May 2, 1878. Ante, p. 146. [PUBLIC-No. 51.] AN ACT TO PROHIBIT THE COINAGE OF THE TWENTY CENT PIECE OF SILVER. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of Silver 20 cent the United States of America in Congress assembled, That pieces.coinage of, prohibited. 'from, and after the passage of this act, the coinage of the twenty cent piece of silver, by the Government of the United States be, and the same is hereby prohibited. And all laws in conflict with this act are hereby repealed. Approved, May 2, 1878. May 31, 1878. Legal tender notes, further re [PUBLIC-No. 65.] AN ACT TO FORBID THE FURTHER RETIREMENT OF UNITED STATES LEGAL-TENDER NOTES. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That tirement of, pro- from and after the passage of this act it shall not be lawful See act of Feb- for the Secretary of the Treasury or other officer under him ruary 4,1868, ante, p. 78. R. S., 3581, to cancel or retire any more of the United States legal hibited. ante, p. 129. tender notes. And when any of said notes may be redeemed or be received into the Treasury under any law from any source whatever and shall belong to the United States, they shall not be retired cancelled or destroyed but they shall be re-issued and paid out again and kept in circulation: Provided That nothing herein shall prohibit the cancellation and destruction of mutilated notes and the issue of other notes of like denomination in their stead, as now provided by law. All acts and parts of acts in conflict herewith are hereby repealed. Approved, May 31, 1878. June 8, 1878. of rints and as constituted as ers. [PUBLIC-No. 79.]-AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF THE Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of Superintendents the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That sayers may be the Secretary of the Treasury be and he is hereby authorsistant treasur-ized to constitute any superintendent of a mint or assayer of any assay-office, an assistant treasurer of the United States without additional compensation, to receive gold coin For what pur- and bullion on deposit for the purposes provided for in secAnte, p. 109. tion two hundred and fifty-four of the Revised Statutes. Approved, June 8, 1878. pose. LAWS RELATING TO NATIONAL BANKS AND BANKING ASSOCIA TIONS. CHAP. CVI-AN ACT TO PROVIDE A NATIONAL CURRENCY, SECURED June 3, 1864. Vol. XIII, p. 99. reau established. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Currency bu there shall be established in the treasury department a separate bureau, which shall be charged with the execution of this and all other laws that may be passed by congress respecting the issue and regulation of a national currency secured by United States bonds. The chief officer of the said bureau Comptroller of shall be denominated the comptroller of the currency, and shall be under the general direction of the Secretary of the Treasury. He shall be appointed by the President, on the Appointment. recommendation of the Secretary of the Treasury, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall hold the currency. Deputy comptroller. Clerks. his office for the term of five years unless sooner removed Term of office. Comptroller to what time. take oath within 153 Oath and bond discharge of the duties of his office. The deputy comptrolof deputy comp troiler. ler so appointed shall also take the oath of office prescribed by the constitution and laws of the United States, and shall give a like bond in the penalty of fifty thousand dollars. Not to be in The comptroller and deputy-comptroller shall not, either banking associa directly or indirectly, be interested in any association issuing national currency under the provisions of this act. terested in any tion. Seal of currency bureau, kept. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the comptroller of the currency, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, shall devise a seal, with suitable inscriptions, for and where to be his office, a description of which, with a certificate of approval by the Secretary of the Treasury, shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State with an impression thereof, which shall thereupon become the seal of office of the comptroller of the currency, and the same may be renewed when Certain papers necessary. Every certificate, assignment, and conveyance executed by the comptroller, in pursuance of any authority conferred on him by law, and sealed with his seal of office, shall be received in evidence in all places and courts whatsoever; and all copies of papers in the office of the comptroller, certified by him and authenticated by the said seal, shall in all cases be evidence equally and in like manner as Impression may the original. An impression of such seal directly on the paper shall be as valid as if made on wax or wafer. under such seal to be evidence. be upon paper. Rooms for currency bureau. vaults. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That there shall be assigned to the comptroller of the currency by the Secretary of the Treasury suitable rooms in the treasury building for conducting the business of the currency bureau, in which Fire-proof shall be safe and secure fire-proof vaults, in which it shall be the duty of the comptroller to deposit and safely keep all the plates not necessarily in the possession of engravers or printers, and other valuable things belonging to his department; and the comptroller shall from time to time Furniture, &c. furnish the necessary furniture, stationery, fuel, lights, and other proper conveniences for the transaction of the said business. Term "United States Bonds" to include what. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the term "United States Bonds," as used in this act, shall be construed to R. S., 5158, post, mean all registered bonds now issued, or that may hereafter be issued, on the faith of the United States by the Secretary of the Treasury in pursuance of law. p. 190. Banking asso. ciations, how SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That associations for may be formed. carrying on the business of banking may be formed by any number of persons, not less in any case than five, who shall enter into articles of association, which shall specify in general terms the object for which the association is formed, and may contain any other provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this act, which the association may see fit to adopt for the regulation of the business of the association and the conduct of its affairs, which said articles shall be signed by the persons uniting to form the association, and a copy of them forwarded to the comptroller of the currency, to be filed and preserved in his office. certificate to SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the persons uniting Organization to form such an association shall, under their hands, make specify an organization certificate, which shall specify First. The name assumed by such association, which name, name shall be subject to the approval of the comptroller. Second. The place where its operations of discount and place of business, deposit are to be carried on, designating the state, territory, or district, and also the particular county and city, town, or village. shares, Third. The amount of its capital stock, and the number capital and of shares into which the same shall be divided. &c., of shareholders, Fourth. The names and places of residence of the share- names, holders, and the number of shares held by each of them. Fifth. A declaration that said certificate is made to enable purpose of cersuch persons to avail themselves of the advantages of this act. tificate. seal to be evi The said certificate shall be acknowledged before a judge Certificate to be acknowledged. of some court of record or a notary public, and such certificate, with the acknowledgment thereof authenticated by the seal of such court or notary, shall be transmitted to the comptroller of the currency, who shall record and carefully preserve the same in his office. Copies of such certificate, Copies under duly certified by the comptroller, and authenticated by his dence. seal of office, shall be legal and sufficient evidence in all courts and places within the United States, or the jurisdiction of the government thereof, of the existence of such association, and of every other matter or thing which could be proved by the production of the original certificate. SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That no association shall, Amount of capbe organized under this act, with a less capital than one than, &c. hundred thousand dollars, nor in a city whose population exceeds fifty thousand persons, with a less capital than two hundred thousand dollars: Provided, That banks with a Proviso. capital of not less than fifty thousand dollars may, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, be organized in ital to be not less Associations, when to be cor when to com. mence business. Seal. twenty years, unless, &c. officers. any place the population of which does not exceed six thousand inhabitants. SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That every association porations and formed pursuant to the provisions of this act shall, from the date of the execution of its organization certificate, be a body corporate, but shall transact no business except such as may be incidental to its organization and necessarily preliminary, until authorized by the comptroller of the currency to commence the business of banking. Such association shall have power to adopt a corporate seal, and shall have succession by the name designated in its organization May continue certificate, for the period of twenty years from its organization, unless sooner dissolved according to the provisions of its articles of association, or by the act of its shareholders owning two thirds of its stock, or unless the franchise shall General powers. be forfeited by a violation of this act; by such name it may make contracts, sue and be sued, complain and defend, in any court of law and equity as fully as natural persons; it Directors and may elect or appoint directors, and by its board of directors appoint a president, vice-president, cashier, and other offi cers, define their duties, require bonds of them and fix the penalty thereof, dismiss said officers or any of them at pleas ure, and appoint others to fill their places, and exercise under this act all such incidental powers as shall be necessary to carry on the business of banking by discounting and negotiating promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange, and other evidences of debt; by receiving deposits; by buying and selling exchange, coin, and bullion; by loaning money on personal security; by obtaining, issuing, and circulating notes according to the provisions of this act; and its board of directors shall also have power to define and regulate by by-laws, not inconsistent with the provisions of this act, the manner in which its stock shall be transferred, its directors elected or appointed, its officers appointed, its property transferred, its general business conducted, and all the privileges granted by this act to associations organized under it shall be exercised and enjoyed; and its usual business shall be transacted at an office or banking house located in the place specified in its organization certificate. By-laws. R. S., 5190, post, p. 197. Directors; qualifications; SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That the affairs of every association shall be managed by not less than five directors, one to be presi- one of whom shall be the president. Every director shall, dent. |