Term for receiving on loan the unsubscribed domestic

debt of U. States extend

ed.

Subscription

books to be opened.

1790, ch. 34.

Interest to creditors.

for receiving on loan that part of the domestic debt of the United States, which hath not been subscribed pursuant to the terms proposed in the act, intituled, "An act making provision for the debt of the United States," shall be, and it is hereby extended, on the same terms, as in and by the said act is provided, to the first day of March next; and books, for receiving such farther subscription, shall be opened at the treasury of the United States, and by the commissioners of loans in each of the said states, on the first day of June next, which shall continue open until the said first day of March next inclusively; for which purpose, the said commissioners, respectively, are hereby invested with the like powers, and required to perform the like duties, as in and by the said act is directed.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That such of the creditors of the non-subscribing United States, as have not subscribed and shall not subscribe to the said loan, shall nevertheless receive a rate per centum on the amount of so much of their respective demands, as well for interest as principal, as, on or before the first day of March, shall be registered, conformably to the directions of the said act, as shall be equal to the interest payable to the subscribing creditors, which shall be payable at the same times and places, and by the same persons, as in and by the said act is directed.

Term for receiving state debts extended,

subscription

books to be opened.

Certain cer

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the term for receiving upon loan that part of the debts of the respective states, which hath not been subscribed pursuant to the terms proposed in the act aforesaid, shall be, and it is hereby enlarged on the same terms, as in and by the said act is provided, until the first day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three inclusively; for which purpose, books shall be opened at the treasury of the United States, and by the commissioners of loans in each of the said states, on the first day of June next, which shall continue open until the first day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three inclusively; for which purposes the said commissioners are hereby invested with the like powers, and required to perform the like duties, as, in and by the said act, is directed.

SEC. 4. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That the comtificates of N. missioner of loans for North Carolina shall not be allowed to receive any certificate issued by Patrick Travers, commissioner of Cumberland county, or by the commissioners of army accounts at Warrenton.

Carolina exclu

ded.

Debt due to

certain foreign

officers, Presi

dent to cause to be paid.

Certain perCommissioners

sons appointed to purchase debt of the U. S. &c.

SEC. 5. And whereas the United States are indebted to certain foreign officers, on account of pay and services during the late war, the interest whereof, pursuant to the certificates granted to the said officers by virtue of a resolution of the United States in Congress assembled, is payable at the house of Grand, banker, at Paris, and it is expedient to discharge the same. Be it therefore enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is authorized to cause to be discharged the principal and interest of the said debt, out of any of the monies, which have been or shall be obtained on loan, in virtue of the act aforesaid, and which shall not be necessary ultimately to fulfil the purposes for which the said monies are, in and by the said act, authorized to be borrowed.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the President of the Senate, the Chief Justice, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Attorney General, for the time being, shall be commissioners, who, or any three of whom, are hereby authorized, with the approbation of the President of the United States, to purchase the debt of the United States, at its market price, if not exceeding the par or true value thereof; for which purchase the interest on so much of the public debt, as has already been, or may hereafter be purchased for the United States, or as shall be paid into the treasury, and so much of the monies appropriated for the payment of the interest on the foreign and domestic debt, as shall exceed what may be sufficient for the payment of such interest

Account to be

to the creditors of the United States, shall be and are hereby appropriated. And it shall be the duty of the said commissioners to render to the legislature, within two months after the commencement of the rendered annufirst session thereof in every year, a full and precise account of all such ally. purchases made, and public debt redeemed, in pursuance of this act.

Out of a fund

purpose.

how to be ap

SEC. 7. And whereas it is expedient to establish a fund for the gradual reduction of the public debt: Be it further enacted, That the interest created for the on so much of the debt of the United States, as has been or shall be purchased or redeemed for or by the United States, or as shall be paid into the treasury thereof in satisfaction of any debt or demand, and the surplus of any sum or sums appropriated for the payment of the interest upon the said debt, which shall remain after paying such interest, shall be, and hereby are appropriated and pledged firmly and inviolably for and to the purchase and redemption of the said debt, to be applied under the direction of the President of the Senate, the Chief Justice, the Secretary of plied. State, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General for the time being, or any three of them, with the approbation of the President of the United States, for the time being, in manner following, that is to say: First, to the purchase of the several species of stock constituting the debt of the United States, at their respective market prices, not exceeding the par or. true value thereof, and as nearly as may be, in equal proportions, until the annual amount of the said funds, together with any other provisions which may be made by law, shall be equal to two per centum of the whole amount of the outstanding funded stock bearing a present interest of six per centum. Thenceforth, secondly, to the redemption of the said last mentioned stock, according to the right for that purpose reserved to the United States, until the whole amount thereof shall have been redeemed. And lastly, after such redemption, to the purchase, at its market price, of any other stock consisting of the debt of the United States, which may then remain unredeemed: and such purchase, as far as the fund shall at any time extend, shall be made within thirty days next after each day, on which a quarterly payment of interest on the debt of the United States shall become due, and shall be made by a known agent, to be named by the said commissioners.

Purchases how

SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That all future purchases of public debt on account of the United States, shall be made at the lowest price, to be made. at which the same can be obtained by open purchase, or by receiving sealed proposals, to be opened in the presence of the commissioners, or persons authorized by them to make purchases, and the persons making such proposals.

SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That quarter yearly accounts of the application of the said fund shall be rendered for settlement, as other public accounts, accompanied with returns of the sums of the said debt, which shall have been from time to time purchased or redeemed; and a full and exact report of the proceedings of the said commissioners, including a statement of the disbursements, which shall have been made, and of the sums which shall have been purchased or redeemed under their direction, and specifying dates, prices, parties, and places, shall be laid before Congress, within the first fourteen days of each session which may ensue the present, during the execution of the said trust. APPROVED, May 8, 1792.

CHAP. XXXIX.-An Act to provide for a Copper Coinage. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the director of the mint, with the approbation of the President of the United States, be authorized to contract for and purchase a quantity of copper,

Quarterly ac

counts of appli fund to be rendered &c.

cation of said

STATUTE I

May 8, 1792.

Director of

the mint to pur. chase copper

not exceeding one hundred and fifty tons, and that the said director, as soon as the needful preparations shall be made, cause the copper by him purchased to be coined at the mint into cents and half cents, pursuant to "the act establishing a mint, and regulating the coins of the United States;" and that the said cents and half cents, as they shall be coined, be paid into the treasury of the United States, thence to issue into circulation.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That after the expiration of six calendar months from the time when there shall have been paid into the treasury by the said director, in cents and half cents, a sum not less than fifty thousand dollars, which time shall forthwith be announced by the treasurer in at least two gazettes or newspapers, published at the seat of the government of the United States, for the time being, no copper coins or pieces whatsoever, except the said cents and half cents, shall pass current as money, or shall be paid, or offered to be paid or received in payment for any debt, demand, claim, matter or thing whatsoever; and all copper coins or pieces, except the said cents and half cents, which shall be paid or offered to be paid or received in payment contrary to the prohibition aforesaid, shall be forfeited, and every person by whom any of them shall have been so paid or offered to be paid or received in payment, shall also forfeit the sum of ten dollars, and the said forfeiture and penalty shall and may be recovered with costs of suit for the benefit of any person or persons by whom information of the incurring thereof shall have been given. APPROVED, May 8, 1792.

CHAP. XL.-An Act for making compensations to the Commissioners of Loans for extraordinary expenses.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Commissioners of Loans in the several states shall be allowed, in the settlement of their accounts, such sums as shall appear to have been necessarily expended by them in the purchase of stationary for the use of their several offices, and also for the hire of clerks to assist in executing the duties of their respective offices, from the first day of October last, until the first day of March one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three. APPROVED, May 8, 1792.

CHAP. XLI.—An Act making certain appropriations therein specified. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That there be granted and appropriated the following sums for the following purposes, to wit:-For the discharge of a balance to the commissioners appointed under the act of Congress of the fifteenth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five, two thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven dollars and eighty-eight cents: For additional salary to the first clerk of the commissioners for settling accounts between the United States and individual states, one hundred and eighty-seven dollars and ninety-one cents: For defraying the expense of stating and printing certain public accounts, pursuant to the order of the House of Representatives of the thirtieth of December one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, eight hundred dollars: For discharging the accounts of officers of the courts of the United States, jurors and witnesses, in aid of the fund heretofore appropriated, seventeen thousand dollars: For making good deficiencies in former appropriations, for defraying the expense of the enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States,

four thousand six hundred and ninety-five dollars and fifty-nine cents: For discharging certain accounts against the treasury department, to the end of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, including a sum of six hundred dollars, for furnishing the supervisors of the revenue with screw presses, seals, and other articles, one thousand nine hundred and fifty-five dollars, and sixty-one cents: For a balance due to Lieutenant John Freeman of the late Maryland line, on account of subsistence for the years one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two and one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, forty-one dollars and seventyfive cents: For compensations to the clerks of the acting commissioner of army accounts, and contingencies of his office, one thousand three hundred and twenty-nine dollars and sixteen cents: For additional compensations to the doorkeepers of the House of Representatives, pursuant to a resolution of the House, of the twenty-fourth of March last, seven hundred dollars: For the discharge of such demands against the United States, not otherwise provided for, as shall have been ascertained and admitted, in due course of settlement at the treasury, and which are of a nature, according to the usage thereof, to require payment in specie, five thousand dollars. All which said sums, amounting together, to thirtyfour thousand four hundred and ninety-seven dollars and ninety cents, shall and may be paid out of the funds following, any, or all of them; namely, the surpluses which may remain of appropriations heretofore out of what made, after satisfying the purposes of such appropriations; monies which funds payable. have been paid into the treasury, in consequence of balances which have been found due from individuals, relating to transactions prior to the present government of the United States; the surplus, not heretofore appropriated, of the duties on imports and tonnage, which accrued to the end of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one.

be

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That so much of the aforesaid surplus of the duties on imports and tonnage, which accrued to the end of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, as may necessary, shall be and is hereby appropriated, in addition to the provision heretofore made, towards defraying the expenses, which shall have been incurred in the execution of the act for raising and adding another regiment to the military establishment of the United States, and for making farther provision for the protection of the frontiers, within the limits of the sum of three hundred and twelve thousand, six hundred and eighty-six dollars, and twenty cents thereby authorized; and towards reimbursing any sums, which may have been borrowed, or advances of money which may have been obtained for that purpose.

For intercourse

tions.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That a sum of fifty thousand dollars in addition to the provision heretofore made be appropriated to with foreign nadefray any expense which may be incurred in relation to the intercourse between the United States and foreign nations, to be paid out of any monies, which may be in the treasury, not otherwise appropriated, and to be applied under the direction of the President of the United States who, if necessary, is authorized to borrow, on the credit of the United States, the said sum of fifty thousand dollars; an account of the expenditure whereof as soon as may be, shall be laid before Congress. APPROVED, May 8, 1792.

CHAP. XLII.—An Act respecting the government of the territories of the United
States northwest and south of the river Ohio.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the laws of the territory northwest of the river Ohio, that have been or hereafter may be enacted by the governor and judges thereof, shall be printed under the direction of the Secretary of State, and two hundred copies

President may borrow $50,000.

STATUTE I.

May 8, 1792.

Laws of north

western territo

ry how to be published, distributed, &c.

1789, ch. 8.

thereof, together with ten sets of the laws of the United States, shall be delivered to the said governor and judges, to be distributed among the inhabitants for their information, and that a like number of the laws of the United States shall be delivered to the governor and judges of the territory southwest of the river Ohio.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the governor and judges of the territory northwest of the river Ohio shall be, and hereby are authorized to repeal their laws by them made, whensoever the same may be found to be improper.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the official duties of the secretaries of the said territories shall be under the control of such laws, as are or may be in force in the said territories.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That any one of the supreme or superior judges of the said territories, in the absence of the other judges, shall be and hereby is authorized to hold a court.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the secretary of state, provide proper seals for the several and respective public offices in the said territories.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the limitation act, passed by the governor and judges of the said territory, the twenty-eighth day of December, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, be and hereby is disapproved.

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the expenses incurred by John Cleves Symmes and George Turner, two of the judges of the said territory, in sending an express, and in purchasing a boat to go the circuit, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety, shall be liquidated by the officers of the treasury, and paid out of the treasury of the United States.

APPROVED, May 8, 1792.

RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury cause to be provided, for the use of the several collectors in the United States, printed clearances, on the back whereof shall be a printed account of the methods, which have been found to answer for obtaining fresh, from salt water, and of constructing extempore stills, of such implements, as are generally on board of every vessel, with a recommendation, in all cases, where they shall have occasion to resort to this expedient for obtaining water, to publish the result of their trial in some gazette, on their return to the United States, or to communicate it for publication, to the office of the Secretary of State, in order that others may, by their success, be encouraged to make similar trials, and be benefited by any improvements or new ideas which may occur to them in practice.

APPROVED, May 8, 1792.