[ 2111.]

[Laws of the U. S., Statutes at Large, vol. 9, page 249.] CHAP. 108. An act amending the act entitled "An act granting half pay to widows or orphans, where their husband and fathers have died of wounds received in the military service of the United States," in case of deceased officers and soldiers of the militia and volunteers, passed July fourth, eighteen hundred and thirty-six.

1. Provisions of the act of July 4, 1836, granting half pay to widows or orphans, made applicable to all widows or orphans of officers, soldiers, &c., who were in the army 1st March, 1846, and during the present war with Mexico. 2. Widows and orphans herein provided for to receive the same rate of pensions as is provided for in the above act. 3. Pensions under this act to be granted under such rules as the Secretary of War may prescribe.

APPROVED, JULY 21, 1848.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the provisions of the first section of the act entitled "An act granting half pay to widows or orphans, where their husbands and fathers have died of wounds received in the military service of the United States, in certain cases, and for other purposes," approved July fourth, eighteen hundred and thirty-six, shall be applicable to all widows and orphans of officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, and soldiers, of the army of the United States, who were in the army of the United States on the first day of March, eighteen hundred and forty-six, or at any subsequent period during the present war between the United States and Mexico.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all widows and orphans of officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, whether of the regular army or of volunteers, who have died since the first day of April, one thousand eight hundred and forty-six, or who may die during the war with Mexico, from wounds received or from disease contracted while in the line of duty, shall be entitled to the same rate of pension as is provided for in the first section of the before mentioned act, under like limitations and restrictions: Provided, Said death has occurred, or may hereafter occur, while said officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, or privates, were in the service of the United States, and in the line of duty; or while returning to their usual place of residence in the United States, after having received a discharge upon a surgeon's certificate for disability incurred from wounds received, or disease contracted, while in the line of duty, or while on their march to join the army in Mexico: And provided further, That this act shall not be applicable to the widows and orphans of such officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, or privates, who have not served in Mexico, or at posts or stations on the borders of Mexico, except where such officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, or privates, have died while on their march to join the army in Mexico.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That all pensions under this

act shall be granted under such rules, regulations, restrictions, and limitations as the Secretary of War, with the approbation of the President of the United States, may prescribe.

[ 212.]

[Laws of the U. S., Statutes at Large, vol. 9, page 265.]

CHAP. 120. An act for the relief of certain surviving widows of officers and soldiers of the revolutionary army.

1. Certain widows of revolutionary officers and soldiers to be entitled to a pension of equal amount to that their husbands would be entitled to, if living: No widow now receiving a pension to be entitled to a further pension under this act: 2. No mortgage, sale, assignment, &c., of claims under this act to be valid: Rules of evidence. 3. This act to take effect immediately.

APPROVED, JULY 29, 1848.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the widows of all officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, soldiers, mariners, or marines, and Indian spies, who shall have served in the continental line, State troops, volunteers, militia, or in the naval service, in the revolutionary war with Great Britain, shall be entitled to a pension during such widowhood, of equal amount per annum that their husbands would have been entitled to, if living, under existing pension laws; to commence on the fourth day of March, eighteen hundred and forty-eight, and to be paid in the same manner that other pensions are paid to widows; but no widow now receiving a pension shall be entitled to receive a further pension under the provisions of this act; and no widow married after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred, shall be entitled to receive a pension under this act.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That any pledge, mortgage, sale, assignment, or transfer of any right, claim, or interest, in any way granted by this act, shall be utterly void and of no effect, nor shall the annuities or pension granted by this act be liable to attachment, levy, or seizure by any process of law or equity, but shall enure wholly to the personal benefits of the pensioner or annuitant entitled to the same. The same rules of evidence, regulations, and prescriptions shall apply and govern the Commissioner of Pensions and pension agents under this act as now prevail under existing pension laws which relate to widows of revolutionary officers and soldiers.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That this act shall take effect immediately.

[213.]

[Laws of the U. S., Statutes at Large, vol. 9, page 341.]

CHAP. 20. An act to continue the office of the Commissioner of Pensions. 1. Office of Commissioner of Pensions continued till further legislation: Salary.

APPROVED, JANUARY 19, 1849.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the authority given to continue the office of Commissioner of Pensions by the act of the fourteenth of January, eighteen hundred and forty-six, entitled "An act to continue the office of Commissioner of Pensions," be extended until further legislation by Congress; and that said Commissioner shall receive the same rate of compensation which was paid to him during the year ending December thirty-first, eighteen hundred and forty-eight.

[214.]

[Laws of the U. S., Statutes at Large, vol. 9, page 345.]

CHAP. 53. An act making appropriations for the payment of revolutionary and other pensions of the United States for the year ending the thirtieth June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty.

1. Revolutionary pensions, $28,400: Invalid pensions, $272,000: For widows and orphans, $132,000: Half pay pensions to widows and orphans, $10,000: Arrearages, $1,000. 2. Deputies or clerks of agents for paying pensions may administer oaths.

APPROVED, FEBRUARY 19, 1849.

SEC. 1. 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 the same are hereby, appropriated out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the payment of pensions for the year ending the thirtieth of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty:

For revolutionary pensions, under the act of the eighteenth of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, twenty-eight thousand four hundred dollars.

For invalid pensions, under various acts, two hundred and seventy-two thousand dollars.

For pensions to widows, under the act of the second of February, one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, one hundred and thirty-two thousand dollars.

For pensions to widows and orphans, under the act of the twenty-first of July, one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, twenty-four thousand dollars.

For half pay pensions to widows and orphans, under the act of the sixteenth of March, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, and the act of the sixteenth of April, one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, in addition to an unexpended balance re

maining in the treasury of eleven thousand seven hundred and sixty-four dollars and fifty-seven cents, payable through the Third Auditor's office, ten thousand dollars.

For arrearages prior to the first of July, one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, under the act of the first of May, one thousand eight hundred and twenty, in addition to an unexpended balance remaining in the treasury of two thousand nine hundred and fourteen dollars and eighty-nine cents, payable through the Third Auditor's office, one thousand dollars.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That whenever any agent for paying pensions shall have a deputy or clerk, authorized by law, said deputy or clerk shall have like power to administer oaths or affirmations as said agent may have; and all oaths and affirmations taken before said clerk or deputy, shall be of like obligation, and subject to like penalties for false swearing or affirmation, as if taken before the pension agent himself.

[215.]

[Laws of the U. S., Statutes at Large, vol. 9, page 347.]

CHAP. 62. An act granting five years' half pay to certain widows and orphans of officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, both regulars and volunteers.

1. How the act of 21st July, 1848, amending the act granting half pay pensions to widows and orphans, is to be construed.

APPROVED, FEBRUARY 22, 1849.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the provisions of the second section of the act entitled "An act amending the act entitled 'An act granting half pay to widows or orphans, where their husbands and fathers have died of wounds received in the military service of the United States,' in cases of deceased officers and soldiers of the militia and volunteers," approved July twenty-first, eighteen hundred and forty-eight, shall be so construed as to embrace all widows and orphans of officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, whether of the regular army or of volunteers, who have received an honorable discharge, or who remained to the date of their death in the military service of the United States, and who have died, since their return to their usual place of residence, of wounds received or from disease contracted while in line of duty, subject to such rules, regulations, and restrictions, as the Secretary of War, by the third section of said act, is authorized to impose.

[216.]

[Laws of the U. S., Statutes at Large, vol. 9, page 418.]

No. 14. Joint Resolution relative to evidence in applications for pensions by widows of deceased soldiers, under the act of July twenty-first, eighteen hundred and forty-eight. 1. What shall be considered satisfactory evidence in applications by certain widows for pensions.

APPROVED, MARCH 3, 1849.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in all applications for pensions by the widows of deceased soldiers, under the act of July twenty-first, eighteen hundred and forty-eight, the returns on the rolls of the disease of which the soldier died, and the official opinion of the surgeon-general founded thereon, that from the nature of the disease it was contracted while the soldier was in the line of his duty, shall be considered satisfactory evidence thereof, without the proof now required at the Pension Office; and that it shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Pensions, in all cases of application for pensions under said act, to apply to the proper officers for said evidence, without requiring the applicant to furnish the same.

[217.]

[Laws of the U. S., Statutes at Large, vol. 9, page 395.]

CHAP. 108. An act to establish the Home Department, and to provide for the Treasury Department an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, and a Commissioner of the Customs.*

1. New Executive Department created, to be called the "Department of the Interior:" Secretary of the Interior-how to be appointed; his salary. 2. Secretary of the Interior to have supervision of the Patent Office. 3. And of the General Land Office.

4. And of the accounts of marshals, clerks, and officers of courts of the United States, &c. 5. And of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, &c. 6. And of the Commissioner of Pensions, &c. 7. And of the taking and making returns of census, &c. 8. And of the lead and other mines of the United States. 9. And of the Commissioner of Public Buildings, &c.: Proviso. 10. And over the penitentiary of the District of Columbia. 11. Secretary to appoint a chief clerk; his salary: Certain clerks in the Treasury De partment to be transferred to the office of Secretary of the Interior: Appointment of clerks. 12. Commissioner of Customs to be appointed; his salary: Clerks to be transferred from office of First Comptroller, and chief clerk to be appointed by Secretary of the Treasury. 13. Assistant Secretary of the Treasury to be appointed; his salary, powers, and duties: Clerk at $1700 per annum to be appointed. 14. Messengers and portion of the contingent fund to be transferred from First Comptroller's office and Treasury Department to office of Commissioner of Customs and Department of Interior. 15. The powers and duties devolved on the Secretary of the Treasury by the Independent Treasury act not to be impaired.

APPROVED, MARCH 3, 1849.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, from

*This act is inserted entire on account of the new era it creates in many Departments and in the Pension Office in particular.