Annual in come of property President and other officers. Vacancies. ington, in the District of Columbia, to have and use a common seal, and to alter and amend the same at pleasure; to have, purchase, receive, possess, and enjoy any estates in lands, tenements, annuities, goods, chattels, moneys, or effects, and to grant, demise, and dispose of the same in such manner as they may deem most for the interest of the hospital: Provided, That the annual income from the same held by such corporation shall not exceed in value the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said corporation and body politic shall have full power to appoint from their own body a president and such other officers as they may deem necessary for the purposes of their creation; and in case of the death, resignation, or refusal to serve of any of their number, the remaining members shall elect and appoint other persons in lieu of those whose places may have been vacated; and the said corporation shall have full power and all the rights of opening and keeping a hospital in the city of Washington, for the care of such sick, wounded, and invalid persons as may place themselves under the Property to be care of said corporation, and the property held by said corporation shall devoted to what be devoted exclusively to the purposes of such hospital. Powers of corporation. purposes. By-laws. Act may be altered. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said corporation shall also have and enjoy full power and authority to make such by-laws, rules, and regulations as may be necessary for the general accomplishment of the objects of such hospital: Provided, That they be not inconsistent with the laws in force in the District of Columbia: And provided further, That this act shall be liable to be amended, altered, or repealed at the pleasure of Congress. APPROVED, July 27, 1866. July 27, 1866. CHAP. CCLXXX. -An Act in Relation to the District Courts of the United States in the States of California and Louisiana. California and Louisiana respectively to Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the southern judicial district of the State of California and the western district of Louisiana form only one shall be, and the same are hereby, abolished, and hereafter the said States judicial district. shall respectively constitute one judicial district, and shall respectively be called the districts of California and Louisiana. The district judge, marshal, and district attorney of the United States for the northern district of California and the eastern district of Louisiana shall respectively possess and exercise the same powers and jurisdiction in said district courts of California and Louisiana as they now possess and exercise in their respective districts. How called. Judges, marshals, and attor neys. Pending, &c. process. Clerks of SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That all actions, suits, and proceedings, civil or criminal, which shall have been commenced, and at the time of the passage of this act shall be pending in the southern district of California or the western district of Louisiana, and all process, orders, judgments, decrees, records, or other papers or proceedings relating thereto or filed therein, shall be transferred to the said district courts of California and Louisiana respectively, which courts shall possess and exercise over such actions, suits, and proceedings, and the process, orders, judgments, decrees, records, and other papers and proceedings so transferred, the same authority and jurisdiction as they would have had if such actions, suits, and proceedings had been commenced in said courts; and no indictment, writ, process, recognizance, or other proceeding returnable to or to be heard, tried, or considered in the said southern district of California or said western district of Louisiana shall be abated, discontinued, or rendered void by the transfer thereof as aforesaid. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the clerks of the said southern southern district district of California and the said western district of Louisiana shall, as western district soon as practicable after the passage of this act, deliver to and deposit of California and with the clerks of the said district courts of California and Louisiana, re- of Louisiana to spectively, all property, books, records, documents, and papers remaining deposit books and property in their respective offices, and the same shall be received and kept by with the clerks the said last-mentioned clerks subject to the order and direction of such of courts hereby courts respectively. established. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That exccutions may be issued out Executions to of the said district court of California and the said district court of Lou- collect judg ments heretofore isiana, respectively, to collect any judgment or decree rendered in the rendered. said southern district of California or said western district of Louisiana before the passage of this act with the same effect as the same might now be issued out of the court in which such judgment or decree was rendered; and all process which shall have been issued out of said district court for the southern district of California or said western district of Louisiana, and shall not have been returned before the passage of this act, shall be returned to and filed with the clerks of the district courts of California and Louisiana respectively. judge for the SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the salary of the United States. Salary of district judge for the district of Louisiana shall hereafter be four thousand district of Loufive hundred dollars per annum. APPROVED, July 27, 1866. isiana. An Act to authorize the Use in Post Offices of Weights of the July 27, 1866. Postal balances denominated Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Postmaster-General be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to furnish to the post offices in grams of the exchanging mails with foreign countries, and to such other offices as he metric system shall think expedient, postal balances denominated in grams of the met- may be furnished ric system; and, until otherwise provided by law, one half ounce avoir- offices. dupois shall be deemed and taken for postal purposes as the equivalent of One half fifteen grams of the metric weights, and so adopted in progression; and the rates of postage shall be applied accordingly. APPROVED, July 27, 1866. CHAP. CCLXXXII. – An Act to authorize the Refunding of certain Taxes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That where the license tax imposed upon any wholesale dealer has been calculated upon the amount of such dealer's sales for the previous year, in accordance with the terms of the seventy-ninth section of an act approved June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, and it shall be proved to the satisfaction of the commissioner of internal revenue that the sales made under such license did not equal in amount the sales of such previous year, it shall be lawful for said commissioner to refund to such wholesale dealer so much of the amount paid for such license as may be in excess of the proper tax chargeable upon the amount of sales actually made under such license during the year for which the same was issued. APPROVED, July 27, 1866. CHAP. CCLXXXIII. An Act amendatory of Section thirteen of an Act entitled "An Act to amend an Act entitled An Act to provide Internal Revenue to support the Government, to pay Interest on the Public Debt, and for other Purposes,' approved June 30, 1864," approved March 3, 1865. certain post ounce to be the equivalent of fifteen grams. July 27, 1866. Certain license taxes of wholesale dealers may be refunded. 1864,ch.173,§ 79. Vol. xiii. p. 251. July 27, 1866. 1865, ch. 78, § 13. Vol. xiii. p. 485. Section 13 of Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the thirteenth section of an act entitled "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to provide in- the act 1866, ch. 78, amended by ternal revenue to support the government, to pay interest on the public substituting the words "without paying the special tax therefor," for "without having first obtained a license so to do." debt, and for other purposes,' approved June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four," approved March third, eighteen hundred and sixty-five, be, and the same is hereby, amended by striking out the words "without having first obtained a license so to do," and inserting in lieu thereof the words, " without paying the special tax therefor.” APPROVED, July 27, 1866. July 27, 1866. CHAP. CCLXXXIV. — An Act to amend the Acts relating to Officers employed in the Examination of imported Merchandise in the District of New York, and for other Purposes. One appraiser to be appointed at the port of New York. Oath. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in lieu of the appraisers now authorized by law for the appraisement of goods, wares, and merchandise at the port of New York, the President of the United States shall, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint for said port one appraiser, who has had experience as an appraiser, or who shall Qualifications. be practically acquainted with the quality and value of some one or more of the chief articles of importation subject to appraisement, and who, before he enters upon the duties of his office, shall take and subscribe an oath faithfully to direct and supervise the examination, inspection, and appraisement according to law, of such goods, wares, and merchandise as the collector may direct, and as is hereinafter provided for, and to cause to be duly reported to the collector the true value thereof, as required by law: Provided, That the collector shall not, under any circumstances, direct to be sent for examination and appraisement less than one package of every invoice, and one package at least out of every ten packages of goods, wares, and merchandise, and a greater number should he, or the appraiser, or any assistant appraiser, deem it necessary: Provided, nevertheless, that when from the character and description of the goods, wares, and merchandise, the Secretary of the Treasury may be of the opinion that the examination of a less proportion of packages will amply protect the revenue, he may, by special regulation, direct a less number of packages to be examined. And the appraiser, created by this act, in cases of his necessary and occasional absence, may perform his functions, ad interim, by deputy, designated by him in writing, from the assistant appraisers to be appointed under the provisions of this act. Packages to be sent for examination and appraisement. Proviso. When and how appraiser may act by deputy. Ten assistant appraisers to be appointed for the port of New York. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That in lieu of the assistant appraisers now authorized by law for the port of New York, the Secretary of the Treasury may appoint not exceeding ten assistant appraisers for said port, who have had experience as appraisers, or who shall be practically acquaintQualifications. ed with the quality and value of some one or more of the chief articles of importation subject to appraisement, and included among the goods, wares, or merchandise, to the examination and appraisement of which they are respectively to be assigned, and who shall be employed in appraising To act under goods, according to law, under the direction and supervision of the ap direction of appraiser. Oath. Their report approved by appraiser, to be deemed the appraisement required by law. One of the as ers to act as praiser; and each of whom shall, before entering upon the duties of his office, take and subscribe an oath diligently and faithfully to examine and inspect such goods, wares, and merchandise as the appraiser may direct, and truly to report to him the true value thereof, according to law; such report to be subject to revision and correction by the appraiser, and when approved by him to be transmitted to the collector, and to be deemed and taken to be the appraisement by the United States local appraiser of the district of such goods, wares, or merchandise required by law. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That one of the assistant appraisers sistant apprais to be appointed by virtue of this act, with special reference to his qualifispecial examiner cations for the duties in this section set forth, shall, in addition to the duof drugs. ties that may be required of him by the appraiser, perform the duties and act in the place and stead of the special examiner of drugs, medicines, chemicals, and so forth, at the port of New York, as provided by the act 1848, ch. 70. Vol. ix. p. 237. One assistant of June twenty-six, eighteen hundred and forty-eight, chapter seventy, and one of the assistant appraisers to be appointed by virtue of this act shall be detailed by the appraiser for the supervision of the department for the examination of merchandise damaged on the voyage of importation, and as far as practicable to make examinations and appraisals of such appraiser to examine damaged or any other merchandise as the appraiser may direct, and in all cases merchandise. truly to report to him the extent of such damage, or the true value of the merchandise appraised, as the case may be, according to law, such report to be subject to the same revision, correction, and approval by the appraiser, as prescribed in the second section of this act, and to be in like manner, and for the same purpose, transmitted to the collector. Examiners to be appointed. Number and Qualifications. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That in lieu of the clerks now employed in the examination, inspection, and appraisement of goods, wares, and merchandise at the port of New York, the Secretary of the Treasury may, on the nomination of the appraiser, appoint such number of examiners as said Secretary may in writing determine to be necessary, their pay to be determined by Secrecompensation to be limited and fixed by him, but not to exceed the rates tary of Treasury. of twenty-five hundred dollars per year, to aid each of said assistant appraisers in the examination, inspection, and appraisement of goods, wares, and merchandise, according to law; and no person shall be appointed such examiner who is not, at the time of his appointment, practically and thoroughly acquainted with the character, quality, and value of the article or articles in the examination and appraisement of which he is to be employed; nor shall any such examiner enter upon the discharge of his duties, as such, until he shall have taken and subscribed an oath faithfully and diligently to discharge such duties according to law; and the Secretary of the Treasury shall also appoint, on the nomination of the ap- openers, packpraiser, the clerks, verifiers, samplers, openers, packers, and messengers ers, and messenemployed in the appraiser's office, or in any of the departments thereof, gers. and shall limit and fix their number and compensation; but their compensation shall not exceed the rates of compensation usually paid for similar service. Oath. Clerks, verifiers, samplers, this act to en SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That it shall not be lawful for the No officer appraiser, the assistant appraisers, examiners, clerks, verifiers, samplers, appointed under messengers, or other persons employed in the departments of appraisal, gage in meror any of them, to engage or be employed in any commercial or mercan- cantile business. tile business, or act as agent for any person engaged in such business, during the term of their appointment. Pay of assistants. SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the appraiser who may be appointed under the provisions of this act shall receive a compensation of appraiser and four thousand dollars per annum, and the assistant appraisers shall each receive a compensation of three thousand dollars per annum, to be paid out of the appropriations for defraying the expenses of collecting the revenue. Compensation to be paid SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the compensation allowed, respectively, to the appraiser and the assistant appraisers, under the pro- monthly. vision of this act, shall be paid to them in monthly payments, and in due proportion for any period less than one month for the time they may actually serve. Inconsistent laws repealed. Present laws SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act be, and the same are hereby, repealed; and all provisions of existing acts relating to the duties of the appraisers now provided for by law, or to any proceedings consequent or respecting appraisers, &c. dependent upon the action of such appraisers and not inconsistent with to apply to those the provisions of this act, shall be construed to apply to the appraiser and appointed under assistant appraisers provided for by this act, and shall be continued in full force, and that this act shall take effect on and after the first day of September, anno Domini eighteen hundred and sixty-six. SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That if at any time, from an in this act. When this act takes effect. Assistant hours. crease of importation, or from any other cause, there shall be found upon appraisers may the floors of the public stores in the city of New York an accumulation be required to work more than of merchandise awaiting appraisement, it shall be the duty of the apusual business praiser, under regulations established by the Secretary of the Treasury, to direct the assistant appraisers, and others associated with them in this branch of the public business, to devote time beyond the usual business hours, in each day, during daylight, to their respective duties, to the end that the business of appraisement may be faithfully and more promptly despatched. Aids to the revenue to have pay of inspectors of customs. July 27, 1866. Certain imports at Portland, Me., to be free of duty. Drawback of import duties on materials used in buildings erected on the ground burned over. Proviso. SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That all aids to the revenue or others performing the duties of inspectors of customs in any collection district, shall be paid the same per diem compensation as inspectors of customs. APPROVED, July 27, 1866. CHAP. CCLXXXV. - An Act for the Relief of Sufferers by Fire at Portland. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That on all goods, wares, and merchandise which may be sent from places without the limits of the United States, as gratuitous contributions to the relief of sufferers by the fire which occurred at Portland, Maine, July fourth and fifth, eighteen hundred and sixty-six, shall, when imported at the port of Portland and consigned to the proper authority for distribution, be admitted free of duty. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That there shall be allowed and paid, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, on all materials actually used in buildings erected on the ground burned over by said fire, a drawback of the import duties paid on the same: Provided, That said materials shall have been imported at the port of Portland during the term of one year from and after said fifth day of July, 1866. APPROVED, July 27, 1866. July 27, 1866. CHAP. CCLXXXVI. Seamen in merchant service not to wear sheath knives. Persons offering to ship as seamen to be notified of law. Penalty. ·An Act to prevent the Wearing of Sheath Knives by American Seamen. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the existing regulation for the government of the navy of the United States, prohibiting the wearing of sheath knives on shipboard is hereby extended and made applicable to all seamen in the merchant service. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the master or other officer in command of any ship or vessel registered, enrolled, or licensed under the laws of the United States, and of the owner or other person entering into contract for the employment of a seaman or other subordinate upon any such ship or vessel, to inform every person offering to ship himself of the provisions of this law, and to require his compliance therewith, under a penalty of fifty dollars for each omission, to be sued for and recovered in the name of the United States of America, under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, one half for the benefit of the informer and the other half for the benefit of the fund for the relief of sick and disabled seamen. APPROVED, July 27, 1866. |