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 $4,341,970.83.

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. 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 latitude, and running thence west to the thirtyfourth meridian of west longitude; thence south to the forty-first degree of north latitude; thence east to twenty-seventh meridian of west longitude; and thence north to the place of beginning; be and the same is hereby organized into a temporary government by the name of the territory of Wyoming: Provided, That nothing in this act shall be construed to impair the rights of person or property now pertaining to the Indians in said territory, so long as such rights shall remain un extinguished by treaty between the United States and such Indians: Provided further, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to inhibit the government of the United States from dividing said teritory into two or more territories, in such manner and at such times as Congress shall deem convenient and proper, or from attaching any portion thereof to any other territory or State. The provisions for officers, elections, &c., are the same as in all other territories.

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.

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. 97.-Relating to the Freedman's Bureau and providing for its discontinuance. That the duties and powers of commissioner of the bureau for the relief of freedmen and refugees shall continue to be discharged by the present commissioner of the bureau, and in case of vacancy in said office occurring by reason of his death or resignation, the same shali be filled by appointment of the President on the nomination of the Secretary of War, and with the advice and consent of the Senate; and no officer of the army shall be detailed for service as commissioner, or shall enter upon the duties of commissioner unless appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate; and all assistant commissioners, agents, clerks, and assistants, shall be appointed by the Secretary of War, on the nomination of the commissioner of the bureau. In case of vacancy in the office of commissioner happening during the recess of the Senate, the duties of commissioner shall be discharged by the acting assistant adjutant general of the bureau until such vacancy can be filled. That the commissioner of the bureau shall, on the first day of January next, cause the said bureau to be withdrawn from the several States within which said bureau has acted, and its operations No. 89.-Authorizes the issue of $25,000,000 of shall be discontinued. But the educational detemporary loan certificates to redeem outstand-partment of the said bureau and the collection ing compound interest notes. Interest on these certificates, three per cent.

No. 88.-Limits the time of prosecution for certain crimes against the United States to five years after the offence. An amendment to the act of March 26, 1804.

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

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.

10. That, if any person employed in any department of the post office establishment of the United States shall, willfully and knowingly, use or cause to be used in prepayment of postage any postage stamp or stamped envelope issued or which may hereafter be issued by authority of any act of Congress or of the Postmaster General which has already been once used for a like purpose, or shall remove or attempt to remove the canceling or defacing marks from any such postage stamp or stamped envelope with intent to use or cause the use of the same a second time, or to sell or offer to sell the same, or shall remove from letters or other mail matter deposited in or received at a post office the stamps attached to the same in payment of postage, with intent to use the same a second time for a like purpose, or to sell or offer to sell the same, every such offender shall, upon conviction thereof, be deemed guilty of felony, and shall be imprisoned for not less than one year nor more than three years. Sec. 11. That if any person not employed in any department of the post of fice establishment of the United States shall commit any of the offences described in the preceding section of this act, every such person shall, on conviction thereof, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and be punished by imprisonment for not less than six months nor more than one year, or by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars for each offence, or by both such fine and im

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, shall be returned to the said writer without additional postage, whether a specific request for such return be indorsed on the letter or not. Sec. 2. That all persons who receive money or ders shall be required to pay therefor the following charges: For one dollar or any sum not exceeding twenty dollars, ten cents; for all orders exceeding twenty dollars and not exceeding thirty dollars, the charge shall be fifteen cents; for all orders exceeding thirty dollars and not exceeding forty dollars, the fee shall be twenty cents; for all orders exceeding forty dollars and not exceeding fifty dollars, the fee shall be twenty-five cents; and furthermore that the compensation of deputy postmasters for the payment of money orders is hereby increased from oneeighth to one-fourth of one per centum on the gross amount of orders paid at their respective offices, and that nothing contained in any act shall be so construed as to deprive postmasters at money order offices of the compensation for transacting the money order business fixed by the act of May seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, and modified as stated in this section: Provided always, That the amount of such annual compensation, together with the postmaster's salary, shall not in any case exceed the salary established by law for postmasters of the first class. Sec. 3. That section thirty-five of the act of March third, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, shall be so construed as to permit weekly newspapers, properly folded and address-prisonment. Sec. 13. That it shall not be lawed, when sent to regular subscribers, in the county where printed and published, to be delivered free of postage, when deposited at the office nearest to the office of publication; but nothing in this act shall be so construed as to require carriers to distribute said papers, unless postage is paid upon them at the rate of five cents per quarter, and such postage must be prepaid for a term of not less than one quarter or more than one year, either at the office of mailing or of delivery, at the option of the subscriber. Sec. 4. That in case of the loss of a money order, a duplicate thereof shall be issued by the superintendent of the money order office without charge, on the application of the remitter or payee of the original: Provided, That the applicant furnish a certificate from the postmaster on whom the same was drawn that it had not been and would not thereafter be paid, and a similar certificate from the postmaster by whom it was issued that it had not been and would not be repaid to the purchaser; and a second fee shall not be charged for a duplicate money order issued to replace an order that has been rendered invalid because of non-presentation for payment within one year after its date, or because of illegal indorsements.

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

ful to deposit in a post office, to be sent by mail, any letters or circulars concerning lotteries, so called gift concerts, or other similar enterprises, offering prizes of any kind on any pretext whatever. Sec. 14. That the Postmaster General be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered to establish a blank agency for the post office department, in Washington, and to appoint one superintendent at an annual salary of $1,800, one assistant superintendent at an annual salary of $1,600, and three other assistants at an annual salary of $1,000 each, and two laborers at an annual salary of $720 each; and all other blank agencies are hereby abolished. Sec. 15. That the Postmaster General be, and he is hereby, authorized to conclude arrangements with the post departments of foreign countries with which international postal conventions have been or shall be concluded, for the exchange of small sums of money by means of postal orders, the maximum amount of which shall not exceed that fixed by law for domestic money orders, at such rates of exchange and under such rules and regulations as he may deem expedient; and that the expense incurred in establishing and conducting such system of exchange may be paid 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

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.

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. 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. No. 112.-To provide for an American line of That all naturalized citizens of the United States, mail and emigrant passenger steamships between while in foreign states, shall be entitled to, and New York and one or more European ports. The shall receive from this government, the same postmaster general may contract with the Comprotection of persons and property that is ac-mercial Navigation Company for conveyance of corded to native-born citizens in like situations mails weekly or semi-weekly between New York and circumstances. Sec. 3. That whenever it and Bremen, touching at Southampton or Livershall be made known to the President that any pool and Queenstown, the steamers to be firstcitizen of the United States has been unjustly class constructed and owned in the United States, deprived of his liberty by or under the authority contract not to exceed fifteen years in duration. of any foreign government, it shall be the duty The company must within one year have ready of the President forthwith to demand of that seven first-class steamships, the postmaster gengovernment the reasons for such imprisonment, eral to have inspection of them if he desires, avand if it appears to be wrongful and in violation erage rate of speed to be equal to other lines. of the rights of American citizenship, the Presi- That the compensation for carrying the mails, as dent shall forthwith demand the release of such shall be in conformity with the act of Congress, citizen, and if the release so demanded is un- approved June 14, 1858, and shall in no event exreasonably delayed or refused, it shall be the ceed the sum therein provided, being all postage duty of the President to use such means, not on letters, newspapers, and all other matter amounting to acts of war, as he may think neces- transported by or in the mails carried by said

navigation company, shall belong to said com- maturity of the same. That the foreign mail pany, and shall be paid to said company quar- agents of the government of the United States terly, or applied to their use. Provided, That shall have free passage on the ships of the said when the receipts from sea postages shall equal company whenever the postmaster general to or exceed the sum of four hundred thousand dol- such foreign mail agents issue passes. That the lars per anuum, then the right of said company said navigation company shall keep up and to receive the inland postages shall cease, and maintain for a period of twenty years, for the said company shall only receive the sea post- said United States mail service, at least the said ages: Provided, That such postages shall not number of seven first class steamships. That exceed six hundred thousand dollars per annum, the rights and privileges herewith granted shall after the discontinuance of said inland postage. be and remain to this company, and in no event That to insure the construction of the above- shall this company transfer or assign the rights mentioned vessels within the time and in the and privileges herein granted, nor shall it be lawmanner provided, the said Commercial Naviga-ful for any officer of the government hereafter to tion Company may issue bonds to such an recognize any assignment or transfer, it being amount that the entire annual interest thereon the intent and meaning of this act to secure an shall not exceed the sum of two hundred and fif- American line of steam vessels for the transportty thousand dollars, such bonds to be made pay-ation of mails and the proper conveyance of able at the expiration of fifteen years, and the emigrant passengers between the port of New interest thereof to be made payable semi-annu- York and the European ports above named; and ally, the principal and interest of such bonds to Congress may at any time hereafter, during the be made payable in coin. That for the protection period of fifteen years, terminate or abandon any of the holders of such bonds they shall be sever- contract of the United States made with such ally registered at the post office department and company, and, having a due regard to the accertified by the chief clerk of the department, crued rights of the said company, alter, repeal, without liability for the payment of the interest or amend this act, and it shall take effect and be or principal of said bonds upon the part of the in force from and after its passage. post office department only in manner as hereinafter provided. And the postmaster general shall receive all moneys for postage earned by the steamships of said company, and shall apply the same as far as needed to the payment of the semiannual interest upon the before named bonds, and shall retain the surplus after paying such interest, and shall invest the same quarterly in the securities of the United States to form a sinking fund, to be held solely for the benefit of the bondholders, and to be applied to the payment of the principal of such bonds. And whenever, and as soon as such sinking fund shall equal in amount the entire principal of said bonds, then from that time forward the interest of said bonds shall be paid out of the income of such sinking fund, and the principal thereof out of the same fund at their maturity. And all postage earned after the time when said sinking fund shall be made up to the amount aforesaid, shall belong to and be paid quarterly to the said company by the postmaster general of the United States. That the aforesaid mail steamships shall be commanded and officered only by citizens of the United States, shall mount an armament, if required, of two guns each, and shall have at least SEC. 2. That no person shall be entitled to a one apprentice to be instructed in engineering, pension by reason of wounds received, or disseamanship, and navigation, to every two hun- ease contracted, in the service of the United dred tons of registered tonnage for each steam- States, subsequently to the passage of this act, ship; and the government of the United States unless the person who was wounded or contractshall have the power to take and use the afore-ed disease was in the line of duty: and, if in the said mail steamships as transports or for ships of war whenever, in the opinion of the President, the exigencies of the United States may require them, who is authorized, in such an event, to take said mail steamers and pay said company a just and equitable sum for their use, or purchase the same, as may be deemed most for the interest of the United States; said payment, whether for purchase or use, to be made to the postmaster general, who shall pay to said navigation company whatever balance be due them, after deducting sufficient for payment for all the before named registered bonds, the amount of which in this event shall be paid to the holders thereof at

No. 116.-Relating to pensions. That the laws granting pensions to the hereinafter-mentioned dependent relatives of deceased persons leaving neither widow nor child entitled to pensions under existing laws, shall be so construed as to give precedence to such relatives in the following order, namely: First, mothers; secon-lly, fathers; thirdly, orphan brothers and sisters under sixteen years of age, who shall be pensioned jointly if there be more than one: Provided, That if, in any case, the said persons shall have left both father and mother who were dependent upon them, then on the death of the mother the father shall become entitled to a pension commencing from and after the death of the mother; and upon the death of the mother and father the dependent brothers and sisters under sixteen years of age shall jointly become entitled to such pension until they attain the age of sixteen years, respectively, commencing from and after the death of the party who, preceding them, would have been entitled to the same: And provided further, That no pension heretofore awarded shall be affected by anything herein contained.

military service, was at the time actually in the field, or on the march, or at some post, fort, or garrison; or if in the naval service was at the time borne on the books of some ship, or other vessel of the United States, at sea or in harbor, actually in commission, or was on his way, by direction of competent authority, to the United States, or to some other vessel or naval station.

SEC. 3. That so much of the acts approved April 6th, 1838, and August 23d, 1842, as requires that pensions remaining unclaimed for fourteen months after the same have become due, shall be adjusted at the office of the third auditor, is hereby repealed; and the failure of