thousand eight hundred and twelve, in consequence of disease contracted, or of casualties or injuries received, while in the line of his duty, and which shall be satisfactorily proved to the commissioners of the navy pension fund, leaving a widow, or if no widow, a child or children, under sixteen years of age, such widow, or if no widow, such child or children, shall be entitled to receive half the monthly pay to which the deceased was entitled at the time of his death, which allowance shall continue for the term of five years; but in case of the death or intermarriage of such widow, before the expiration of the said term of five years, the half pay for the remainder of the term, shall go to the child or children of the deceased: Provided, That such half pay shall cease on the death of such child or children. And the money required for this purpose shall be paid out of the navy pension fund, under the direction of the commissioners of that fund. APPROVED, March 3, 1817. CHAP. LXI.-An Act to set apart and dispose of certain public lands, for the encouragement of the cultivation of the vine and olive. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury, under the direction of the President of the United States, to designate, and set apart, any four contiguous townships, each six miles square, of vacant public lands lying in that part of the Mississippi territory which was formed into a land district, by the act, entitled "An act for the ascertaining and surveying of the boundary lines fixed by the treaty with the Creek Indians, and for other purposes," passed on the third day of March, one thousand eight hundred and fifteen; and the four townships, so designated and set apart, shall be reserved from public and private sale, any thing in the aforesaid act to the contrary notwithstanding. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized to contract for the sale of the said four townships, which shall have been designated and set apart, as aforesaid, at the rate of two dollars per acre, to be made payable fourteen years after the contract shall have been concluded with any agent, or agents, of the late emigrants from France, who have associated together for the purpose of forming a settlement in the United States: Provided, That satisfactory evidence shall be produced that such agent, or agents, are duly authorized to form such contract, and that the number of such emigrants, being of full age, for which he or they are authorized to act, are equal at least to the number of half sections contained in the four townships proposed to be disposed of. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said secretary shall have power to make such allotment of the lands among the individuals, and to stipulate, in the proposed contract, for such conditions of settlement and cultivation of the vine, and other vegetable productions, as may to him appear reasonable; and that on the fulfilment of such conditions shall the issuing of grants for the lands, be made to depend: Provided, That no patent shall be granted for any of the lands aforesaid, nor shall any title be obtained therefor, either at law or equity, until complete payment shall have been made for the whole four townships, and until they comply with the conditions of the contract, so to be made as aforesaid; nor shall a patent be granted for a greater quantity than six hundred and forty acres to any one person. APPROVED, March 3, 1817. STATUTE II. CHAP. LXII.-An Act to authorize the appointment of a surveyor for the lands in March 3, 1817. the northern part of the Mississippi territory, and the sale of certain lands therein described. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That a surveyor of the lands of the United States in the Mississippi territory, lying north of an east and west line, to be drawn from the river Mississippi, through fort Williams, to the western boundary line of the state of Georgia, shall be appointed, whose duty it shall be to engage a sufficient number of skilful surveyors as his deputies, and to cause the lands above mentioned, which have not already been surveyed, and to which the Indian title has been extinguished, to be surveyed and divided in the manner provided by law for the surveying of the other public lands of the United States in the Mississippi territory, to do and perform all such acts in relation to the said lands, to transmit plats of survey in the manner, and to fix the compensation of the deputy surveyor, chain-carriers, and axe-men, under the same restrictions and limitations of expense in surveying, as is by law directed and provided for the regulation of the powers and duties of the surveyor of the lands south of the state of Tennessee, in relation to the other public lands in the Mississippi territory. And the said surveyor, appointed in pursuance of this act, shall be entitled to receive, for his services, one thousand five hundred dollars, as an annual compensation. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That all the lands of the United States in the Mississippi territory, to which the Indian title has been extinguished, lying north of the aforesaid east and west line, and which has not heretofore been offered for sale, shall be attached to, and made a part of, the land district of Madison, in the said territory. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That all the lands, by this act attached to the district of Madison, after having been surveyed according to law, shall, with the exception of the section No. 16, in each township, which shall be reserved for the support of schools therein, and with the further exception of such sections, not exceeding ten in number, as the President shall designate, for the purpose of laying out and establishing towns thereon, be offered for sale to the highest bidder, under the direction of the register of the land office, and the receiver of public moneys, at the place where the land office is kept, and on such day, or days, as shall, by proclamation of the President of the United States, be designated for that purpose; the sales shall remain open two weeks, and no longer. The lands shall not be sold for less than two dollars an acre, and shall in every other respect be sold in tracts of the same size, and on the same terms, and conditions, as have been, or may be, provided for lands sold in the same district. All the lands offered for sale, and remaining unsold at the close of the said public sales, may be disposed of at private sale by the register of the land office, in the same manner, for the same price, and on the same terms and conditions, as are,[or] may be, vided for the sale of other lands in the same district, and patents shall be granted in the same manner, and on the same terms, as for other lands in the said district. prc A surveyor of the lands of the be appointed for that part of the Mississippi territory described; his duties, compensation, &c. United States to Lands to be attached to trict. Madison dis Lands attach ed to Madison district, with the exception of section No. 16, to be offered for sale, &c. Lands not to be sold for less than two dollars per acre. Lands remaining unsold may be disposed of at private sale, &c. Five dollars SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the register and receiver of public moneys shall each receive five dollars, for each day's attendance in per day to the directing the public sales, directed by this act. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is, authorized to cause the sections, reserved as aforesaid, for establishing towns thereon, to be laid off into lots, under the direction of the surveyor appointed as aforesaid; and when the survey of the lots shall be completed, plats thereof shall be transmitted to the commissioner of the general land office, and the register of the land register and re ceiver. The sections reserved to be laid off into lots, &c. Plats, &c. office, and the lots shall be offered, to the highest bidder, at public sale, on such day or days as the President shall, by his proclamation, designate for that purpose, and shall be sold on the same terms and conditions, in every respect (except as to the quantity of land) as have or may be provided for the sale of the other public lands in the said district; Provided, That no lot shall be sold for a less price than at the rate of six dollars per acre; nor shall there be reserved for the purpose aforesaid, more than one section in any one township. APPROVED, March 3, 1817. CHAP. LXIII.—An Act to provide for reports of the decisions of the Supreme Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the reporter who shall, from time to time, be appointed by the Supreme Court of the United States, to report its decisions, shall be entitled to receive, from the treasury of the United States, as an annual compensation for his services, the sum of one thousand dollars: Provided, nevertheless, The said compensation shall not be paid unless the said reporter shall print and publish, or cause to be printed and published, the decisions of said court, made during the time he shall act as such reporter, within six months after such decisions shall be made, and shall deliver eighty copies of the decisions, so printed and published, to the Secretary of State, without any expense to the United States, and which copies shall be distributed as follows, to wit: to the President of the United States, the judges of the Supreme Court, and the judges of the district courts, the attorney general of the United States, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, the comptroller of the treasury, the Postmaster General, the commissioner of the revenue, the commissioner of the general land office, the judges of the several territories of the United States, the secretary of the Senate, the clerk of the House of Representatives, the auditor of the treasury, the register of the treasury, the treasurer of the United States, the paymaster general, the accountants of the War and Navy Departments, and to the commissioners of the navy, one copy each: and the residue of said copies shall be deposited in, and become part of, the library of Congress. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That, in case of the death, resignation, or dismission from office, of either of the officers before mentioned, the said copies of the decisions, delivered to them as aforesaid, shall belong to, and be delivered up to, their respective successors, in the said offices. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That this act shall be, and continue in force for three years, and no longer. APPROVED, March 3, 1817. CHAP. LXV.-An Act to fix the peace establishment of the marine corps. (a) The acts in relation to the reporter, and reports of decisions of the Supreme Court, have beenAn act to provide for reports of the decisions of the Supreme Court, expired, March 3, 1817, ch. 63. An act to continue in force "An act to provide for reports of decisions of the Supreme Court," May 15, 1820, expired, ch. 131. An act to continue in force the act entitled "An act to provide for reports of the decisions of the Supreme Court," passed the third day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventeen, March 3, 1823, expired, ch. 34. An act to provide for reports of the decisions of the Supreme Court, expired, Feb. 22, 1827, ch. 18. An act to provide for the reports of the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States, Aug. 29, 1842, ch. 264. Act of April sioned officers, musicians and privates, viz: one lieutenant colonel commandant, nine captains, twenty-four first lieutenants, sixteen second 16, 1814, ch. 53. lieutenants, one adjutant and inspector, one paymaster and one quartermaster, to be taken from the said captains and lieutenants, seventy-three corporals, forty-two drums and fifes, and seven hundred and fifty privates. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States cause the provisions of this act to be carried into effect on the first day of April next, or as soon thereafter as circumstances will admit, and cause any supernumerary officers to be discharged from the service of the United States; and to all persons so discharged, there shall be paid three months' additional pay. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States may, in the recess of the Senate, appoint any of the officers authorized by this act, which appointments shall be submitted to the Senate at their next session, for their advice and consent. APPROVED, March 3, 1817. Supernume rary officers to be discharged, &c. The President may appoint any of the officers in the recess. STATUTE II. CHAP. LXVII.—An Act making an appropriation for opening and cutting out a March 3, 1817. road therein described. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the sum of four thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby appropriated, and payable out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of opening and cutting out a road from Reynoldsburgh, on Tennessee river, in the state of Tennessee, through the Chickasaw nation, to intersect the Natchez road near the south end of the Chickasaw old town, agreeable to the survey and marked lines heretofore made by Messrs. Johnson and Dickson, commissioners, appointed by the President of the United States; and that the opening of said road shall be under the direction of the Secretary of War. APPROVED, March 3, 1817. [Obsolete.] 4,000 dolls. appropriated for cutting out a road agreeably to the survey, &c. of Johnson and Dickson. Under direc tion of the Secretary of War. STATUTE II. CHAP. LXIX.-An Act to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to cause repay- March 3, 1817. ments to be made of certain alien duties. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby directed to cause to be repaid, or remitted, all alien or discriminating duties, either upon tonnage or merchandise imported, in respect to all British vessels which have been entered in ports of the United States at any time between the seventeenth of August, one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, and the twenty-second of December in the same year, excepting only such duties as may have been paid or secured on the tonnage of ships, or upon the merchandise imported therein, which ships have been entered in the United States from a colony or district, into or with which vessels of the United States are not ordinarily permitted to enter and trade. APPROVED, March 3, 1817. [Obsolete.] Discrimina ting duties paid sels, from the 17th Aug. to 22d on British ves Dec. 1815, to be repaid, &c. Exception. STATUTE II. CHAP. LXXXV.-An Act to repeal so much of any acts now in force as author- March 3, 1817. ize a loan of money, or an issue of Treasury notes. [Obsolete.] Acts authorizing loans, &c. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 212 acts, of Congress as authorizes the President of the United States to borrow money on the credit of the United States, and to cause certificates of stock to be issued for [money] so borrowed, be, and the same is hereby repealed; Provided, always, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to invalidate, or in any way affect, any securities or claims for money heretofore borrowed under the said acts. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That so much of any act, or acts, of Congress as authorizes the President of the United States to cause treasury notes to be prepared, signed and issued, be, and the same is hereby repealed; Provided, always, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to affect the rights of any persons who may be the holders of treasury notes already issued. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That so much of the act, entitled "An act to authorize the issuing of treasury notes for the service of the year one thousand eight hundred and fifteen," as makes it lawful for the Secretary of the Treasury to cause the treasury notes, [in] cases therein mentioned, to be re-issued and applied anew to the same purposes, and in the same manner, as when originally issued, be, and the same is hereby repealed. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That all treasury notes which are now, or shall hereafter become, the property of the United States, (from reimbursement, purchase, exchange, or receipts, on account of taxes, duties, and demands,) shall be cancelled or destroyed at such times, and under such regulations and securities, as the commissioners of the sinking fund, with the approbation of the President, shall establish and determine. APPROVED, March 3, 1817. STATUTE II. March 3, 1817. [Obsolete.] Additional appropriation for defraying CHAP. LXXXVI.—An Act making additional appropriations to defray the expenses of the army and militia during the late war with Great Britain. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That, for defraying the expenses of the military establishment, and those incurred by calling out the militia during the late war with Great Britain, in addition to the sums heretofore appropriated by law for these objects, the following sums be, curred by call- and the same are hereby appropriated, viz: the expenses of ing out the militia. 15,000 dolls. for ascertaining Indian boundary line, &c. For pay of the army and militia, including the sum of three hundred thousand dollars, exclusive of interest, advanced by the state of Pennsylvania for defraying the expenses of the militia of said state, during the late war, seven hundred and thirty thousand dollars. For subsistence, two hundred thousand dollars. For the quarter [master's] department, four hundred and fifty thousand dollars. For the ordnance department, one hundred and forty-four thousand dollars. For the payment.of balances due to certain states, on account of disbursements for militia employed in the service of the United States, during the late war, seven hundred and seventeen thousand dollars. For paying the expenses incurred in ascertaining and surveying the boundary lines established by the treaty lately made with the Creek Indians, fifteen thousand dollars. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the several sums, hereby appropriated, be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. APPROVED, March 3, 1817. |