truth of the facts certified to, and the propriety letters and notes in the order of their dates, of the remission, shall be still open to investiga- which are written by the consul or commercial tion. agent; a book for the entry of protests, and in 19. If, upon the application of any mariner, which all other official consular acts likewise it shall appear to the consul or commercial shall be recorded; and at seaports, a book agent that he is entitled to his discharge, under wherein shall be recorded the list of crew, and any act of Congress, or according to the general the age, tonnage, owner or owners, name and principles of the maritime law, as recognized place to which she belongs, of every American in the United States, he shall discharge such vessel which arrives. Consuls and commercial mariner, and shall require of the master the agents shall make quarterly returns to their govpayment of three months' wages, as provided infernment, specifying the amount of fees received, the act of February 28, 1808, and shall not remit the number of vessels, and the amount of their the same, or any part thereof, except in the case tonnage, which have arrived and departed; the mentioned in the proviso of the ninth clause of number of seamen, and what portion of them the first section of the act of July 20, 1840, to the are protected; and, as nearly as possible, the following effect: "If the consul or other com-nature and value of their cargoes, and where mercial agent shall be satisfied the contract has produced. expired, or the voyage been protracted by cir- § 23. As soon as a consul or commercial agent cumstances beyond the control of the master, shall have received his exequatur, or been proand without any design on his part to violate visionally recognized, he shall apply to his prethe articles of shipment, then he may, if he decessor for the archives of the consulate or deems it just, discharge the mariner without ex-commercial agency, and make an inventory of acting the three months' additional pay." the papers, and such other articles as they may 20. Every consul and commercial agent, for contain, for which he shall pass a receipt and any neglect to perform the duties enjoined upon transmit a copy thereof to the State Department. him by this act, shall be liable to any injured § 24. The Secretary of State is hereby authorperson for all damages occasioned thereby; and, for any violation of the provisions of the fifteenth and nineteenth sections of this act, shall also be liable to indictment, and to a penalty in the manner provided by the eighteenth clause of the first section of the act of July 20, 1840. ized to prescribe such additional regulations for the keeping of the consular books and records, and insuring proper returns, as the public interest may require. § 25. The President of the United States is hereby authorized to bestow the title of consul§ 21. The act of April 14, 1792, concerning general upon any United States consul in Asia consuls, &c., is hereby so amended, that if or Africa, when, in his opinion, such title will any American citizen dying abroad shall, by promote the public interest. § 27. Provisions of this act to take effect from and after the 80th of June next; any law or laws of the United States to the contrary not An Act to provide a more Efficient Discipline for the Navy. will or any other writing, leave special direc- § 26. All acts and parts of acts, authorizing tions for the management and settlement by attachés to any of our legations, or the payment the consul of the personal or other property to ministers and consuls of the United States of which he may die possessed of in the country outfits or infits, or salaries for clerk-hire and ofwhere he may die, it shall be the duty of the fice rent be, and the same are, hereby repealed. consul, where the laws of the country permit, strictly to observe the directions so given by the deceased. Or, if such citizen so dying shall, by will or any other writing, have appointed any withstanding. other person than the consul to take charge of and settle his affairs, in that case it shall be the duty of the consul, when, and so often as required by the so-appointed agent or trustee of That from and after the passage of this act, the deceased, to give his official aid in whatever it shall be the duty of every commanding officer way may be necessary to facilitate the operation of any of the vessels of the navy, on returning of such trustee or agent, and, where the laws of from a cruise, to forward, immediately on his the country permit, to protect the property of arrival in port, to the Sec. of the Navy, a list the deceased from any interference of the local of the names of such of the crew enlisted for authorities of the country in which he may have three years as, in his opinion, on being disdied; and to this end it shall also be the duty of the consul to place his official seal on all or any portions of the property of the deceased as may be required by the said agent or trustee, and to break and remove the same seal when required by the agent or trustee, and not other- §2. If any seaman, ordinary seaman, landswise; he, the said consul or commercial agent, man, or boy, shall reénlist for three years, withreceiving therefor two dollars for each seal, in three months after his discharge, he shall, on which, like all other fees for consular service, presenting his honorable discharge, or on acincluding all charges for extension of protest,.as counting in a satisfactory manner for its loss, also such commissions as are allowed by exist-be entitled to the usual pay during the said three ing laws on settlement of estates of American months. Citizens by consuls and commercial agents, shall § 3. It shall be the duty of commanders in the be reported to the Treasury Department, and navy, in granting temporary leave of absence held subject to its order. and liberty on shore, to exercise carefully a dis$22. The following record-books shall be pro- crimination in favor of the faithful and obedient. vided for and kept in cach consulate and com- § 4. Summary courts-martial may be ordered ercial agency: A letter-book, into which shall upon petty officers and persons of inferior ratbe copied, in the English language, all official ings, by the commander of any vessel in the charged, are entitled to an honorable discharge," as a testimonial of fidelity and obedience; and that he shall grant the same to such, according to the form to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy. navy to which such persons belong, for the trial, trict court in the United States, which has been of offences which he may deem deserving of commenced and is in progress before a jury or greater punishment than the commander of a the court, shall not be stayed or discontinued vessel himself is by law authorized to inflict of by the arrival of the period fixed by law for anhis own authority, but not sufficient to require other session of said court, and it shall be lawful trial by general court-martial. for the court to proceed with such trial or hear § 5. That summary courts-martial shall con-ing, and bring it to a conclusion, in like manner sist of three officers not below the rank of and with the same effect, as if another stated passed midshipmen, and of some competent per-term of the court had not intervened. son to act as recorder. Before proceeding to 2. Where letters rogatory shall have been trial, the members shall be sworn to render a addressed, from any port of a foreign country just verdict, according to the evidence and the to any circuit court of the United States, and a laws governing the navy. United States commissioner designated by said After which the recorder of the court shall circuit court to make the examination of wittake an oath to keep a true record of the evi-nesses in said letters mentioned, said commisdence which may be given before the court, and sioner shall be empowered to compel the witof the proceedings thereof. nesses to appear and depose in the same manner § 6. The commander of a ship shall have an- as to appear and testify in court. thority to order any officer under his command An Act to amend" An Act to carry into effect to act as recorder of a summary court-martial. § 7. All testimony shall be given orally, on oath or affirmation. a Treaty between the United States and Great Britain," signed on the 5th June, 1854, and approved August 5th, 1854. Summary courts-martial may sentence petty Enacts, that from and after the date when officers and persons of inferior ratings to any the reciprocity treaty with Great Britain, June one of the following punishments, viz: 854, shall go into effect, the Secretary of the First. Discharge from the service with bad Treasury is required to refund all duties on "fish conduct discharge, but the sentence not to be car- of all kinds, the products of fish, and of all other ried into effect in a foreign country. Second. Solicreatures living in the water," imported into the tary confinement in irons, single or double, on bread and water, or diminished rations, provided United States, after the 11th of Sept., 1854, the date of the promulgation of the treaty aforeno such confinement shall exceed thirty days. said, on proof that the articles aforesaid were Third. Solitary confinement in irons, single or the products of some one of the British prov double, not exceeding thirty days. Fourth. Sol-inces of North America. itary confinement not exceeding thirty days. 2. From and after the date when the said treaty Fifth. Confinement not exceeding two months. shall go into effect, the Secretary of the TreaSixth. Reduction to next inferior rating. Sev-. ments. enth. Deprivation of liberty on shore on foreign sury shall be authorized to refund such sums of station. Eighth. Extra police duties and loss money as shall have been collected as duties on any of the articles enumerated in the schedule anof pay, not to exceed three months, may be nexed to the third article of the reciprocity treaty added to any of the above-mentioned punish- aforesaid, imported into the United States from the British provinces of Canada, New Brunswick, § 8. No sentence of a summary court-martial shall be carried in effect without the approval the acts of their respective governments admitand Nova Scotia, respectively, since the date of of the officer ordering the court; who shall have ting like articles into said provinces from the power to remit, in part or altogether, but not to United States free of duty, on proof, satisfactory commute any such sentence. The commanding to the said secretary, that the articles so imofficer shall remit any part or the whole of any ported were the products of Canada, new Brunssentence by a summary court-martial, the execution of which would, in the opinion of the sur-wick, or Nova Scotia, as the case may be, and imported therefrom into the United States, and geon or senior medical officer on board, given that the duties were duly paid thereon; and he in writing, produce serious injury to the health of the person sentenced. $9. The proceedings of summary courts-martial shall be conducted with conciseness and is further authorized and required to cancel, from and after the date the treaty aforesaid shall go into effect, on like satisfactory proof, precision, and shall be transmitted to the Navy any warehouse bonds to secure duties which Department. may have been given for any of the said articles imported as aforesaid. And the Secretary § 10. Any punishments authorized by this act of the Treasury is also hereby invested with the to be inflicted by a summary court-martial, may same authority and power to refund the duties likewise be inflicted by any general court-martial. or cancel the warehouse bonds on any of the § 11. Any person who shall er.tice any seaman from the naval service to desert, or who shall articles enumerated in said treaty, the produce of Prince Edward's Island, or Newfoundland, conceal any deserter, and refuse to deliver him up upon the order of his commanding officer shall, respectively, on said treaty going into operaupon legal conviction thereof, be fined at the dis- tion, should it be proved, to the satisfaction of the said secretary, that Prince Edward's Island, cretion of the court, in any sum not exceeding $300, or be imprisoned for any term not exceed or Newfoundland, have admitted all of the articles enumerated in said treaty from the United ing one year. States, free of duty, prior to said treaty going into operation. An Act to prevent Mis-trials in the District and Circuit Courts of the United States, in certain Cases. An Act for the Relief of Purchasers and Lo. cators of Swamp and Overflowed Lands. Enacts, that the trial or hearing of any Enacts, that the President cause patents to be cause, civil or criminal, in any circuit or dis-issued, as soon as practicable, to the purchasers or locators, who have made entries of the pub-pro rata share, shall receive a number sufficient lic lands, claimed as swamp lands, either with to make an equal pro rata proportion, for all cash, or with land warrants, or with scrip, prior the States, according to the present representato the issue of patents to the State or States, as tion in Congress. provided for by the 2d sec. of the act of Sept. 28, The act further provides that there shall be 1850, entitled "An act to enable the State of Ar-added to the army two regiments of infantry and kansas and other States to reclaim the swamp two regiments of cavalry, organized as in the exlands within their limits," any decision of the Se-isting force; and there shall be appointed by the ecretary of the Interior, or other officer of the gov-President and Senate one brigadier-general, and ernment of the United States, to the contrary not- that the officers and men authorized by this act withstanding: Provided, That in all cases where shall be entitled to the same allowances and beneany State may have disposed of any tract of said fits, in every respect, as are allowed to other land, prior to the entry, sale, or location of the troops composing the army of the United States. same, under the preemption or other laws of the An Act making Appropriations for FortificaUnited States, no patent shall be issued by the tions and other Works of Defence, and for President for such tract of land, until suck State Repairs of Barracks and Quarters, for the shall release its claim thereto: And provided, year ending the 80th June, 1856. further, That if such State shall not, within. ninety days from the passage of this act, return Appropriates as follows:to the General Land-Office of the United States, Fort Delaware.. a list of all the lands sold as aforesaid, together with the dates of such sale, and the names of the purchasers, the patents shall be issued immediately thereafter, as directed in the foregoing section. For 46 Carroll, Baltimore Taylor, Key West.. "fortifying Alcatraz Island, Cal.. Total appropriations... $150,000 100,000 150,000 150,000 300,000 200,000 667,000 .$1,717,600 Act for the Construction of certain Military Roads in the Territory of Kansas. Enacts, that the sum of $50,000 be appropriated for the construction of a road from Fort Riley to such point on the Arkansas River as may, in the opinion of the Secretary of War, be most expedient for military purposes; and the further sum of $50,000 for the construction of a road from Fort Riley to Bridger's Pass, in the Rocky Mountains. 2. That upon due proof, by the authorized agent of the State or States, before the Commissioner of the General Land-Office, that any of An the lands purchased were swamp lands, within the true intent and meaning of the act aforesaid, the purchase-money shall be paid over to the said State or States; and where the lands have been located by warrant or scrip, the said State or States shall be authorized to locate a quantity of like amount upon any of the public lands subject to entry, at $1.25 per acre, or less, and patents shall be issued therefor, upon the terms and conditions enumerated in the act aforesaid: Provided, however, That the said decision of the Commissioner of the General Land-Office shall be approved by the Secretary of the Interior. An Act making Appropriations for the Support of the Army, for the year ending the 30th of June, 1856, and for other purposes. Appropriates as follows:- An Act further to amend the Act entitled "An Act to reduce and modify the Rates of Postages in the United States, and for other Purpos:8," passed March 8, 1851. Enacts, that in lieu of the rates of postage now established by law, there shall be charged the following rates, to wit:- For every single letter in manuscript or paper $2,600,806 of any kind, in which information shall be asked 137,755 for or communicated in writing, or by marks or 628,168 104,832 signs, conveyed in the mail for any distance be1,381,069 tween places in the United States, not exceed 574,877 ing three thousand miles, three cents; and for 890,000 any distance exceeding three thousand miles, 375,368 ten cents. 490,458 100.000 250,000 And for a double letter there shall be charged 1,200,000 double the rate above specified; and for a treble 200,000 letter, treble those rates; and for a quadruple 125,000 letter, quadruple those rates; and every letter 100.000 or parcel not exceeding half an ounce in weight, 100,000 shall be deemed a single letter; and every additional weight of half an ounce, or additional 325,000 601,813 weight of less than half an ounce, shall be 2,500,000 charged with an additional single postage; and upon all letters passing through or in the mail of $12,688,146 the United States, excepting such as are to or This act provides that the annual distribution from a foreign country, the postages as above of arms to the several States for the arming of specified shall be prepaid, except upon letters the militia, shall be hereafter made according to and packages addressed to officers of the gov the number of their senators and representatives ernment on official business, which shall be so Congress, respectively: Provided, That the marked on the envelope. And from and after Sec. of War shall first equalize, as far as practi- Jan. 1, 1856, the Postmaster-General may recable, the number of arms heretofore distributed quire postmasters to place postage stamps upon and now in possession of the several States, so all prepaid letters upon which such stamps may that each State which has received less than its not have been placed by the writers. Total appropriations.. And all drop-letters, or letters placed in any States from $5,000 to $6,500, and the Associate post-office not for transmission through the mail, Justices from $4,500 to $6,000; and authorizes but for delivery only, shall be charged with post- the appointment of four principal and four asage at the rate of one cent each; and all letters sistant examiners in the Patent Office. which shall hereafter be advertised as remaining An Act making Appropriations for the Naval over, or uncalled for, in any post-office, shall be Service, for the year ending June 80, 1856. charged with one cent each, in addition to the regular postage, both to be accounted for as Appropriates for the pay of seemeu.... Pay of Superint's, Naval Constructors, &c.. other postages now are. Provisions for petty officers and seamen Increase and equipment of the Navy Construction of Steam Frigates Stevens' War Steamer Ordnance, ordnance stores, &c. 2. Makes it a misdemeanor, punishable by fine from $10 to $500, for any postmaster or other person to sell postage stamps, or stamped envelopes, for more than the sum indicated upon the face of such stamp. This act to take effect from Contingent expenses.. and after the commencement of the next fiscal Construction of works, &c., at various Navy quarter after its passage: Provided, That no-Pay, provisions and clothing of mariners. thing herein contained shall be so construed as Transportation of mails between New-York to alter the laws in relation to the franking and Liverpool... Other Ocean Mail transportation.. privilege. Yards... Total expenditures .$3,515,111 124,480 686,200 2,799,500 3,000,000 250,000 640,000 842,048 2,475,938 419,433 819,500 1,159,100 1,530,859 337,482 .$18,499,651 5. For the greater security of valuable let-To supply deficiencies, &c.. ters posted for transmission in the mails of the Miscellaneous items... United States, the Postmaster-General is authorized to establish a uniform plan for the registration of such letters on application of parties An Act extending Right of Way through the posting the same, and to require the prepayment Public Lands. of the postage, as well as a registration fee of five Provides that the provisions of the act entitled cents on every such letter or packet, to be ac-"An act to grant the right of way to all rail and counted for by postmasters receiving the same in plank roads, and Macadamized turnpikes passsuch manner as the Postmaster-General shall ing through the public lands belonging to the direct: Provided, however, That such registra- United States," approved August 4, 1852, is heretion shall not be compulsory; and it shall not by extended to all the public lands in the terrirender the Post-Office Department or its revenue tories of the United States. liable for the loss of such letters or packets, or the contents thereof. Independent Treasury 66 Coast Survey Light House Department.. Constructing Light Houses $195,710 70,284 194,000 An Act making Appropriations for the Ourrent and Contingent Expenses of the Indian Department, and for fulfilling Treaty Stipulations with various Indian Tribes, for the year ending June 30, 1856, and for other Purposes. 694,976 310,736 271,408 25,000 119,119 719,654 300,000 Appropriates to the Sioux of Mississippi.... $205,800 484,731 to the Shawnees*. 175,220 For removing California Indians 119,090 Payments to various tribes... 103,664 170,552 Total expenditures. 300,000 105,000 150,000 1,693,907 ..$2,154,707 146,500 An Act in Addition to certain Acts granting Bounty Land to certain Officers and Soldiers who have been engaged in the Military Service of the United States. 541,300 249,100 1,043,107 154,200 Enacts, that each of the surviving officers and 1,058,875 soldiers, whether of regulars, volunteers, rang230,000 ers, or militia, who were regularly mustered into 1,106,187 1,275,146 the service of the United States, and every offi580,000 953,889 cer and man engaged in the navy, in any of the 492,300 wars in which this oountry has been engaged 625,891 since 1790, and each of the survivors of the 250,000 militia, or volunteers, or State troops of any 860,461 State or Territory, called into military service, 663,891 and regularly mustered therein, and whose 602,964 services have been paid by the United States, shall be entitled to receive a certificate or $15,532,955 warrant for 160 acres of land; and where any This act increases the annual pay of the Chief of those who have so been mustered into service Justice of the Supreme Court of the United and paid shall have received a certificate or Deficiencies in appropriation for 1855 Building Custom Houses, &c.. Total appropriations.. warrant, he shall be entitled to a certificate or An Act to amend an Act approved the 4th of warrant for such quantity of land as will make,. August, 1854, entitled "An Act to graduate in the whole, with what he may have heretofore and reduce the Prices of the Public Lands received, 160 acres to each such person having to actual Settlers and Cultivators." served as aforesaid: Provided, The person so Enacts, that the act approved 4th August, having been in service shall not receive said land 1854, "To graduate and reduce the price of the warrant if it shall appear by the muster-rolls of public lands to actual settlers and cultivators," his regiment or corps that he deserted, or was dis- shall be so construed that the affidavits required honorably discharged from service: Provided by the third section of that act may be made further, That the benefits of this section shall before any officer duly authorized by law to adbe held to extend to wagon-masters and team- minister oaths, according to such forms, and sters who may have been employed, under direc-pursuant to such regulations, as shall be pretion of competent authority, in time of war, in scribed by the Secretary of the Interior. the transportation of military stores and supplies. An Act for carrying into Effect the Conven tion upon the Subject of Claims between the United States and her Britannic Majesty, of the 8th of February, 1858. §2. In case of the death of any person who, If living, would be entitled to a certificate or warrant under this act, leaving a widow, or, if| no widow, a minor child or children, such widow, Appropriates the sum of $277,102.88, the or, if no widow, such minor child or children, amount awarded by the commission to British shall be entitled to receive a certificate or war-subjects, to be paid to the duly authorized agent rant for the same quantity of land that such of her Britannic Majesty's government. deceased person would be entitled to receive An Act to Regulate the Carriage of Passonunder the provisions of this act, if now living: gers in Steamships and other Vessels. Provided, That a subsequent marriage shall not impair the right of any such widow to any such Enacts, that no master of any vessel shall take warrant, if she be a widow at the time of mak-on board at any foreign port other than foreign ing her application: And Provided, further, contiguous territory of the United States, more That those shall be considered minors who are passengers than in proportion of one to every so at the time that this act shall take effect. §8. In no case shall any such certificate or two tons of such vessel, not including children under the age of one year, and computing two children over one and under eight years of age warrant be issued for any service less than fourteen days, except where the person shall for the use of such passengers, and which shall as one passenger. That the spaces appropriated actually have been engaged in battle, and unless not be occupied by stores or other goods, not the the party claiming such certificate or warrant personal baggage of such passengers, shall be in shall establish his or her right thereto by record the following proportions, viz: On the main and evidence of said service. poop decks, or platforms, and in the deck house, §4. Said certificates or warrants may be as-if there be any, one passenger for each sixteen signed. $5. No warrant issued under the provisions of this act shall be located on any public lands, except such as shall at the time be subject to sale at either the minimum or lower graduated prices. clear superficial feet of deck, if the height or distance between the decks or platforms shall not be less than six feet; and on the lower deck, (not being an orlop deck,) if any, one passenger for eighteen such clear superficial feet, if the height or distance between the decks or platform $6. The registers and receivers of the seve-! shall not be less than six feet, but so as that no ral iand-offices shall be severally authorized to Passenger shall be carried on any other deck or charge for their services, in locating all war-platform, nor upon any deck where the height rants under the provisions of this act, the same or distance between decks is less than six feet, with intent to bring such passenger to the United compensation or percentage to which they are entitled by law, for sales of the public lands, for states, and shall leave such port or place and cash, at the rate of $1.25 per acre; the said bring the same, or any number thereof, within compensation to be paid by the assignees or such master of any vessel shall take on board the jurisdiction of the United States; or if any holders of such warrants. at any port, within the jurisdiction of the United 7. The provisions of this act, and all the States, any greater number of passengers than bounty-land laws heretofore passed by Congress, in the proportion aforesaid, to the space aforeshall be extended to Indians, in the same man-said, or to the tonnage aforesaid, with intent to ner and to the same extent as if the said Indians carry the same to any foreign place other than had been white men. foreign contiguous territory, he shall be deemed §§ 8, 9, 10, and 11. The officers and soldiers of guilty of a misdemeanor, and finable in the sum the revolutionary war, or their widows or minor of $50 for each extra passenger so taken on children, shall be entitled to the benefit of this board. He may also be imprisoned not exceedact; and it shall embrace those who served as ing six months; but should it be necessary for Volunteers at the invasion of Plattsburg, in Sep- the safety or convenience of the vessel, that any tember, 1814; also at the battle of King's Moun- portion of her cargo should be stored in any of tain, in the revolutionary war, and the battle of the places appropriated to the use of passengers, Nickojock, against the confederated savages of the same may be placed in lockers or inclosures the South; also the chaplains who served with prepared for the purpose, on an exterior surface the army, in the several wars of the country; impervious to the wave, capable of being cleansed also those who served as volunteers at the at-in like manner as the decks or platforms of the tack on Lewistown, in Delaware, by the British vessel. In no case, however, shall the places feet, in the war of 1812-15. thus provided be deemed to be a part of the space |