STATUTE II. March 3, 1845. CHAP. LXVI. — An Act regulating commercial intercourse with the Islands of Miquelon and St. Pierre. (a) Duties. Proviso. STATUTE II. March 3, 1845. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all French vessels coming directly from the islands of Miquelon and St. Pierre, either in ballast or laden with articles the growth or manufacture of either of said islands, and which are permitted to be exported therefrom in American vessels, may be admitted into the ports of the United States on payment of no higher duties on tonnage, or on their cargoes as aforesaid, than are imposed on American vessels, and on like cargoes, imported in American vessels: Provided, That this act shall not take effect until the President of the United States shall have received satisfactory information that similar privileges have been allowed to American vessels and their cargoes at said islands by the Government of France, and shall have made proclamation accordingly, and whenever said privileges shall have been revoked or annulled, the President is hereby authorized, by proclamation, to suspend the operation of this act. APPROVED, March 3, 1845. CHAP. LXVII.—An Act to continue the harbor improvement already commenced at the town of Southport, in the town of Southport, in the Territory of Wisconsin. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Appropriation. United States of America in Congress assembled, That the sum of fifteen thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of aiding in the completion of the harbor already commenced at the town of Southport, in the Territory of Wisconsin; and that the same be expended under the direction of the War Department. STATUTE II. APPROVED, March 3, 1845. March 3, 1845. CHAP. LXVIII.—An Act for the construction and improvement of certain roads in the Territory of Wisconsin. for roads from Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Appropriations United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums be, and the same are hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the construction and improvement of the following roads in the Territory of Wisconsin, to be expended under the direction of the Secretary of War, to wit: Sheboygan to Fox river. Fort Howard to Fond du Lac. Southport to Beloit. STATUTE II. For the construction and improvement of the road from Sheboygan, by way of Taychudah and Fond du Lac, to the Fox river, in the vicinity of "Green lake," three thousand dollars; For repairing the United States' military road between Fort Howard and Fond du Lac, the sum of two thousand dollars; For the improvement of the road from Southport, by way of Geneva, to the town of Beloit, five thousand dollars. APPROVED, March 3, 1845. March 3, 1845. CHAP. LXIX.—An Act to provide for the transportation of the mail between the Postmaster General to make contracts. United States and foreign countries, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Postmaster General of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized, under the restrictions and provisions of the existing laws, to contract for the trans (a) See the acts relating to discriminating duties, vol. 4, 2. portation of the United States' mail between any of the ports of the United States and a port or ports of any foreign power, whenever, in his opinion, the public interest will thereby be promoted; and it shall be his duty to report to the next ensuing Congress a copy of each of said contracts, with a statement of the amount of postage derived under the same, as far as the returns of the department will enable him to do. And such contracts may be made, if it shall appear to the Postmaster General to be required by the public interest, for any greater period than four years, and not exceeding ten years. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That all such contracts shall be made with citizens of the United States, and the mail to be transported in American vessels, by American citizens. Each contract entered into under the provisions of this act, besides the usual stipulations for the right of the Postmaster General to discontinue the same, shall contain the further stipulation that it may, at any time, be terminated by a joint resolution of the two houses of Congress. Contracts to be made with American citi- joint resolutions Rates of post age. Between the U. S. and Eng SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the rates of postage to be charged and collected on all letters, packages, newspapers, and pamphlets, or other printed matter, between the ports of the United States and the ports of foreign governments enumerated herein, transported in the United States mail under the provisions of this act, shall be as follows: Upon all letters and packets not exceeding one-half ounce in weight, between any of the ports of the United States and the ports of land or France. England or France, or any other foreign port not less than three thousand miles distant, twenty-four cents, with the inland postage of the United States added, when sent through the United States mail to or from the post office at a port of the United States; upon letters and packets over one-half an ounce in weight, and not exceeding one ounce, forty-eight cents; and for every additional half ounce or fraction of an ounce, fifteen cents; upon all letters and packets not exceeding onehalf ounce, sent through the United States mail between the ports of the United States and any of the West India islands, or islands in the gulf of Mexico, ten cents; and twenty cents upon letters and packets not exceeding one ounce; and five cents for every additional half ounce or fraction of an ounce; upon each newspaper, pamphlet and price current, sent in the mail between the United States and any of the ports and places above enumerated, three cents, with inland United States postage added when the same is transported to or from said port of the United States in the United States mail. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any person to carry or transport any letter, packet, newspaper, or printed circular or price current, (except newspapers in use, and not intended for circulation in the country to which such vessel may be bound,) on board the vessels that may hereafter transport the United States mail, as provided for in this act; and for every violation of this provision, a penalty of five hundred dollars is hereby imposed, to be recovered by presentment, by information, or qui tam action-one half for the use of the informer, and the other half for the use of the Post Office Depart ment. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That if any person or persons shall forge or counterfeit, or shall utter or use knowingly, any counterfeit stamp of the Post Office Department of the United States issued by authority of this act, or by any other act of Congress, within the United States, or the post office stamp of any foreign Government, he shall be adjudged guilty of felony, and, on conviction thereof in any court having jurisdiction of the same, shall undergo a confinement at hard labor for any length of time not less than two years, nor more than ten, at the discretion of the court. SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the Postmaster General, or Between the U. S. and the West India isl ands and Gulf of Mexico. Persons not allowed to carry vessels employed to transport. the mail. letters, &c. in Penalty. Penalty for counterfeiting the post office stamp. Consuls in foreign countries to pay postage on letters for the U. S. To be collect ed in U. S., and repaid to said consuls. Preference to be given to steam-ships in making contracts. Steamships to be delivered on the Secretary of State, be, and he is hereby, authorized to empower the consuls of the United States to pay the foreign postage of such letters, destined for the United States, as may be detained at the ports of foreign countries for the non-payment of postage; which postage shall be by the consul marked as paid by him, and the amount thereof shall be collected in the United States, as other postage, on the delivery of the letters, and repaid to said consul, or credited on his account at the State Department. SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the Postmaster General shall, in all cases of offers to contract for carrying the mail between any of the ports of the United States and any foreign port or place, give the preference to such bidder for the contract as shall propose to carry the mail in a steam ship or ships, and the said contractor stipulating to deliver said ship or ships to the United States, or to their proper officer, upon demand made, for the purpose of being converted into a vessel or vessels of war; the United States being bound, on their part, to pay to said owner or owners the fair full value of every such ship or vessel at the time of such delivery; said value to be ascertained by four appraisers be ascertained. to be appointed two by the President of the United States, and two by the owner or owners; and in case of disagreement among said appraisers, the President of the United States to select and appoint an umpire, who shall fix the value. demand to the United States. The owners to receive full value therefor. Value, how to Transportation of the mail in the Gulf of Mexico, in steamers. STATUTE II. March 3, 1845. Santa Fé, for drawback. SECT. 8. And be it further enacted, That the Postmaster General may, if he shall deem it to be for the public interest, make contracts to continue not exceeding ten years, for the transportation of the mail from place to place in the United States in steamboats by sea and on the Gulf of Mexico and on the Mississippi river from the mouth thereof up to the city of New Orleans, on the conditions specified in the last preceding section of this act. APPROVED, March 3, 1845. CHAP. LXX.-An Act allowing drawback upon foreign merchandise exported in the original packages to Chihuahua and Santa Fé, in Mexico: and to the British North American provinces adjoining the United States. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United Exportation to States of America in Congress assembled, That any imported merchanChihuahua and dise which has been entered, and the duties paid or secured according to law, for drawback, may be exported to Chihuahua, in Mexico, or Santa Fé, in New Mexico, either by the route of the Arkansas river, through Van Buren, or by the route of the Red river through Fulton, or by the route of the Missouri river through Independence. Merchandise to be in original packages, and invoice certified by collector. Re-inspection of goods in Ar kansas and Missouri. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That all the merchandise so exported shall be in the original packages as imported, a true invoice whereof, signed by the exporter, shall be made, to the satisfaction of the collector, describing accurately each package with its contents and all the marks upon it, exclusive of the name of the exporter, the place of destination, and the route by which it is to be exported; all which shall be inscribed thereon, upon which invoice the collector shall certify that he is fully convinced the same is true, that the goods are in the original packages as imported, that they are duly entered for drawback, and to be exported by the owner, (naming him,) to either of the places aforesaid, (naming it,) and by one of the aforesaid routes, (naming it.) SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That upon the arrival of such goods at either of the places in Arkansas or Missouri above named, they shall be again inspected and compared with the invoice and certificate aforesaid, by an officer of the United States, who shall, if fully convinced that the several packages are identical, having remained unbroken and unchanged, also certify on said invoice the facts, in such form as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That upon the arrival of any such goods at Santa Fé or Chihuahua, they, with the invoice and certificates aforesaid, shall be submitted to the inspection of the Consul of the United States, or such agent as the President may appoint for that purpose; who, if fully convinced thereof, shall, in such form as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, certify upon said invoice that the goods have arrived there in the original packages as imported, without change or alteration, and have been exported from the United States in good faith, to be disposed of and consumed in a foreign country. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That if the exporter shall give bond, with satisfactory sureties, in thrice the amount of duties, that the said merchandise by him exported has been delivered at either of the places aforesaid without the United States, in good faith, to be sold and consumed there, and shall also produce said invoice, with the regular certificates thereon, the collector shall thereupon pay to him the usual drawback allowed by law. SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treasury shall appoint inspectors to reside at each of the following places to wit: Van Buren, Fulton, and Independence, abovenamed, or such other place in Missouri as the Secretary of the Treasury shall designate; who shall each have a salary of two hundred and fifty dollars, and make a full report of all the trade that passes under their inspection, to the Secretary of the Treasury, semi-annually, giving an account of the number of packages, the kind of goods, the value, and the names of the exporters. SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That any imported merchandise which has been entered, and the duties paid or secured according to law, for drawback, may be exported to the British North American Provinces adjoining the United States; and the ports of Plattsburg, in the District of Champlain; Burlington, in the District of Vermont; Sacketts Harbor, Oswego, and Ogdensburg, in the District of Oswegatchie; Rochester, in the District of Genesee; Buffalo and Erie, in the District of Prequ'isle; Cleveland, in the District of Cuyahoga; Sandusky and Detroit, together with such ports on the seaboard from which merchandise may now be exported, for the benefit of drawback, are hereby declared ports from whence foreign goods, wares, and merchandise, on which the import duty has been paid, or secured to be paid, may be exported to ports in the adjoining British Provinces, and to which ports foreign goods, wares, and merchandise may be transported inland, or by water from the port of original importation, under existing provisions of law, to be thence exported for benefit of drawback: Provided, That such other ports situated on the frontiers of the United States, adjoining the British North American Provinces, as may hereafter be found expedient, may have extended to them the like privileges, on the recommendation of the Secretary of the Treasury, and proclamation duly made by the President of the United States, specially designating the ports to which the aforesaid privileges are to be extended. SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That all laws now in force in relation to the allowance of drawback of duties upon goods imported into the United States and exported therefrom, and in relation to the conditions and evidence on which such drawback is to be paid, shall be applicable to the drawback allowed by this act. And, in addition to existing provisions on the subject, to entitle exporters of goods to the drawback allowed by this act, they shall produce to the collector of the port from which such goods, wares, and merchandise were exported, the certificate, under seal of the collector or other chief revenue officer of the port to which the said goods, wares, and merchandise were exported in the said adjoining provinces; which certificate shall be endorsed upon a duplicate or certified copy of the manifest granted at the time of such Goods exported under this act forfeited on being brought into the U.S. Penalty to persons concerned. Two and a duties to be re served by collectors for the United States. exportation, and shall state that the same identical goods contained in the said manifest had been landed at such foreign port, and duly entered at the custom-house there, and that the duties imposed by the laws in force at such port upon the said goods had been paid, or secured to be paid, in full; and the said exporters shall also produce the affidavit of the master of the vessel in which the said goods were exported, that the same identical goods specified in the manifest granted at the time of such exportation had been carried to the port named in the clearance or manifest, and had been landed and entered at the custom-house, and that the duties imposed thereon at the said foreign port had been paid, or secured to be paid; and that the goods referred to in the certificate of the collector or chief revenue officer of such foreign port herein mentioned, were the same identical goods described in the manifest aforesaid, and in the said affidavit. SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That no goods, wares or merchandise, exported according to the provisions of this act, shall be voluntarily landed or brought into the United States; and on being so landed or brought into the United States, they shall be forfeited; and the same proceeding shall be had for their condemnation, and the distribution of the proceeds of their sales, as in other cases of forfeiture of goods illegally imported. And every person concerned in the voluntary landing or bringing such goods into the United States shall be liable to a penalty of four hundred dollars. SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That from the amount of duties half per cent. on upon any goods, wares, and merchandise imported into the United States, and which shall be exported according to the provisions of this act, there shall be deducted two and a half per centum of such amount, which shall be retained by the respective collectors for the use of the United States, and the residue only shall be the drawback to be paid to the exporters of such goods, wares and merchandise. Sec. Treas. to prescribe rules for carrying this act into effect. SEC. 11. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby further authorized to prescribe such rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the laws of the United States, as he may deem necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this act, and to prevent the illegal re-importation of any goods, wares, or merchandise which shall Acts repealed. have been exported as herein provided; and that all acts or parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act be, and the same are hereby, repealed. STATUTE II. APPROVED, March 3, 1845. March 3, 1845. CHAP. LXXI.—An Act making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic expenses of the Government for the year ending the thirtieth June, eighteen hundred and forty-six, and for other purposes. Appropriations for the year ending June 30, 1846. Congress. Officers. 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 hereby are, appropriated to the objects hereinafter expressed, for the year ending the thirtieth of June, eighteen hundred and forty-six, to be paid out of any unappropriated money in the Treasury, viz : For compensation and mileage of Senators and Members of the House of Representatives and Delegates, five hundred thousand dollars. For compensation of the officers and clerks of both Houses of Congress, thirty-two thousand and ten dollars and fifty cents. For compensation of three clerks employed in the office of the Secretary of the Senate, under resolutions of the Senate, four thousand five hundred dollars. Contingen- For stationery, fuel, printing, and all other contingent expenses of the cies-Senate. Senate, sixty thousand dollars. |