France, and Spain, to be received in payment on account of lands. Secretary of the treasury to cause assays to be made annually at the mint. President to cause certain ments on account of public lands, at the several and respective rates following, and not otherwise, viz: the gold coins of Great Britain and Portugal, and of their present standard, at the rate of one hundred cents for every twenty-seven grains, or eightyeight cents and eight ninths per pennyweight: the gold coins of France, of their present standard, at the rate of one hundred cents for every twenty-seven and a half grains, or eighty-seven and a quarter cents per pennyweight: and the gold coins of Spain of their present standard, at the rate of one hundred cents for every twenty-eight and a half grains, or eighty-four cents per pennyweight. 2. That it shall be the duty of the secretary of the treasury to cause asssays of the foregoing coins to be made at the mint of the United States, at least once in every year; and to make report of the result thereof to congress. [Approved, March 3, 1823.] CHAP. 182. An act for clearing, repairing, and improving, certain roads, for the purpose of facilitating the transportation of the United States' mail. 1. Be it enacted, &c. That the president of the United States mail roads to be, and he hereby is, authorized to cause to be cleared, repairbe cleared, re- ed, and improved, the United States' mail road from Nashville, paired, and improved. in the state of Tennessee, to New Orleans, in the state of LouProviso. isiana : Provided, He shall not expend more than seven thousand nine hundred and twenty dollars, in clearing, repairing, and improving, the same, and that the said sum shall be expended on that part of the road which may lie within territory occupied by the Indians, and to which their title has not yet been extinguished. Approved, March 3, 1823.] Deeds, &c. not stamped payment of rendered valid CHAP. 183. An act respecting stamps. 1. Be it enacted, &c. That, whenever any person or persons by act of 23d shall pay to the secretary of the treasury, the duty chargeable April, 1800, on by the act, entitled "An act to establish a general stamp office," the duty and passed on the twenty-third day of April, in the year one thousten dollars, and eight hundred, on any deed, instrument, or writing, on which as if stamped. the said stamp duty chargeable by law shall not have been paid, Vol. i. p. 754. together with the further sum of ten dollars, and shall obtain a certificate thereof from the secretary of the treasury, such deed, instrument, or writing, shall be, to all intents and purposes, as valid and available, as if the same had been, or were, stamped, counter stamped, or marked, as by said law required; any thing in any act to the contrary notwithstanding. Act to continue in force one year. Secretary of the treasury 2. That this act shall be, and continue, in force for the term of one year from the passage thereof, and no longer. [Approved, March 3, 1823.] CHAP. 184. An act to authorize the building of lighthouses, light vessels, and beacons, therein mentioned, and for other purposes. § 1. Be it enacted, &c. That the secretary of the treasury be, and he hereby is, empowered to provide, by contract, for buildempowered to ing lighthouses, and light vessels, erecting beacons, and placing building light- buoys, on the following sites or shoals, to wit: A lighthouse on contract for Baker's Island, near Mount Desart, in the state of Maine; one houses, &c. on on Monamoy Point, in the state of Massachusetts; a lighthouse certain sites on Goat Island, in the state of Rhode Island; a light vessel, not to be under two hundred and fifty tons, on Cape Hatteras, in North Carolina; a lighthouse on Cape Romain, in the state of South Carolina; a lighthouse at or near the entrance of the harbor of Pensacola, for that part of the territory known as West Florida; a lighthouse near Fort Gratiot, in Michigan territory; a beacon on Hadrell's Point, in the state of South Carolina; two light vessels to be placed in the bay of Delaware, the one at or near the Brandywine Shoal, and the other at or near the shoal called the Upper Middle; and also, to agree for the salaries, wages, or hire, of the persons to be appointed by the president of the United States, for the superintendence of the same: Pro- Proviso. vided, That no moneys shall be expended in erecting such lighthouses, until the jurisdiction to such portions of land as the president of the United States shall select as the sites of the same, respectively, shall be ceded to, and the property thereof vested in, the United States. tions. 2. That there be appropriated, out of any money in the trea- Appropria sury, not otherwise appropriated, the following sums of money, to wit: For building the lighthouse on Baker's Island, two thousand five hundred dollars; for one on Monamoy Point, three thousand dollars; for one on Goat Island, two thousand five bundred dollars; for an additional sum to complete the light vessel authorized to be built, by an act, entitled "An act to authorize the building lighthouses therein mentioned, and for other purposes," passed the seventh day of May, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two, for the state of New York, five thousand dollars; for an additional sum to complete the lighthouse on Oldfield Point, in the same state, one thousand five hundred dollars; for an additional sum to complete a tower for the light on Fort Niagara, in the same state, one thousand five hundred dollars; for placing a lantern at Fort Delaware, in the river Delaware, one thousand five hundred dollars; for completing the lighthouse on Cape May, in the state of New Jersey, a sum not exceeding five thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars; for placing a light vessel at or near Cape Hatteras Shoals, a sum not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars; for building a lighthouse on Cape Romain, ten thousand dollars; for erecting a beacon on Hadrell's Point, one thousand five hundred dollars; for finishing the lighthouse near St. Augustine, in the territory of East Florida, the sum of five thousand dollars; for building a lighthouse at or near Pensacola, a sum not exceeding six thousand dollars; for building a lighthouse at fort Gratiot, three thousand five hundred dollars; and for building and placing two light vessels in Delaware bay, twenty thousand dollars. amination and made of the $3. That the president of the United States be, and he is President to hereby, authorized to cause such an examination and survey to cause an exbe made of the obstruction between the harbor of Gloucester survey to be and the harbor of Squam, in the state of Massachusetts, as may obstruction be requisite to ascertain the expediency of removing such ob- between the struction; and the president is hereby authorized to cause such VOL. III. 222 barbor of Gloucester and that of Squam, in Massachu sotis. Appropria tion. Appropriation for examina tion and sur vey of port Presque Isle. Vol. iii. p. 1889. Act of 20th public lands, extended to 30th September next. obstruction to be removed, by contract or otherwise, under the direction of the collector of the district of Gloucester, if, from the report of persons he may appoint to examine and survey the same, he shall deem it expedient; and a sum, not exceeding six thousand dollars, is hereby appropriated for that purpose, to be paid out of any money in the treasury, not otherwise appropriated. 4. That the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars be, and the same is hereby, appropriated, to be paid out of any money in the treasury, not otherwise appropriated, to enable the president of the United States to cause the entrance of the harbor of the port of Presque Isle, in Pennsylvania, to be examined and surveyed by one of the topographical engineers of the United States, whose duty it shall be to make a probable estimate of the expense of removing the obstructions, and report on the best manner of removing them, and the effect of such removal on the channel in future. [Approved, March 3, 1823.] CHAP. 185. An act further to extend the provisions of the act, entitled " An act supplementary to an act, entitled 'An act for the relief of the purchasers of the public lands prior to the first July, one thousand eight hundred and twenty." § 1. Be it enacted, &c. That all persons who shall produce satfor relief of the isfactory evidence to the register and receiver of the proper land purchasers of office, that they were actually entitled to, and would have availed themselves of, the provisions of the act, entitled "An act supplementary to the act, entitled 'An act for the relief of the purchasers of the public lands prior to the first day of July, one thousand eight hundred and twenty," approved April twentieth, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two, and their failure to do so was owing to such cause or circumstance as he could not control or prevent, shall be allowed until the thirtieth day of September next, to avail themselves of all the privileges, advantages, and provisions, of the said act, in the same manner they could have done prior to the thirtieth day of September last. [Approved, March 3, 1823.] Penalty of the March, 1821, for regulating the entry of merchandise from any for eign territory, altered. Vol. iii. p. 1811. Persons re CHAP. 186. An act to amend an act, entitled "An act further to regulate the entry of merchandise imported into the United States from any adjacent territory." § 1. Be it enacted, &c. That, from and after the passage of this act, every master or other person having charge of a vessel, boat, canoe, or raft, or the conductor or driver of any carriage, or sleigh, or other person bringing merchandise from any foreign territory adjacent to the United States, who shall neglect or refuse to deliver a manifest, as is required in and by the act, entitled "An act further to regulate the entry of merchandise imported into the United States from any adjacent territory," passed the second day of March, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-one, shall be subject to pay, instead of the penalty of four hundred dollars imposed by the first section of said act, four times the value of the merchandise so imported. § 2. That if any person or persons shall receive, conceal, or ceiving, &c. buy, any goods, wares, or merchandise, knowing them to have goods illegally been illegally imported into the United States, and liable to imported and seizure by virtue of any act in relation to the revenue, such liable to seiperson or persons shall, on conviction thereof, forfeit and pay are, to fo a sum double the amount or value of the goods, wares, or mer- amount. chandise, so received, concealed, or purchased. forfeit § 3. That if any person shall forcibly resist, prevent, or im- Persons forcipede, any officer of the customs or their deputies, or any person &c. an officer bly resisting, assisting them in the execution of their duty, such person, so of the customs, offending, shall, for every such offence, be fined a sum not ex- Vol. i. p. 633. ceeding four hundred dollars. &c. the 46th sec 1799, extend 4. That the provisions of the forty-sixth section of the act, Provisions of entitled "An act to regulate the collection of duties on imports tion of the act and tonnage," passed the second day of March, anno domini of 2d March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, be, and they are od. hereby, extended to the case of goods, wares, and merchandise, imported into the United States from an adjacent territory. be sued for, ac cording to the act of 2d March, 1799. 5. That all penalties and forfeitures, incurred by force of Penalties to this act, shall be sued for, recovered, distributed, and accounted for, in the manner prescribed by an act, entitled "An act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage," passed on the second day of March, anno domini one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine. [Approved, March 3, 1823.] CHAP. 187. An act supplementary to the acts to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war. war authoriz upon certain § 1. Be it enacted, &c. That the secretary of war be, and he is Secretary of hereby, authorized and required to restore to the list of pension- ed to restore to the list such ers the name of any person who may have been, or hereafter pensioners as shall be stricken therefrom, in pursuance of the act of congress, have or shall be struck of by passed the first day of May, one thousand eight hundred and the act of 1st twenty, entitled "An act in addition to an act, entitled "An act May, 1820, to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval ser- conditions. vice of the United States in the revolutionary. war," passed the Vol. ii. p. eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, if such person, so stricken from the list of pensioners, has heretofore furnished, or hereafter shall furnish, evidence, in pursuance of the provisions of said act, to satisfy the secretary of war that he is in such indigent circumstances as to be unable to support himself without the assistance of his country, and that he has not disposed of or transferred his property, or any portion thereof, with a view to obtain a pension. 1662. such person as in court to A judge may 2. That, when any person, coming within the provisions of attend at the the acts to which this is supplementary, shall, by reason of bodi- dwelling of ly infirmity, be unable to attend in court to make his schedule, shall be unaand furnish the evidence by said acts required, it shall be lawful ble to attend for any judge or justice of a court of record in the district, city, make his county, or borough, in which such person resides, to attend at schedule. his place of abode, and receive his schedule, and oath or affirmation, and said judge or justice shall certify that said applicant was, from bodily infirmity, unable to attend such court; which schedule, and oath or affirmation, and certificate, shall, by said judge or justice, be produced in the court of which he is judge; and the opinion of said court, of the value of the property con No pension to commence previous to this act, and tained in said schedule, shall be entered thereon, and certified by the clerk of said court; and such schedule shall be valid for all the purposes contemplated by the acts aforesaid: 3. That no pension hereafter to be allowed on claims or schedules heretofore filed under the act or acts to which this the passing of act is a supplement, or under the provisions of this act, shall other pensions commence before the passage thereof; and all other pensions only from the hereafter to be allowed under the acts aforesaid, shall commence completion of from the time of completing the proof. [Approved, March 1, 1823.] the proof. Vol. iii. p. 1774. Lands ceded by the Wea Indians to be attached to the Terre Haule district. Lands to be sold at the the Terre Haute district, or on such day days as shall be designated by the presi dent. CHAP. 188. An act supplementary to the act, entitled "An act to designate the boundaries of districts, and establish land offices for the disposal of the public lands, not heretoforo offered for sale, in the states of Ohio and Indiana." § 1. Be it enacted, &c. That all the lands ceded and relinquished to the United States, by the Wea tribe of Indians, under the first article of the treaty held at Vincennes, on the eleventh day of August, eighteen hundred and twenty, and which is specified and designated by the second article of the treaty between the United States and the said tribe, concluded at St. Mary's, on the second day of October, eighteen hundred and eighteen, be, and the same is hereby, attached to the Terre Haute district for the sale of public lands in the state of Indiana. 2. That all the public lands specified, designated, and emland office of braced, within the first and second article of the treaties aforesaid, which have not been granted to, or secured for, the use of any individual or individuals, or appropriated and reserved for any other purpose, by any existing treaties or laws, and, with the exception of section numbered sixteen, in each township, which shall be reserved for the support of schools therein, shall be offered for sale to the highest bidder, at the land office in the Terre Haute district, under the direction of the register of the land office and receiver of public moneys, on such day or days as shall, by proclamation of the president of the United States, be designated for that purpose. The lands shall be sold in tracts of the same size, on the same terms and conditions, and, in every respect, as provided by the act, entitled "An act making further provision for the sale of the public lands," approved April twenty-fourth, eighteen hundred and twenty. Register and receiver to re ceive 5 dollars a day each. A new land district to be formed to be called the 3. That the register of the land office and the receiver of public moneys shall, each, receive five dollars for each day's attendance in superintending the public sales of the land before described, according to the president's proclamation. [Approved, March 3, 1823.] CHAP. 194. An act to establish an additional land office in the state of Missouri. 1. Be it enacted, &c. That so much of the public lands of the United States, as lies west of the range line dividing the twenty-third and twenty-fourth tiers of townships west of the fifth trict, for which principal meridian, in the present Howard land district, in the a land office is state of Missouri, shall form a land district for the disposal of the said lands, to be called the western district; and a land office western dis to be estab Jished. |