This act not to be construed so as to vest in Vir ginia any right of property in the custom-house & post office, &c. Existing laws and jurisdiction to continue un til Virginia shall provide by law of the people of the county and town of Alexandria, to be ascertained as hereinafter prescribed, all of that portion of the District of Columbia ceded to the United States by the State of Virginia, and all the rights and jurisdiction therewith ceded over the same, be, and the same are hereby, ceded and forever relinquished to the State of Virginia, in full and absolute right and jurisdiction, as well of soil as of persons residing or to reside thereon. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to vest in the State of Virginia any right of property in the custom-house and post-office of the United States within the town of Alexandria, or in the soil of the territory hereby receded, so as to affect the rights of individuals or corporations therein, otherwise than as the same shall or may be transferred by such individuals or corporations to the State of Virginia. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the jurisdiction and laws now existing in the said territory, ceded to the United States by the State of Virginia, as aforesaid, over the persons and property of individuals therein residing, shall not cease or determine until the State of Virof her jurisdic-ginia shall hereafter provide, by law, for the extension of her jurisdiction and judicial system over the said territory hereby receded. for the extension tion, &c. Assent of the people of Alex andria town and county required. Manner of ascertaining the sense of the people of said town and county. Proclamation to be made. Post, Appendix, p. 1000. Right of property in the court SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That this act shall not be in force until after the assent of the people of the county and town of Alexandria shall be given to it in the mode hereinafter provided. Immediately after the close of the present session of Congress, the President of the United States shall appoint five commissioners, (any three of whom may act,) citizens of the said town or county of Alexandria, and freeholders within the same, who shall be sworn, before some justice of the peace in and for the said town or county, to discharge the duties hereby imposed upon them faithfully, impartially, and to the best of their ability. These commissioners, or any of them, shall proceed, within ten days after they are notified of their appointment, to fix upon the time, place, and manner, of taking the vote within the town or county of Alexandria, and shall give notice of the same by advertisement in the newspapers of the said town. And on the day and at the place so appointed, every free white male citizen of the United States, who shall have resided in said county of Alexandria for six months preceding the time when he offers his vote, insane persons and paupers excepted, shall vote viva voce upon the question of accepting or rejecting the provisions of this act. The said commissioners shall preside when this vote is taken, and decide all questions arising in relation to the right of voting under this act. Within three days after this vote is taken as aforesaid, the said commissioners shall make out three statements of the result of this poll, upon oath, and under their seals. Of these, one shall be transmitted to the President of the United States, one to the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and one shall be deposited in the clerk's office of the county court of Alexandria. If a majority of the votes so given shall be cast against accepting the provisions of this act, then it shall be void and of no effect; but if a majority of the said votes should be in favor of accepting the provisions of this act, then this act shall be in full force, and it shall be the duty of the President of the United States to inform the Governor of Virginia that this act is in full force and effect, and to make proclamation of the fact. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That, in such case, the right of house and jail to property in the half square in Alexandria on which stands the courtbe conveyed to house, bounded by Columbus, Queen, and Princess Streets, and the the Governor of half square on which stands the jail, bounded by Princess, St. Asaph, Virginia for use and Pitt Streets, shall be conveyed to the Governor of Virginia, and his successors, for the use of the county and corporation of Alexan of said town and county. dria forever; and the Solicitor of the Treasury of the United States is hereby authorized and required, in the name and on the behalf of the United States, to make all the proper and necessary conveyances for that purpose. SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That Congress will in no event assume and pay the debt, or any part thereof, now due by the corporation of the city of Alexandria. APPROVED, July 9, 1846. The debt of the corporation of Alexandria not to be assumed by Congress. CHAP. XXXVI. An Act to authorize the President of the United States to sell the reserved mineral Lands in the States of Illinois and Arkansas, and Territories of Wisconsin and Iowa, supposed to contain Lead Ore. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President be, and he hereby is, authorized, as soon as practicable, to cause the reserved lead mines and contiguous lands in the State of Illinois and Arkansas, and Territories of Wisconsin and Iowa, belonging to the United States, to be exposed to sale, in the same manner that other public lands are authorized by law to be sold, except as hereinafter provided. Six months' public notice to be given of such with a &c. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That six months' notice of the times and places of said sales shall be given in such newspapers of general circulation, in such of the States as the President may think expedient, with a brief description of the mineral regions of the States of Illinois and Arkansas, and Territories of Wisconsin and Iowa, and of the lands to be offered for sale; showing the number and localities of the different mines now known, the probability of discovering others, the quality of the ore, the facilities of working it, the further facilities (if any) for manufactories of shot, sheet lead, and paints, and the means and expense of transporting the whole to the principal markets in the United States: Provided, That the said lands shall not be subject to the rights of preemption until after the same have been preemption. offered at public sale and subject to private entry. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That upon satisfactory proof, made to the register and receiver of the proper land office, that any tract or tracts of said lands contain a mine or mines of lead ore, actually discovered and being worked, then, and in that case, the same shall be sold in such legal subdivision or subdivisions as will include such mine or mines; and no bid shall be received therefor at a less rate than the sum of two dollars and fifty cents per acre; and if such tract or tracts shall not be sold at such public sale, at such price, nor shall be entered at private sale within twelve months thereafter, then the same shall be subject to sale as other lands: Provided, That no legal subdivision of any of said lands, upon which there may be an outstanding lease or leases from the Government of the United States, or their authorized agent, unexpired and undetermined, shall be sold until after the determination of such lease or leases by effluxion of time, voluntary surrender, or other legal extinguishment thereof. APPROVED, July 11, 1846. Proviso as to Any tract containing a mine or mines of lead ore to be sold in such legal subdiclude such mine or mines. visions as will in No bid less than $2.50 per acre to be taken within one year. Leased subdi visions not to be sold until expiration of lease. July 15, 1846. CHAP. XXXVII.-An Act to legalize certain Land Sales made at Chocchuma and Patents to .issue for such sales July 16, 1346. Collection district of Chicago established. of the sales of land made in the land offices at Chocchuma and Columbus, in the State of Mississippi, as may be found, by the definitivelyestablished line of the Chickasaw cession of one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four, to be, in whole or part, within that cession, and the said sales are hereby confirmed and legalized; and for the purpose of indemnifying the Chickasaw tribe of Indians for said sales, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, a sum of money equal to all which has been received upon said sales, to the fund created by the treaty with said Chickasaw tribe, and of right to them belonging: Provided, nevertheless, That this act shall not extend to any sale where the purchase money may have been refunded to the purchaser. APPROVED, July 15, 1846. CHAP. XXXVIII. - An Act to change the Time of holding the Federal Court in Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the circuit courts of the United States for the district of North Carolina shall be held at Raleigh, on the first Monday in June and the first Monday in December, instead of the times now prescribed by law; and all actions, suits, appeals, recognizances, processes, writs, and proceedings, whatever, pending, or which may be pending, in said courts, or returnable thereto, shall have day therein, and be heard, tried, proceeded with, and decided, in like manner as if the time of holding said court had not hereby been altered. APPROVED, July 15, 1846. CHAP. LVI. - An Act to establish the Collection District of Chicago. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That a collection district be, and hereby is, established upon the western shore of Lake Michigan, to be called the District of Chicago, within which the port Chicago made of Chicago shall be a port of entry. The said district shall include the port of entry. the territory, harbors, rivers, and waters, on the western shore of said lake from the line dividing the States of Indiana and Illinois, northward to the town and River Sheboygan, and inclusive of the same, which are within the Territory of Wisconsin. A collector shall be appointed for said district, who shall receive the same amount of annual compensation as the collector of the District of Michillimackinac. APPROVED, July 16, 1846. Said district designated. A collector to be appointed. July 20, 1846. Canal boats ex empted from the payment of fees and hospital money. CHAP. LX. An Act to exempt Canal Boats from the Payment of Fees and Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the owner or owners, master or captain, or other persons employed in navigating canal boats without masts or steam-power, now by law required to be registered, licensed, or enrolled and licensed, shall not be required to pay any marine hospital tax or money; nor shall the persons ployed in them employed to navigate such boats receive any benefit or advantage to receive no from the marine hospital fund; nor shall such owner or owners, master or captain, or other persons, be required to pay fees, or make any compensation for such register, license, or enrolment and license, Persons em benefit from the nospital fund. nor shall any such boat be subject to be libelled in any of the United CHAP. LXI. - An Act making Appropriations for the Support of Volunteers and other Troops authorized to be employed in the Prosecution of the War with Mexico, during the Year ending the thirtieth of June, eighteen hundred and forty-seven. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums be, and the same are hereby, appropriated, to be paid out of any money in the treasury, for the support of volunteers and other troops authorized to be employed in the prosecution of the war with Mexico, during the year ending the thirtieth June, eighteen hundred and forty-seven. For the regular army, viz. : For pay of officers and men, provided for by the act of eighteenth June, eighteen hundred and forty-six, forty-five thousand nine hundred and forty-four dollars; for subsistence of said officers, three thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine dollars; for forage for said officers' horses, three thousand seven hundred and forty-four dollars; for clothing for said officers' servants, three hundred and sixty dollars; for recruiting the rifle regiment, nine thousand one hundred and eighty dollars; for clothing and camp equipage for same, twenty-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-three dollars; for forage for same, fiftytwo thousand two hundred and fifty-four dollars. For volunteers (including officers, &c., authorized by acts passed the present session) and their operations, and those of the regular army, in the field, viz.: For pay of officers, two hundred and twelve thousand and ninety-six dollars; for subsistence of officers, &c., one hundred and fifty-two thousand seven hundred and sixteen dollars; for forage for officers' horses, fifty-three thousand three hundred and seventy-six dollars; for clothing of officers' servants, thirteen thousand eight hundred dollars; for pay, &c. &c., of volunteers, authorized by the act of thirteenth May, eighteen hundred and forty-six, three million four hundred and ninety-seven thousand dollars; for subsistence in kind, one million fifty-four thousand and five hundred dollars; for camp equipage, &c., one hundred and thirty thousand dollars; for medical and hospital supplies, forty-five thousand five hundred dollars; for ordnance, arms, &c., three hundred and forty-four thousand dollars; for supplies, transportation, &c., of the quartermaster's department, six million three hundred and nine thousand and twenty-seven dollars. APPROVED, July 20, 1846. CHAP. LXIV. An Act to authorize an Issue of Treasury Notes and a Loan. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States is hereby authorized to cause treasury notes to be issued for such sum or sums as the exigencies of the government may require; and, in place of such of the same as may be redeemed, to cause others to be issued; but not exceeding the sum of ten millions of dollars of this emission outstanding at any one time, and to be issued under the limitations and other provisions contained in the act entitled "An Act to authorize the Issue of Treasury Notes," approved the twelfth of October, one thousand eight hundred and The President may borrow money in lieu of is suing treasury notes, and issue stock for sum borrowed, &c. 1842, ch. 26. Whole amount not to exceed $10,000,000. No commission to be allowed. Not to bear a higher rate of in terest than six per cent. tion to be made thirty-seven, except that the authority hereby given to issue treasury notes shall expire at the end of one year from the passage of this act. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the President, if in his opinion it shall be the interest of the United States so to do, instead of issuing the whole amount of treasury notes authorized by the first section of this act, may borrow on the credit of the United States such an amount of money as he may deem proper, and issue therefor stock of the United States for the sum thus borrowed, in the same form, and under the same restrictions, limitations, and provisions, as are contained in the act of Congress, approved April fifteenth, one thousand eight hundred and forty-two, entitled "An Act for the Extension of the Loan of eighteen hundred and forty-one, and for an Addition of five millions of Dollars thereto, and for allowing Interest on Treasury Notes due." Provided, however, That the sum so borrowed, together with the treasury notes issued by virtue of this act, shall not in the whole exceed the sum of ten millions of dollars: And provided, further, That no commission shall be allowed or paid for the negotiation of the loan authorized by this act; and also that the said stock shall be redeemable at a period not longer than ten years from the issue thereof. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the treasury notes and the stock issued under the provisions of this act shall not bear a higher rate of interest than six per centum per annum, and no part thereof shall be disposed of at less than par. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That no compensation shall be No compensa- made to any officer, whose salary is fixed by law, for preparing, signing, or issuing treasury notes; nor shall any clerks be employed beyond the number authorized by the act herein referred to. to any salaried officer for preparing, signing, and issuing said notes, &c. $50,000 appropriated for paying the amount of certain purloined treasury notes. Post, p. 106. July 23, 1846. [Obsolete.] age of members of Congress. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the sum of fifty thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby, appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of paying the amount of certain treasury notes (which, having been received or redeemed by any authorized officer of the government, were subsequently purloined or stolen, and put into circulation without evidence on their face of their having been cancelled) to the respective holders, who may have received the same, or any of them, for a full consideration, in the usual course of business, without notice or knowledge of the same having been stolen, or cancelled, or altered, and without any circumstances to cast suspicion on the good faith or due caution with which they may have received the same. APPROVED, July 22, 1846. CHAP. LXV. — An Act making Appropriations for certain Objects of Expenditure therein specified. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Pay and mile- United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums of money be, and the same are hereby, appropriated for the several objects of expenditure hereafter specified, viz.: For the pay and mileage of members of Congress and delegates, one hundred and seventy-six thousand five hundred and forty-eight dollars. For the expenses of the mission to the wild Indians of the prairie, including the expenses of a delegation of these Indians to the city of Washington and back to their homes, and also some presents to them, fifty thousand dollars: Provided, That no other or higher compensation shall be paid to the commissioners appointed to negotiate with said. Indians than is authorized by the act approved seventeenth July, eighteen hundred and forty-two, nor shall any expenditure be allowed by the accounting officers but what shall appear to have been proper Expenses of mission to wild Indians of the prairie, &c. Ante, p. 34. Proviso. 1842, ch. 64. |