government of the United States, he shall, before entering upon the duties thereof, instead of the oath prescribed by the act of July two, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation: A. B., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiancetothe same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

No. 66.-Incorporates the National hotel company of Washington.

No. 79.-An act to amend the excise or internal revenue laws. It treats of distilled spirits, tobacco, snuff, and cigars, and of the modes of assessing and collecting the tax thereon. It reduces the tax on distilled spirits to 50 cents per proof gallon, and $4 per bbl. of 40 proof gallons-makact contains many provisions designed to preing the tax practically 60 cents per gallon. The vent fraud upon the revenue from these sources. These taxes are payable in stamps, kept for sale

No. 67.-About wagon roads in Dakota. important.)

(Un

No. 68.-Creates the office of surveyor general of Utah, salary $3,000 a year, and usual allow-by collectors. Those affected by the act will not ances. Register and receiver may be appointed, only need the complete law, but the advice of and homestead and pre-emption laws are extend- experts to expound it; and as it would fill our ed over the Territory, which is made a single entire almanac, we cannot print it. Interested land district. parties may find copies of the law and advice gratis, by applying at the office of any assessor, assistant assessor, collector, or deputy collector of internal revenue.

No. 80.-For the construction of a wagon road from West Point to Cornwell Landing, by labor of men employed by the Government.

No. 70.-Miscellaneous Appropriation bill. The items are: Miscellaneous, $181,440; coast survey, $250,000; lakes, $75,000; light-houses, $1,919,042; revenue cutters, $1,287,290; buildings for customs, &c., $1,098,008; interior department, $16,300; capitol extension, $133,200; Smithsonian institution, $4,000; metropolitan police, $211,050; collection of revenue from public lands. $260,300; surveying lands, $405,425. public buildings and grounds, $269,503. The whole sum in the bill is $5,055,258. One section of this bill enacts that all laws regulating prices of labor in the Government printing office be, and the same are hereby, repealed; and it shall be the duty of the Congressional printer to contract with the persons in that employment

No. 81. Vacancies in the Executive DepartThat in case of the death, resignaments. tion, absence, or sickness of the head of any executive department of the government, the first or sole assistant thereof shall, unless otherwise directed by the President of the United States, as is hereinafter provided, perform the duties of such head until a successor be appointed, or such absence or sickness shall cease. That in ness of the chief of any bureau, or of any officase of the death, resignation, absence, or sickcer thereof, except commissioner of patents, whose appointment is not in the head of any executive department, the deputy of such chief or of such officer, or if there be no deputy, then the chief clerk of such bureau, shall, unless otherwise directed by the President of the United States, as is hereinafter provided, perform the duties of such chief or of such officer until a successor be appointed or such absence or sickness shall cease. And no appointment, designation, or assignment otherwise than as is herein provided, in the cases mentioned in the first, second, and third sections of this act, shall

at such prices as are for the interest of the gov-be made except to fill a vacancy happening durernment, and are just to those employed. An- ing the recess of the Senate. That in any of the other section continues the geological survey of cases herein before mentioned it shall be lawful Nebraska. for the President of the United States, in his discretion, to authorize and direct the head of any other executive department or other officer in either of those departments whose appointatment is, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, vested in the President, to perform the duties of the office vacant as aforesaid until a successor be appointed, or the sickness or absence of the incumbent shall cease: Provided, That nothing in this act shall authorize the supplying as aforesaid a vacancy for a longer period

No. 65.-Incorporates the Connecticut avenue and Park railway company, of District of Columbia.

No. 69.-Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Appropriation bill. Expenses of senate, $600,170.80; of house, $1,624,288.60; public printing, $1,214,656.79; library, $51,570; court of claims, $139,800; executive, $44,622.22; public grounds and buildings, $49,140; state department, $151,200; treasury, $9,110,866; interior, $1,816,720; war, $750,420; navy, $25,301; post office, $396,680; agriculture, $127,895; education, $20,000; mints and assay offices, $450,307.68; independent treasury, $388,135; territorial governments, $225,500; judiciary, $294,300. The whole bill foots up $17,111,723.09.

No. 71.-An act to facilitate the settlement of certain prize cases in Florida. (Of no public importance.)

No. 72.-Authorizes bridging the Missouri Fort Leavenworth.

No. 73. To register certain foreign vessels. No. 74.-Regulates doings of tax commissioners in Arkansas. (Unimportant.)

No. 76.-To sell a part of Fort Gratiot reservation, in Michigan.

No. 77.-Regulates the taking of property for navigation improvements at Des Moines and Rock Island Rapids.

No. 78.-No officer of the army of the United States who has been or shall hereafter be cashiered or dismissed from the service by the sentence of a general court-martial, formally approved by the proper reviewing authority, shall ever be restored to the military service except by a reappointment, confirmed by the Senate of the United States.

No. 75.--Amending an act concerning bridges over the Mississippi at St. Louis.

than ten days when such vacancy shall be occasioned by death or resignation, and the officer so performing the duties of the office temporarily vacant shall not be entitled to extra compensation therefor: And provided also, That in the case of the death, resignation, absence, or sickness of the commissioner of patents, the duties of said commissioner, until a successor be appointed or such absence or sickness shall cease, shall devolve upon the examiner-in-chief in said office oldest in length of commission.

No. 82.-Grants lands to Minnesota to aid in improving navigation at Meeker's Island, in the Mississippi.

No. 83.-Invalid and other pensions. Appropriates $30,350,000 in all. Interest on the naval pension fund fixed at three per cent. lawful money.

No 84.-Incorporates the Washington Target Shooting Association of Washington.

No. 85.-Deficiency Appropriation bill for 1868. The main items are: legislative, $16,977.04; interior, $29,548.09; treasury, $61.882.40, construction, $365,000; war, $1,612,580; bounties, $9,300; aqueduct, $52,500; Rock Island arsenal, $100,000; post office, $912,500; reconstruction, $510,078.24; public buildings and grounds, $25,593; Indians, $172,820.11; Washington city, $296,943.88; miscellaneous, $176,277.57. The whole sum is

No. 86. For relief of loyal Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians. For final settlement of claims: To the Choctaws, $109,752.08; to the Chickasaws, $150,000; all to come from the Indian fund.

No. 92. Regulating title to certain lands in Omaha, Nebraska. (Unimportant.)

No. 93.-Authorizing a mortgage of property in Washington for church purposes. (Unimportant.)

No. 94.-That the Southern Pacific Railroad Company of California shall, instead of the times now fixed by law for the construction of the first section of its road and telegraph line, have until July 1st, 1870, for the construction of the first thirty miles, and they shall be required to construct at least twenty miles every year thereafter, and the whole line of their road within the time now provided by law.

No. 95. To sell the grounds occupied by the St. Louis arsenal, except the westernmost six acres, which are given to the city of St Louis for a park, and never to be used for other purposes. No. 96.-Establishing a great number of post routes.

No. 87.-This act provides for a government in the territory of Wyoming. The boundaries are: Commencing at the intersection of the twentyseventh meridian of longitude west from Washington with the forty-fifth degree of north lati- No. 97. Relating to the Freedman's Bureau tude, and running thence west to the thirty- and providing for its discontinuance. That the fourth meridian of west longitude; thence south duties and powers of commissioner of the bureau to the forty-first degree of north latitude; thence for the relief of freedmen and refugees shall east to twenty-seventh meridian of west longi- continue to be discharged by the present comtude; and thence north to the place of begin- missioner of the bureau, and in case of vacancy ning; be and the same is hereby organized into in said office occurring by reason of his death or a temporary government by the name of the ter- resignation, the same shali be filled by appointritory of Wyoming: Provided, That nothing in ment of the President on the nomination of the this act shall be construed to impair the rights of Secretary of War, and with the advice and conperson or property now pertaining to the In-sent of the Senate; and no officer of the army dians in said territory, so long as such rights shall be detailed for service as commissioner, or shall remain un extinguished by treaty between shall enter upon the duties of commissioner unthe United States and such Indians: Provided less appointed by and with the advice and confurther, That nothing in this act contained sent of the Senate; and all assistant commisshall be construed to inhibit the government of sioners, agents, clerks, and assistants, shall be the United States from dividing said teritory into appointed by the Secretary of War, on the nomtwo or more territories, in such manner and at ination of the commissioner of the bureau. In such times as Congress shall deem convenient case of vacancy in the office of commissioner and proper, or from attaching any portion happening during the recess of the Senate, the thereof to any other territory or State. The duties of commissioner shall be discharged by provisions for officers, elections, &c., are the the acting assistant adjutant general of the busame as in all other territories. 1 reau until such vacancy can be filled. That the No. 88.-Limits the time of prosecution for commissioner of the bureau shall, on the first certain crimes against the United States to five day of January next, cause the said bureau to years after the offence. An amendment to thee withdrawn from the several States within act of March 26, 1804. which said bureau has acted, and its operations shall be discontinued. But the educational department of the said bureau and the collection and payment of moneys due the soldiers, sailors, and marines, or their heirs, shall be continued as now provided by law, until otherwise ordered by act of Congress. (Vetoed, and re-passed.)

No. 98.-Amending the Post Office Laws. SEC.

No. 89.-Authorizes the issue of $25,000,000 of temporary loan certificates to redeem outstanding compound interest notes. Interest on these certifica tes, three per cent.

No. 90.-An additional land district in Northern Minnesota. Register and receiver may be appointed.

No. 91.-Incorporating the National Life Insurance Company. The original parties are John D. Defrees, Wm. E. Chandler, Samuel Wilkeson, Ed. H. Rollins, Nathan G. Starkweather, John A. Wills, Frank Turk, Adam S. Pratt, and Henry G. Swain; capital stock, $1,000,000, with right to increase by vote of stockholders. The usual provisions are made for commencing business, calling for installments, &c. One section says "that any policy taken out in favor of a wife, child, relative or other person having a beneficial interest in the life of the insured, shall not be liable to seizure by the creditors of the person so insured. Provided, that the policy does not exceed the sum of ten thousand dollars." The principal office is to be in Washington; branches and agencies may be established elsewhere.

1. When any writer of a letter, on which the and three clerks to be appointed, in the departpostage is prepaid, shall indorse in writing or in ment at Washington, the superintendent to have print upon the outside thereof his name and ad- $3,000; the superintendent of money order busidress, the same, after remaining uncalled [un-ness to have $3,000 a year; a chief of dead letcalled] for at the post office to which it is direct-ter office may be appointed-salary, $2,000. Sec. ed thirty days, or the time the writer may direct, 10. That, if any person employed in any deshall be returned to the said writer without ad- partment of the post office establishment of the ditional postage, whether a specific request for United States shall, willfully and knowingly, use such return be indorsed on the letter or not. or cause to be used in prepayment of postage Sec. 2. That all persons who receive money or- any postage stamp or stamped envelope issued ders shall be required to pay therefor the follow- or which may hereafter be issued by authority ing charges: For one dollar or any sum not ex- of any act of Congress or of the Postmaster ceeding twenty dollars, ten cents; for all orders General which has already been once used for a exceeding twenty dollars and not exceeding like purpose, or shall remove or attempt to rethirty dollars, the charge shall be fifteen cents; move the canceling or defacing marks from any for all orders exceeding thirty dollars and not such postage stamp or stamped envelope with exceeding forty dollars, the fee shall be twenty intent to use or cause the use of the same a seccents; for all orders exceeding forty dollars and ond time, or to sell or offer to sell the same, or not exceeding fifty dollars, the fee shall be shall remove from letters or other mail matter twenty-five cents; and furthermore that the com- deposited in or received at a post office the pensation of deputy postmasters for the payment stamps attached to the same in payment of postof money orders is hereby increased from one- age, with intent to use the same a second time eighth to one-fourth of one per centum on the for a like purpose, or to sell or offer to sell the gross amount of orders paid at their respective same, every such offender shall, upon conviction offices, and that nothing contained in any act thereof, be deemed guilty of felony, and shall be shall be so construed as to deprive postmasters imprisoned for not less than one year nor more at money order offices of the compensation for than three years. Sec. 11. That if any person transacting the money order business fixed by not employed in any department of post ofthe act of May seventeenth, eighteen hundred fice establishment of the United States shall and sixty-four, and modified as stated in this commit any of the offences described in the presection: Provided always, That the amount ceding section of this act, every such person of such annual compensation, together with the shall, on conviction thereof, be deemed guilty of postmaster's salary, shall not in any case exceed a misdemeanor, and be punished by imprisonthe salary established by law for postmasters of ment for not less than six months nor more than the first class. Sec. 3. That section thirty-five one year, or by a fine of not less than one hundof the act of March third, eighteen hundred and red dollars nor more than five hundred dollars sixty-three, shall be so construed as to permit for each offence, or by both such fine and imweekly newspapers, properly folded and address- prisonment. Sec. 13. That it shall not be lawed, when sent to regular subscribers, in the ful to deposit in post office, to be sent by mail, county where printed and published, to be de- any letters or circulars concerning lotteries, so livered free of postage, when deposited at the called gift concerts, or other similar enterprises, office nearest to the office of publication; but offering prizes of any kind on any pretext whatnothing in this act shall be so construed as to ever. Sec. 14. That the Postmaster General be, require carriers to distribute said papers, unless and he is hereby, authorized and empowered to postage is paid upon them at the rate of five establish a blank agency for the post office decents per quarter, and such postage must be pre- partment, in Washington, and to appoint one paid for a term of not less than one quarter or superintendent at an annual salary of $1,800, more than one year, either at the office of mail- one assistant superintendent at an annual salary ing or of delivery, at the option of the sub- of $1,600, and three other assistants at an anscriber. Sec. 4. That in case of the loss of a nual salary of $1,000 each, and two laborers at money order, a duplicate thereof shall be issued an annual salary of $720 each; and all other by the superintendent of the money order office blank agencies are hereby abolished. Sec. 15. without charge, on the application of the remit- That the Postmaster General be, and he is hereter or payee of the original: Provided, That by, authorized to conclude arrangements with the applicant furnish a certificate from the post- the post departments of foreign countries with master on whom the same was drawn that it had which international postal conventions have not been and would not thereafter be paid, and been or shall be concluded, for the exchange of a similar certificate from the postmaster by small sums of money by means of postal orders, whom it was issued that it had not been and the maximum amount of which shall not exceed would not be repaid to the purchaser; and a that fixed by law for domestic money orders, at second fee shall not be charged for a duplicate such rates of exchange and such rules and money order issued to replace an order that has regulations as he may deem expedient; and that been rendered invalid because of non-presenta- the expense incurred in establishing and contion for payment within one year after its date, ducting such system of exchange may be paid or because of illegal indorsements. out of the proceeds of the money order business. Sec. 20. That the Postmaster General is hereby authorized to prescribe a uniform dress to be worn by the letter carriers at the several free delivery offices, and that any person not connected with this branch of the service who shall wear the uniform that may be prescribed in accordance herewith, shall be deemed guilty of a mis

Other sections provide for punishing forgery of post office orders, which is declared felony, and the offender may be kept at hard labor from two to five years and fined not over $5,000. A mail agent to be sent with each China mail steamer; a postal agency to be established at Shanghae; a superintendent of foreign mails

demeanor, and, being convicted thereof, shall, for every such offence, be fined not more than one hundred dollars, or imprisoned not more than six months, or both, in the discretion of the court before which such conviction shall be had. Other sections provide for the settlement of accounts with postmasters.

No. 99.-Appropriating $7,200,000 in coin to pay Russia for Aliaska.

No. 100.-Appropriations for the Indian Department. For superintendents, agents, clerks, interpreters and contingencies, fulfilling treaties, and all other matters, about $3,250,000. Much of this is contingent upon future action; some is in coin or its equivalent; so it is not possible to get at the exact amount of the appropriation. One important section is as follows: "For this amount for the purpose of carrying out the treaty stipulations, making and preparing homes, furnishing provisions, tools, and farming utensils, and furnishing food for such bands of Indians with which treaties have been made by the Indian peace commission and not yet ratified, and defraying the expenses of the commission in making such treaties, and carrying their provisions into effect, five hundred thousand dollars, to be expended under the direction of Lieutenant General Sherman of said commission, and drawn from the treasury upon his requisition upon the Secretary of the Interior." The Mendocino reservation, in California, is restored to sale, and may be put in the market.

No. 101.-Concerning the Rights of American Citizens in Foreign States. Whereas the right of expatriation is a natural and inherent right of all people, indispensable to the enjoyment of the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and whereas in the recognition of this principle, this government has freely received emigrants from all nations, and invested them with the rights of citizenship; and whereas it is claimed that such American citizens, with their descendants, are subjects of foreign states, owing allegiance to the governments thereof; and whereas it is necessary to the maintenance of public peace that this claim of foreign allegiance should be promptly and finally disavowed; therefore, Be it enacted, That any declaration, instruction, opinion, order, or decision of any officers of this government which denies, restricts, impairs, or questions the right of expatriation, is hereby declared inconsistent with the fundamental principles of this government. Sec. 2. That all naturalized citizens of the United States, while in foreign states, shall be entitled to, and shall receive from this government, the same protection of persons and property that is corded to native-born citizens in like situations and circumstances. Sec. 3. That whenever it shall be made known to the President that any citizen of the United States has been unjustly deprived of his liberty by or under the authority of any foreign government, it shall be the duty of the President forthwith to demand of that government the reasons for such imprisonment, and if it appears to be wrongful and in violation of the rights of American citizenship, the President shall forthwith demand the release of such citizen, and if the release so demanded is unreasonably delayed or refused, it shall be the duty of the President to use such means, not amounting to acts of war, as he may think neces

sary and proper to obtain or effectuate such release, and all the facts and proceedings relative thereto shall as soon as practicable be communicated by the President to Congress.

No. 102.-Establishes a new land district in Nebraska.

No. 103.-Regulates the sale of hay in the District of Columbia.

No. 104.-Incorporates the Evening Star newspaper company of Washington.

No. 105.-Authorizes Washington city to issue bonds to pay the floating debt of the city.

No. 106.-To prevent frauds upon the revenue. This act requires that in case of goods, wares, and merchandise, imported from a foreign country adjacent to the United States, the declaration in this section herein before required may be made to, and the certificate indorsed by, the consul, vice-consul, or commercial agent, at or nearest to the port or place of clearance for the United States.

No. 107. Further amending the act to allow the United States to prosecute appeals and writs of error without giving security.

No. 108.-To protect the rights of actual settlers upon the public lands of the United States. That in no case shall more than three sections of public lands of the United States be entered in any one township by scrip issued to any State under the act approved July second, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, for the establishment of an agricultural college therein.

No. 109.-Changing the ports of entry from Plymouth to Edenton, in North Carolina, and Port Royal to Beaufort, in South Carolina.

No. 110.-Amending the general Bankruptcy law so as to read as follows: "In all proceedings in bankruptcy commenced after the first day of January, eighteen hundred and sixty-nine, no discharge shall be granted to a debtor whose assets shall not be equal to fifty per centum of the claims proved against his estate upon which he shall be liable as the principal debtor, unless the assent in writing of a majority in number and value of his creditors to whom he shall have become liable as principal debtor, and who shall have proved their claims, be filed in the case at or before the time of the hearing of the application for discharge."

No. 111.-Transfers certain duties in regard to Indian affairs from the treasury to the interior department.

No. 112.-To provide for an American line of mail and emigrant passenger steamships between New York and one or more European ports. The postmaster general may contract with the Comac-mercial Navigation Company for conveyance of mails weekly or semi-weekly between New York and Bremen, touching at Southampton or Liverpool and Queenstown, the steamers to be firstclass constructed and owned in the United States, contract not to exceed fifteen years in duration. The company must within one year have ready seven first-class steamships, the postmaster general to have inspection of them if he desires, average rate of speed to be equal to other lines. That the compensation for carrying the mails, as shall be in conformity with the act of Congress, approved June 14, 1858, and shall in no event exceed the sum therein provided, being all postage on letters, newspapers, and all other matter transported by or in the mails carried by said