and on the facts being shown, on inquiry had by the said judge or court, stated and transmitted, as by the said act is required, to the Secretary of the Treasury; in all such cases wherein it shall be proved to his satisfaction, that the said goods, wares, and merchandise, at the time of their importation or introduction into the United States were bona fide American property, that they were not clandestinely imported or introduced, and that they were imported or introduced since the declaration of war aforesaid, the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby directed to remit all fines, penalties, and forfeitures that may have been incurred under the said acts, in consequence of such importation or introduction into the United States, upon the costs and charges that have arisen, or may arise, being paid, and on payment of the duties that would have been payable by law, on such goods, wares, and merchandise, if legally imported; and also, to direct the prosecution or prosecu tions, if any shall have been instituted for the recovery of the said fines, penalties, and forfeitures, to cease and be discontinued.

the Cape of

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Time of payduties payable on the goods, wares, and mer. ing duties upon goods chandise embraced by the provisions of the imported act, entitled "An act authorising the admis- from beyond sion, under certain circumstances, of vessels Good Hope owned by citizens of the United States of not altered. America, with their cargoes, from British ports beyond the Cape of Good Hope," shall not, in any case, be paid, or secured to be paid, in such manner as to postpone the payment of such duties beyond the time and times at which the said duties should have become payable, if the goods, wares, and merchandise had been imported and entered at the time of

passing this act, any thing in the act abovementioned to the contrary notwithstanding.

H. CLAY,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

WM. H. CRAWFORD,

President of the Senate, pro tempore.

February 27, 1813.

APPROVED,

JAMES MADISON.

Steam boats

mail. Terms.

CHAPTER CLXXVI.

AN ACT in addition to an act regulating the postoffice establishment.

BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of Ame rica in Congress assembled, That the postmaster general be, and he is hereby autho may carry the rised to contract for carrying mails of the United States in any steam boat or boats, which are or may be established to ply between one post town and another post town: Provided, That such contract shall not be made for a longer period than four years: And provided also, That the pay for such service, shall not be at a greater rate, taking into consideration distance, expedition, and frequency, than is paid for carrying the mail by stages on the post road, or roads, adjacent to the course of such steam boats, and that such con.

Proviso.

Proviso.

tracts shall secure the regular transportation of the mail throughout each year.

H. CLAY,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.
WM. H. CRAWFORD,

President of the Senate, pro tempore.

February 27, 1813.

APPROVED,

JAMES MADISON.

CHAPTER CLXXVII.

AN ACT authorising the appointment of additional officers in the respective territories of the United

States.

BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be appointed in the respective territories of the United States, a person learned in the law, to act as attorney of the United States, who shall, besides the usual fees of office, receive an annual salary of two hundred and fifty dollars, payable quarter yearly, at the Treasury of the United States; and there shall also be appointed, in each of said territories, a marshal, who shall receive the same fees and compensation as is allowed by law to the marshal of the district of Kentucky.

H. CLAY,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.
WM. H. CRAWFORD,

President of the Senate, pro tempore.

February 27, 1813.

APPROVED,

JAMES MADISON.

CHAPTER CLXXVIII.

AN ACT to establish certain post roads in the state of Louisiana.

BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of Ame rica in Congress assembled, That the following post roads be established; from Natchez, in the Mississippi territory, by Concordia to Catahoula, and from thence, by Rapids to Nachitoches; from St. Francisville, by S Helena and St. Tammany to Madisonville. H. CLAY,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

WM. H. CRAWFORD, President of the Senate, pro tempore.

February £7, 1815.

APPROVED,

JAMES MADISON.

CHAPTER CLXXIX.

AN ACT to encourage vaccination.

BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of Ame Agent to be rica in Congress assembled, That the President appointed for of the United States be, and he is hereby au preserving the genuine thorised to appoint an agent to preserve the vaccine mat- genuine vaccine matter, and to furnish the same to any citizen of the United States, whenever it may be applied for, through the sent through medium of the postoffice; and such agent of the postof. shall, previous to his entering upon the exe

ter.

It may be

the medium

fice.

cution of the duties assigned to him by this act, and before he shall be entitled to the privilege of franking any letter or package as herein allowed, take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation, before some magistrate, and cause a certificate thereof to be filed in the general postoffice: "I, A. B. do swear Oath to be (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will taken by faithfully use my best exertions to preserve the agent, genuine vaccine matter, and to furnish the same to the citizens of the United States; and also, that I will abstain from every thing prohibited in relation to the establishment of the postoffice of the United States." And it He must shall be the duty of the said agent to transmit write to the to the several post-masters in the United post masters States a copy of this act: and he shall also copy of this forward to them a public notice, directing how act. and where all application shall be made to him for vaccine matter.

and send a

Packets not

exceeding

nation, to go

from the

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all letters or packages not exceeding half an ounce half an ounce in weight, containing vaccine matter, or relat- and rela ing to the subject of vaccination, and that ting to vacci alone, shall be carried by the United States' free of postmail free of any postage, either to or from the age to and agent who may be appointed to carry the pro- agent. visions of this act into effect: Provided al- Proviso. ways That the said agent before he delivers any letter for transmission by the mail, shall in his own proper hand writing, on the outside thereof, endorse the word " Vaccination," and thereto subscribe his name, and shall previously furnish the post master of the office where he shall deposit the same with a specimen of his signature; and if said agent shall frank any letter or package, in which shall be contained any thing relative to any subject other than vaccination, he shall, on conviction