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 imprisoned 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. 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 The 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, No. 78. An Act authorizing the payment of certain claims of the State of Alabama. $13,455 32 are appropriated to pay for certain expenses incurred during the Indian wars. Aug. 10, 1846. No. 79. An Act to provide for the payment of the evidences of public debt in certain cases. Innocent holders of treasury notes once paid, but afterwards purloined, altered, and put in circulation again, may obtain their value from the government, on furnishing sufficient proof of good faith. Aug. 10, 1846. XXVII. ARTICLES OF THE OREGON CONVENTION between Great Britain and the United States, signed by the Plenipotentiaries at Washington, June 15, 1846. Article 1. From the point on the 49th parallel of north latitude, where the boundary laid down in existing treaties and conventions between Great Britain and the United States terminates, the line of boundary between the territories of her Britannic Majesty and those of the United States shall be continued westward along the 49th parallel of north latitude to the middle of the channel which separates the continent from Vancouver's Island; and thence southerly through the middle of the said channel, and of Fuca Straits, to the Pacific Ocean; provided, however, that the navigation of the said channel and straits, south of the 49th parallel of north latitude, remain free and open to both parties. Article 2. From the point at which the 49th parallel of north latitude shall be found to intersect the great northern branch of the Columbia river, the navigation of the said branch shall be free and open to the Hudson's Bay Company, and to all British subjects trading with the same, to the point where the said branch meets the main stream of the Columbia, and thence down the said main stream to the ocean, with free access into and through the said river or rivers, it being understood that all the usual portages along the line thus described, shall in like manner be free and open. In navigating the said river or rivers, British subjects, with their goods and produce, shall be treated on the same footing as citizens of the United States; it being, however, always understood that nothing in this article shall be construed as preventing, or intended to prevent, the Government of the United States from making any regulations respecting the navigation of the said river or rivers, not inconsistent with the present treaty. Article 3. In the future appropriations of the territory south of the 49th parallel of north latitude, as provided in the first article of this treaty, the possessory rights of the Hudson's Bay Company, and of all British subjects who may be already in the occupation of land or other property lawfully acquired within the said territory shall be respected. Article 4. The farms, lands, and other property of every description, belonging to the Puget's Sound Agricultural Company, on the north side of the Columbia river, shall be confirmed to the said Company. In case, however, the situation of those farms and lands should be considered by the United States to be of public and political importance, and the United States Government should signify a desire to obtain possession of the whole or of any part thereof, the property so required shall be transferred to the said Government at a proper valuation to be agreed upon between the parties. Article 5. The present treaty shall be ratified by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by her Britannic Majesty ; and the ratifications shall be exchanged at London at the expiration of six months from the date hereof, or sooner if possible. XXVIII. POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES. States. 1790 1800 1830 1840 1845 399,955 501,793 269,328 284,574 280,652 291,948 610,408 737,699 83,059 97,199 108,830 1810 1820 319,728 341,548 380,546 407,350 447,040 470,019 North Carolina, 737,987 753,419 South Carolina, 581,185 594,398 Georgia, Florida, Alabama, 20.845 127,901 309,527 590,756 624,827 Mississippi, 8,850 40,352 75.448 136,621 375.651 Louisiana, Arkansas, 14,273 30,388 97.574 937,903 1,519,467 31.639 212,267 304,278 685,866 Illinois, 12,282 55.211 157,455 476,183 643,482 20.845 66.586 140,445 14,093 24,023 33,039 39,834 3,929,827 5,305,925 7,239,814 9,638,131 12,866,920 17,063,353 XXIX. SLAVES IN THE UNITED STATES. |