remove or be employed in removing timber from the same, unless duly authorized so to do, by order of a competent officer, and for the use of the navy of the United States; or if any person or persons shall cut any live oak or red cedar timber on, or remove or be employed in removing from any other public lands of the United States, with intent to dispose of the same for transportation to any port or place within the United States, or for exportation to any foreign country, such person or persons so offending and being thereof duly convicted before any court having competent jurisdiction, shall pay a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars and be imprisoned not exceeding six months. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That if the master, owner, or consignee of any ship or vessel, shall knowingly take on board any timber cut on lands reserved as aforesaid, without proper authority and for the use of the navy, or shall take on board any live oak or red cedar timber, cut on any other lands of the United States, with intent to transport the same to any port or place within the United States, or to export the same to any foreign country, the ship or vessel on board of which the same shall be seized, shall, with her tackle, apparel, and furniture be wholly forfeited. The Secretary of the Navy enjoined to cause lands producing live oak and red cedar timbers to be explored and selections to be made of tracts, &c. selected to be reserved, unless, &c. The tracts Proviso: rights of persons claiming not to be prejudiced, &c. Persons cutting timber on the lands re- cedar on other sonment. Vessels taking on board timber from lands reserved, &c. forfeited. Exportation of timber contrary to this act, subjects the vessel to forfeiture and the master to a fine. Recovery of penalties, &c. and mitigation thereof, accord ing to the acts mentioned. 1799, ch. 22. 1797, ch. 13. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That if any timber as aforesaid shall, contrary to the prohibitions of this act, be exported to any foreign country, the ship or vessel in which the same shall have been exported shall be liable to forfeiture, and the captain or master of such ship or vessel shall forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding one thousand dollars. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That all penalties and forfeitures incurred for taking on board, transporting or exporting timber by force of this act, shall be sued for, recovered, and distributed, and accounted for in the manner prescribed by the act, entitled "An act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage," and shall be mitigated or remitted in the manner prescribed by the act, entitled "An act to provide for mitigating or remitting the forfeitures, penalties, and disabilities accruing in certain cases therein mentioned." APPROVED, March 1, 1817. 1 STATUTE II. March 1, 1817. CHAP. XXIII.-An Act to enable the people of the western part of the Mississippi territory to form a constitution and state government, and for the admission of such state into the union, on an equal footing with the original states. Act of April Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 3, 1818, ch. 29. States of America, in Congress assembled, That the inhabitants of the western part of the Mississippi territory be, and they hereby are, authorized to form for themselves a constitution and state government, and to assume such name as they shall deem proper; and the said state, when formed, shall be admitted into the union upon the same footing with the original states, in all respects whatever. Act of May 3, 1822, ch. 46. Inhabitants of the western part of the Mississippi to form a state government, be admitted into the union, &c. the state. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said state shall consist of all the territory included within the following boundaries, to wit: BeBoundaries of ginning on the river Mississippi at the point where the southern boundary line of the state of Tennessee strikes the same, thence east along the said boundary line to the Tennessee river, thence up the same to the mouth of Bear Creek, thence by a direct line to the north-west corner of the county of Washington, thence due south to the Gulf of Mexico, thence westwardly, including all the islands within six leagues of the shore, to the most eastern junction of Pearl river with Lake Borgne, thence up said river to the thirty-first degree of north latitude, thence west along the said degree of latitude to the Mississippi river, thence up the same to the beginning. Qualifications of persons authorized to choose representatives, to form a convention. Apportion ment of repre sentatives to form a conven tion. Time and man ner of holding the election. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That all free white male citizens of the United States, who shall have arrived at the age of twenty-one years, and resided within the said territory at least one year previous to the time of holding the election, and shall have paid a county or territorial tax, and all persons having in other respects the legal qualifications to vote for Representatives in the general assembly of the said territory, be, and they are hereby authorized to choose Representatives to form a convention, who shall be apportioned among the several counties within the said territory, as follows, to wit: from the county of Warren, two Representatives; from the county of Claiborne, four Representatives; from the county of Jefferson, four Representatives; from the county of Adams, eight Representatives; from the county of Franklin, two Representatives; from the county of Wilkinson, six Representatives; from the county of Amite, six Representatives; from the county of Pike, four Representatives; from the county of Lawrence, two Representatives; from the county of Marion, two Representatives; from the county of Hancock, two Representatives; from the county of Wayne, two Representatives; from the county of Greene, two Representatives; from the county of Jackson, two Representatives; and the election of the Representatives aforesaid shall be holden on the first Monday and |