Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

SEC. 5. That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, to confer the brevet of second lieutenant upon such meritorious non-commissioned officers as may, under regulations to be established, be brought before an army board, composed of four officers of rank, specially convened for the purpose, and be found qualified for the duties of commissioned officers, and to attach them to regiments, as supernumerary officers, according to the provisions of the fourth section of the act approved April twenty-ninth, eighteen hundred and twelve, entitled "An act' making further provision for the corps of engineers."

SEC. 6. That the allowance to soldiers employed at work on fortifications, in surveys, in cutting roads, and other constant labor, of not less than ten days, authorized by the act approved March second, eighteen hundred and nineteen, entitled "An act to regulate the pay of the army when employed on fatigue duty," be increased to twenty-five cents per day for men employed as laborers and teamsters, and forty cents per day when employed as mechanics, at all stations east of the Rocky Mountains, and to thirty-five cents and fifty cents per day, respectively, when the men are employed at stations west of those mountains.

[Approved, August 4, 1854.]

CHAPTER 248.-Approved, August 4, 1854.-Vol. 10, p. 576.

An Act to repeal the first proviso of the fourth section of the Act entitled "An Act granting bounty land to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in the military service of the United States," approved September twenty-eighth, one thousand eight hundred and fifty.”4

An act

That the first proviso of the fourth section of the act entitled granting bounty land to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in the military service of the United States," approved September 28, 1850, be, and the same is hereby, repealed.5

1 Chap. 72.

2 Chap. 45; and see sec. 4, chap. 22, 19 May, 1846.

3 These provisions extended to soldiers acting as cooks, &c. by chap. 125, sec. 3, 16 August, 1856.

4

Chap. 85.

5 A similar act was passed on 5 August, 1854: the effect of the repeal allows members of the 31st Congress who have been in the United States service to receive bounty lands therefor, under the act of 28 September, 1850.

CHAPTER 267.-Approved, August 5, 1854.—Vol. 10, p. 576.

An Act making appropriations for the support of the army for the year ending the thirtieth of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.

1. Superintendency of armories. 3. Effect of subsequent marriage upon claims of widows, under acts of 1850, chap. 85, 1852, chap. 19, 1853, chap. 41.

For the manufacture of arms at the national armories, &c. Provided, That so much of all laws heretofore passed, which authorized the appointment of military officers to superintend the operations at the national armories, be, and the same is hereby, repealed; and from and after the passage of this act it shall be the duty of the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, to appoint a competent and well-qualified civilian as superintendent at each of said armories.2

SEC. 3. That the act approved September twenty-eight, one thousand eight hundred and fifty, entitled "An act granting bounty land to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in the military service of the United States," the act approved March twenty-second, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, entitled "An act to make land warrants assignable, and for other purposes," and the act approved February third, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, entitled “An acts to continue half pay to certain widows and orphans," shall not be so construed as to deprive any widow from the benefits therein granted for the services of her husband, though she may have married again: Provided, however, That the applicant is a widow at the time of making the claim: Provided, Such party shall not receive pension during coverture.

SEC. 4. That the secretary of war be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to receive and cause to be placed on the files of his department such additional muster rolls of the battalion of volunteers commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel J. C. Fremont, in California, duly authenticated by the proper officers, as have not heretofore been received and filed, and to cause such corrections of the muster rolls to be made in regard to the periods of enlistment and terms of service, and the omission of names of the members of said battalion, as upon satisfactory proof he may deem right and proper, and as far as practicable to correspond with the pay rolls of Major P. B. Reading, paymaster of said battalion, with respect to the period of service, so that all who served in the military service of the United States in California during the late war with Mexico, whether under the command of

1 See sec. 2, chap. 186, 23 Aug. 1842.

2 See chap. 98, sec. 2, 3 March, 1853: military superintendents restored by sec. 5, chap. 57, 6 Aug. 1861.

$ Chap. 85.

4 Chap. 19.

5

Chap. 41.

naval or military officers, may be entitled to all the benefits of all the acts of Congress providing for the enrolment of volunteers in the Mexican war: Provided, That no payment shall be made, in consequence of this section, beyond the sum heretofore appropriated.

[Approved, August 5, 1854.]

RESOLUTION 1.-Approved, January 14, 1854.-Vol. 10, p. 591.

Joint Resolution of thanks to General John E. Wool.

That the thanks of Congress are due, and are hereby tendered, to Brevet Major-General John E. Wool, for his distinguished services in the late war with Mexico, and especially for the skill, enterprise, and courage which distinguished his conduct at the battle of Buena Vista.

That the President be requested to cause a sword, with suitable devices, to be presented to General Wool, as a testimony of the high sense entertained by Congress of his gallant and judicious conduct on that memorable occasion.1

That the President be requested to cause a copy of the foregoing resolutions to be transmitted to General Wool.

CHAPTER 169.-Approved, March 3, 1855.—Vol. 10, p. 635.

An Act making appropriations for the support of the army for the year ending the thirtieth of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, and for other purposes.

7. Distribution of arms to the states. Proviso. 8. Pensions, &c.

SEC. 2. That the board of officers appointed under the sixth section of the act making appropriations for the support of the army for the year ending June 30, 1853,2 approved August 31, 1852, is hereby abolished.

[SEC. 5. Act of 28 September, 1850, chapter 78, section 1, granting extra pay to the army serving in California, extended to those who compose the garrison at Fort Laramie for same period as was allowed by section 6, chapter 98, 1853, to mounted rifles at that post; and same to the escort to Mexican boundary commission while so serving.]

[SEC. 6. Chaplains embraced in the laws allowing extra pay to officers and soldiers who served in California.]

SEC. 7. That the annual distribution of arms to the several states, under the act approved April twenty-third, eighteen hundred and eight, entitled "An act making provision for arming and equipping the whole body of the militia of the United States," shall be hereafter made according to the number of

1 $1500 appropriated for this sword: vol. 10, p. 581.
2-Chap. 110, board for adjudicating Fremont claims.
3 Chap. 78, 1850, sec. 1, and chap. 110, 1852, sec. 3.
4 Chap. 55.

their representatives and senators in Congress, respectively; and that arms be distributed to the territories and the District of Columbia in such quantities and under such regulations as the President, in his discretion, may prescribe: Provided, That the secretary of war shall first equalize, as far as practicable, the number of arms heretofore distributed and now in possession of the several states, so that each state which has received less than its pro rata share shall receive a number sufficient to make an equal pro rata proportion for all the states, according to the present number of their representatives and senators in Congress, respectively.

SEC. 8. That there shall be added to the army two regiments of infantry! and two regiments of cavalry, organized as in the existing force; and there shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, one brigadier-general, and that the officers and men authorized by this act shall be entitled to the same provisions for wounds and disabilities, and the same provisions for widows and children, and the same allowances and benefits, in every respect, as are allowed to other troops composing the army of the United States. They shall be subject to the rules and articles of war, and the men shall be recruited in the same manner as other troops, and with the same conditions and limitations. [Approved, March 3, 1855.]

CHAPTER 175.-Approved, March 3, 1855.-Vol. 10, p. 643.

An Act making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic expenses of government for the year ending June 30, 1856, and for other purposes.

SEC. 1. . . . And the secretary of war be, and he hereby is, directed to cause to be constructed on such site, in a central position on the public grounds, in the city of Washington, as may be selected by the President of the United States, a suitable building for the care and preservation of the ordnance and arms and accoutrements of the United States, required for the use of the volunteers and militia of the District of Columbia, and for the care and preservation of the military trophies of the revolutionary and other wars, and for the deposit of newly-invented and model arms for the military service, the said ordnance and arms and the building to be used by the volunteers and militia of the District of Columbia, under such regulations as may be prescribed by the President; and, for the purpose of carrying this act into effect, the sum of $30,0004 be, and the same hereby is, appropriated out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

1 Making ten.

2 Making four, and nine regiments of infantry and one of cavalry added by chap. 24, 29 July, 1861.

Company officers to be appointed by President in recess by authority of proviso to 2d section of this act.

4 $7827 more appropriated by act, chap. 106, 3 March, 1857. This building stands on the Mall in Washington City.

CHAPTER 199.-Approved, March 3, 1855.-Vol. 10, p. 682. An Act to organize an institution for the insane of the army and navy, and of the District of Columbia, in the said District.

That the title of the institution shall be the Government Hospital for the Insane, and its objects shall be the most humane care and enlightened curative treatment of the insane of the army and navy of the United States, and of the District of Columbia.1

SEC. 2. That nine citizens of the District of Columbia, to be appointed by the President of the United States, shall constitute a board of visitors of the said hospital. The term of office of three of the nine visitors shall expire [the] thirtieth day of June, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, and biennially thereafter on the same day of the year, when they shall be reappointed, or three other citizens appointed in their stead. The order in which the terms of office of the first nine appointees shall expire shall be determined by lot; and should any vacancy occur by death, resignation, or otherwise, such vacancy shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired term of such visitor. The board. of visitors, subject to the approval of the secretary of the interior, may make any needful by-laws for the government of themselves, and of the superintendent and his employees, and of the patients, not inconsistent with this act, nor with the constitution and laws of the United States; they shall visit the hospital at stated periods, and exercise so careful a supervision over its expenditures and general operations that the government and community may have confidence in the correctness of its management; they shall make annually to the secretary of the interior a report for the preceding year ending June thirtieth, setting forth the condition and wants of the institution. The board shall elect one of their number president, who shall preside at their meetings for one year, or till a successor is elected. The office of visitor shall be honorary and without compensation.

SEC. 3. That the chief executive officer of the institution shall be a superintendent, to be appointed by the secretary of the interior, and to receive a salary of two thousand five hundred dollars per annum. The superintendent shall be a well-educated

1 See chap. 36, 1857, chap. 66, 1860, and chap. 60, 1861.

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »