ACTS OF THE FIRST CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, Passed at the second session, which was begun and held at the City of GEORGE WASHINGTON, President, JOHN ADAMS, Vice President of the STATUTE II. CHAPTER I.-An Act for giving effect to the several acts therein mentioned, in respect to the state of North Carolina, and other purposes. SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the several and respective duties specified and laid, in and by the act, intituled "An act for laying a duty on goods, wares and merchandises imported into the United States;" and in and by the act, intituled "An act imposing duties on tonnage," shall be paid and collected upon all goods, wares and merchandises, which, after the expiration of thirty days from the passing of this act, shall be imported into the state of North Carolina, from any foreign port or place, and upon the tonnage of all ships and vessels, which, after the said day, shall be entered within the said state of North Carolina, subject to the exceptions, qualifications, allowances and abatements in the said acts contained or expressed; which acts shall be deemed to have the like force and operation within the said state of North Carolina, as elsewhere within the United States. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That for the due collection of the said duties, there shall be in the said state of North Carolina five districts; one to be called the district of Wilmington, and to comprehend all the waters, shores, bays, harbours, creeks and inlets, from Little River inlet, inclusive, to New River inlet, inclusive. Another to be called the district of Newbern, and to comprehend all the waters, shores, bays, harbours, creeks and inlets, from New River inlet, exclusive, to Occacock inlet, inclusive, together with Pamticoe Sound, (except that part of it into which the Pamticoe, or Tarr and Machapunga rivers empty themselves, and which lies between the Royal Shoal extended to Machapunga Bluff, and the shoal which projects from the mouth of Pamticoe River towards the Royal Shoal.) Another to be called the district of Washington, and to comprehend all that part of Pamticoe Sound excepted out of the district of Newbern, and the waters, shores, bays, harbours, creeks and inlets adjacent to, and communicating with the same. Another to be called the district of Edenton, and to comprehend all the waters, bays, harbours, creeks and inlets from the channel between Pampticoe Sound and Albemarle Sound, inclusive. The other to be called the district of Cambden, and to comprehend North River, Pasquotank and Little Rivers, and all the waters, shores, bays, harbours, creeks and inlets, from the junction of Currituck and Albermarle Sounds, to the northern extremity of Back Bay. That in the district of Wilmington, the town of Wilmington shall be a port of entry and delivery, and Swansborough a port of delivery only; and there shall be a collector, naval officer and surveyor to reside at the said town of Feb. 8, 1790. [Obsolete.] The provisions of the acts of of 1789, chap. 3, laying duties on imports and tonnage declared in force as to the state 1789, ch. 2, and of N. Carolina after thirty days from the passing this act, Act of July 4, 1789, ch. 2. Act of July 20, 1789, ch. 3. And for due collection five districts established; their limits. Ports of entry and delivery. Extent of the authority of the officers of each district. Sole ports of entry for ships registered or licensed, or ships &c. beyond the or vessels not Cape of Good Regulations, provisions, &c. Wilmington, and a surveyor to reside at Swansborough. That in the district of Newbern, the town of Newbern shall be a port of entry and delivery, and the town of Beaufort a port of delivery only; and there shall be a collector to reside at Newbern, and a surveyor to reside at Beaufort. That in the district of Washington, the town of Washington shall be the sole port of entry and delivery, and there shall be a collector to reside at the same. That in the district of Edenton, the town of Edenton shall be a port of entry and delivery; and Hartford, Murpheysborough, Plymouth, Winsor, Skewarkey, Winton, and Bennet's Creek, ports of delivery; and there shall be a collector at the town of Edenton, and a surveyor at Hartford, another surveyor at Murpheysborough, one surveyor at each of the ports of Plymouth, Winsor, Skewarkey, Winton, and Bennet's Creek. That all ships or vessels intending to proceed to Hartford, Plymouth, Winsor, Skewarkey, Winton, Bennet's Creek, or Murpheysborough, shall first come to and enter at the port of Edenton. That in the district of Cambden, Plankbridge on Sawyer's Creek, shall be the port of entry and delivery, and Nixonton, Indiantown, Newbiggin Creek, Currituck Inlet, and Pasquotank River bridge, ports of delivery; and there shall be a collector at Plankbridge on Sawyer's Creek, and a surveyor at each of the ports of Nixonton, Indiantown, Currituck Inlet, Pasquotank River bridge, and Newbiggin Creek: and that the authority of the officers of each district shall extend over all the waters, shores, bays, harbours, creeks and inlets comprehended within such district. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the ports of Wilmington, Newbern, Washington, and Edenton, shall be the sole ports of entry within the said state of North Carolina, for ships or vessels not registered or licensed within the United States, according to law, and for all ships or vessels whatsoever, which shall arrive from the Cape of Good Hope, or any place beyond the same. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That all the regulations, provisions, exceptions, allowances, compensations, directions, authorities, penalties, forfeitures, and other matters whatsoever, contained or expressed in the act, intituled "An act to regulate the collection of the duties imposed by law on the tonnage of ships or vessels, and on goods, wares and merchandises imported into the United States," and not Act of July locally inapplicable, shall have the like force and effect within the said 31, 1789, ch. 5. state of North Carolina, for the collection of the said duties, as elsewhere within the United States, and as if the same were repeated and reenacted in this present act. for due collection. Operation of parts of former laws declared to cease. Act of Sept. 16, 1789, ch. 15. SEC. 5. Provided always, and be it declared, That the thirty-ninth section of the said act, and the third section of an act, intituled "An act to suspend part of an act, intituled An act to regulate the collection of the duties imposed by law on the tonnage of ships or vessels, and on goods, wares, and merchandises imported into the United States, and for other purposes," did, by virtue of the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, by the said state of North Carolina, cease to operate in respect to the same. Act for regulating the coastSEC. 6. And be it further enacted and declared, That the act intiing trade, de- tuled "An act for registering and clearing vessels, regulating the coastclared in force ing trade, and for other purposes," shall, after the expiration of thirty as to N. Carolina days from the passing of this act, have the like force and operation after thirty days from the passing within the said state of North Carolina, as elsewhere within the United Act of Sept. in this present act. States, and as if the several clauses thereof were repeated and re-enacted this act. 16, 1789, ch. 11. Part of another SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the second section of the act revived as to act, intituled "An act to suspend part of an act, intituled An act to regulate R. Island and N; the collection of duties imposed by law on the tonnage of ships or vessels, the 1st of April. and on goods, wares and merchandises imported into the United States, Carolina until and for other purposes," passed the sixteenth day of September last, CHAP. II.-An Act providing for the enumeration of the Inhabitants of the United Act of Sept. 16, 1789, ch. 15. STATUTE II. March 1, 1790. [Obsolete.] Marshals in the of the U. States to take the enumeration. several districts Mode of enumeration. May appoint assistants. Marshals and assistants to take an oath. Form of the SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the marshals of the several districts of the United States shall be, and they are hereby authorized and required to cause the number of the inhabitants within their respective districts to be taken; omitting in such enumeration Indians not taxed, and distinguishing free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, from all others; distinguishing also the sexes and colours of free persons, and the free males of sixteen years and upwards from those under that age; for effecting which purpose the marshals shall have power to appoint as many assistants within their respective districts as to them shall appear necessary; assigning to each assistant a certain division of his district, which division shall consist of one or more counties, cities, towns, townships, hundreds or parishes, or of a territory plainly and distinctly bounded by water courses, mountains, or public roads. The marshals and their assistants shall respectively take an oath or affirmation, before some judge or justice of the peace, resident within their respective districts, previous to their entering on the discharge of the duties by this act required. The oath or affirmation of the marshal shall be, "Í, A. B. marshal of the district oath. of do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will well and truly cause to be made, a just and perfect enumeration and description of all persons resident within my district, and return the same to the President of the United States, agreeably to the directions of an act of Congress, intituled 'An act providing for the enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States,' according to the best of my ability." The oath or affirmation of an assistant shall be, "I, A. B. do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will make a just and perfect enumeration and description of all persons resident within the division assigned to me by the marshal of the district of and make due return thereof to the said marshal, agreeably to the directions of an act of Congress, intituled 'An act providing for the enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States,' according to the best of my ability." The enumeration shall commence on the first Monday in August next, and shall close within nine calendar months thereafter. The several assistants shall, within the said nine months, transmit to the marshals by whom they shall be respectively appointed, accurate returns of all persons, except Indians not taxed, within their respective divisions, which returns shall be made in a schedule, distinguishing the several families by the names of their by schedule. master, mistress, steward, overseer, or other principal person therein, in manner following, that is to say: The number of persons within my division, consisting of appears in a schedule hereto annexed, subscribed by me this day of 179 A. B. assistant to the marshal of The enumeration, to com. mence on the first Monday in August, 1790, and close in nine months. Returns to be (a) The acts providing for taking a census of the inhabitants of the United States, subsequent to this act, have been: 1800.-Act of February 28, 1800, chap. 12; act of April 12, 1800, chap. 23. 1810.-Act of March 26, 1810, chap. 17; act of May 1, 1810; act of March 2, 1811, chap. 34; act of March 3, 1811, chap. 44. 1820. Act of March 14, 1820. 1830.-Act of March 23, 1830, chap. 40. 1840.-Act of March 3, 1839, chap. 80; act of February 26, 1840, chap. 3; act of Jan. 14, 1841, chap. 3; act of September 1, 1841, chap. 15; resolution September 1, 1841. Form of the Schedule of the whole Number of Persons within the Division allotted to schedule. Assistant fail ing to make a return, or mak. ing false return, penalty on. Marshals to file return with the clerks of the district courts, and transmit the a aggregate mount thereof to the President, on or before the 1st of Sept. 1791; penalty for fail ing so to do. A. B. Names of Free white males Free white males Free white fe-All other free Slaves. heads of of sixteen years under sixteen males, including persons. families. and upwards, in-years. heads of families. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That every assistant failing to make return, or making a false return of the enumeration to the marshal, within the time by this act limited, shall forfeit the sum of two hundred dollars. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the marshals shall file the several returns aforesaid, with the clerks of their respective district courts, who are hereby directed to receive and carefully preserve the same: And the marshals respectively shall, on or before the first day of September, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, transmit to the President of the United States, the aggregate amount of each description of persons within their respective districts. And every marshal failing to file the returns of his assistants, or any of them, with the clerks of their respective district courts, or failing to return the aggregate amount of each description of persons in their respective districts, as the same shall appear from said returns, to the President of the United States, within the time limited by this act, shall, for every such offence, forfeit the sum of eight hundred dollars; all which forfeitures shall be recoverable in the courts of the districts where the offences shall be committed, or in the circuit courts to be held within the same, by action of debt, information or indictment; the one half thereof to the use of the United States, and the other half to the informer; but where the prosecution shall be first instituted on behalf of the United States, and discovered. the whole shall accrue to their use. And for the more effectual discovery of offences, the judges of the several district courts, at their next sessions to be held after the expiration of the time allowed for making the returns of the enumeration hereby directed, to the President of the United States, shall give this act in charge to the grand juries, in their respective courts, and shall cause the returns of the several assistants to be laid before them for their inspection. Forfeitures how recoverable, Assistants, sation to. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That every assistant shall receive rate of compen- at the rate of one dollar for every one hundred and fifty persons by him returned, where such persons reside in the country; and where such persons reside in a city, or town, containing more than five thousand persons, such assistant shall receive at the rate of one dollar for every three hundred persons; but where, from the dispersed situation of the inhabitants in some divisions, one dollar for every one hundred and fifty persons shall be insufficient, the marshals, with the approbation of the judges of their respective districts, may make such further allowance to the assistants in such divisions as shall be deemed an adequate compensation, provided the same does not exceed one dollar for every fifty persons by them returned. The several marshals shall receive as follows: The marshal of the district of Maine, two hundred dollars; the marshal of the district of New Hampshire, two hundred dollars; the marshal of the district of Massachusetts, three hundred dollars; the marshal of the district of Connecticut, two hundred dollars; the marshal of the district of New York, three hundred dollars; the marshal of the district of New Jersey, two hundred dollars; the marshal of the district of Pennsylvania, three hundred dollars; the marshal of the district of Delaware, one hundred dollars; the marshal of the district of Maryland, three hundred dollars; the marshal of the district of Virginia, five hundred dollars; the marshal of the district of Kentucky, two hundred and fifty dollars; the marshal of the district of North Carolina, three hundred and fifty dol Marshals, their compensa. tion. lars; the marshal of the district of South Carolina, three hundred dollars; the marshal of the district of Georgia, two hundred and fifty dollars. And to obviate all doubts which may arise respecting the persons to be returned, and the manner of making returns, SEC. 5. Be it enacted, That every person whose usual place of abode shall be in any family on the aforesaid first Monday in August next, shall be returned as of such family; and the name of every person, who shall be an inhabitant of any district, but without a settled place of residence, shall be inserted in the column of the aforesaid schedule, which is allotted for the heads of families, in that division where he or she shall be on the said first Monday in August next, and every person occasionally absent at the time of the enumeration, as belonging to that place in which he usually resides in the United States. SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That each and every person more than sixteen years of age, whether heads of families or not, belonging to any family within any division of a district made or established within the United States, shall be, and hereby is, obliged to render to such assistant of the division, a true account, if required, to the best of his or her knowledge, of all and every person belonging to such family respectively, according to the several descriptions aforesaid, on pain of forfeiting twenty dollars, to be sued for and recovered by such assistant, the one half for his own use, and the other half for the use of the United States. SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That each assistant shall, previous to making his return to the marshal, cause a correct copy, signed by himself, of the schedule, containing the number of inhabitants within his division, to be set up at two of the most public places within the same, there to remain for the inspection of all concerned; for each of which copies the said assistant shall be entitled to receive two dollars, provided proof of a copy of the schedule having been so set up and suffered to remain, shall be transmitted to the marshal, with the return of the number of persons; and in case any assistant shall fail to make such proof to the marshal, he shall forfeit the compensation by this act allowed him. APPROVED, March 1, 1790. CHAP. III.—An Act to establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization.(a) SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That any alien, being a free white person, who shall have resided within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the United States for the term of two years, may be admitted to become a citizen thereof, on application to any common law court of record, in any one of the states wherein he shall have resided for the term of one year at least, and making proof to the satisfaction of such court, that he is a person of good character, and taking the oath or affirmation prescribed by law, to support the constitution of the United States, which oath or affirmation such court shall administer; and the clerk of such court shall record such application, and the pro (a) This act was repealed by an act passed January 29, 1795, chap. 20. The acts relating to naturalization subsequent to the act of March 26, 1790, have been: "An act to establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and to repeal the acts heretofore passed on that subject," January 29, 1795, chap. 20. Repealed April 14, 1802. An act to establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and to repeal the acts heretofore passed on the subject, passed April 14, 1802, chap. 28. An act in addition to an act entituled, "An act to establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and to repeal the acts heretofore passed on the subject," passed March 26, 1804, chap. 47. An act relative to evidence in cases of naturalization, passed March 22, 1816, chap. 32. An act in further addition to "An act to establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and to repeal the acts heretofore passed on that subject," passed May 26, 1824, chap. 186. An act to amend the acts concerning naturalization, May 24, 1828, ch. 116. Act of July 30, 1813, ch. 36. |