Page images
PDF
EPUB

Letter from the Hon. Matthew Harvey, District Judge of the United States for New Hampshire. “HOPKINTON, December 16, 1843.

"DEAR SIR:-I have examined a prospectus of an edition of the Laws of the United States, which you propose to publish, and I think it must meet the entire approbation of every one who feels the least interest in a work of this kind. The labour which would be saved by it to all executive and judicial officers, as well as to gentlemen of the legal profession, and members of Congress, is beyond calculation.

"There are few persons, I imagine, whose duty has required them to make frequent references to the Laws of the United States, who have not been embarrassed and confused, if not sometimes perplexed, from causes which would be entirely removed by this work.

"No one, who will compare for a moment the vast superiority of this over any arrangement or edition of the laws we have ever had, can doubt its necessity, its value, and great public importance.

"In my estimation, the work has a claim upon all patronage, both public and private. It should become a national work.”"

Letter from the Hon. Samson Mason, of Ohio.

"SPRINGFIELD, December 12, 1843. "MY DEAR SIR: I have examined the plan on which you propose to publish the Statutes of the United States at large; and if executed, as I doubt not it will be, in conformity with the principles you have laid down, the work could not fail to be eminently useful, and greatly superior, in my judgment, to any of the kind heretofore attempted. It would well deserve, as I hope it would receive, the patronage of both government and people. The want of such a work is, I am sure, extensively felt."

Letter from David B. Ogden, Esq., New York.

"NEW YORK, December 1, 1843. "MY DEAR SIR: I have received your letter of the 27th of November, enclosing your prospectus for the publication of an edition of the Statutes of the United States. I have no hesitation in saying, that in my opinion the publication of the statutes upon the plan proposed by you will be one of great use to gentlemen of the bar, upon investigations into the laws of the United States, which must be much facilitated by it."

Letter from the Hon. A. Conkling, District Judge of the United States for the Western District of New York.

"MELROSE, NEAR AUBURN, December 6, 1843. "SIR: Your letter, enclosing your prospectus of an edition of the Laws of the United States, was received two days ago. The plan of the proposed work, as stated in the prospectus, appears to me excellent; and I have no doubt that the work, if well executed and correctly printed, will be highly useful."

Letter from the Hon. John M. Clayton, of Delaware.

"NEWCASTLE, December 5, 1843. "DEAR SIR: I have read with great pleasure your proposal to publish an edition of the Statutes at large of the United States. This is, indeed, a desideratum. Every public man now feels the want of such a work. The plan is excellent, and the undertaking richly merits national patronage."

Letter from the Hon. J. L. Pettigru, of South Carolina.

“Milledgeville, December 9, 1843.

"DEAR SIR: Your favour of 27th of November has been forwarded to me at this place. "It gives me pleasure to see that you propose to publish a new edition of the Statutes of the United States. Such a work is called for by the accumulation of new enactments since the last edition was put out, under the auspices of Judge Story; and the improvements which you propose upon the plan of former editions will give to a new edition great additional value.

"Your plan appears to me most judiciously arranged; and such a work as you propose, executed with the advantages of your experience, will speedily supersede any existing compilation of the acts of Congress. It is to be hoped that a work of such obvious utility will not languish for the want of public patronage.”

Letter from Henry D. Gilpin, Esq., of Pennsylvania, late Attorney General.

"PHILADELPHIA, December 6, 1843.

"DEAR SIR: I have read your plan for publishing the Statutes of the United States at large. I am extremely glad that you have undertaken this most useful and necessary work. No person who has had frequent occasion to examine and compare the various enactments of Congress will hesitate to say that such a publication has become indispensable. The plan you have selected seems to me to be such as will give the work very great value, both for authority and reference."

Letter from B. F. Butler, Esq., late Attorney General.

“NEW YORK, January 5, 1844. "DEAR SIR: I thank you for your prospectus of your proposed edition of the Statutes of the United States at large. Such a work is much needed by all judicial and other officers connected with the Federal Government, by many of the functionaries under the State Governments, and by the legal profession generally. Your plan appears to me to contain all the requisites of such a publication, and, if executed in the manner and published in the form proposed, will deserve, and I trust receive, the patronage of the government as well as of the public."

Letter from Judges Pettit and Jones, Judges of the District Court of Philadelphia County. "PHILADELPHIA, December 8, 1843. "DEAR SIR: We have read the prospectus of your permanent and complete edition of the Laws of the United States. The plan seems to be well conceived and judiciously marked out, and, if successfully executed, cannot fail to produce a most valuable edition of our national statutes at large, arranged chronologically.

"The foot notes and marginal references, with a view to accurate historical search concerning the legislation of Congress, constitute an important feature of the design, and will require industry, and tact, and experience, which we know you to possess."

Letter from William M. Meredith, Esq., of Philadelphia.

66

Philadelphia, December 18, 1843.

"MY DEAR SIR: I have read the prospectus of the Statutes of the United States at large, which you were good enough to send me, and am glad to find you have undertaken a work, which, edited with your acknowledged ability, must be highly useful. The best existing editions of the acts of Congress are on plans the defects of which are very obvious, and will be fully supplied in your publication."

Letter from William B. Reed, Esq., of Philadelphia.

"PHILADELPHIA, December 11, 1843.

"DEAR SIR: I thank you for the prospectus of the Statutes at large. It seems to me that such an undertaking will command not only the professional approbation which you desire, but, what is at least of equal value, that of the student of the political and social history of the country. The legislation of Congress, whether it be obsolete or temporary in its character, or even expressly abrogated, is an important part of the history of the country."

Letter from Daniel Lord, Jr., Esq., New York.

"NEW YORK, November 30, 1843. "DEAR SIR: I have your prospectus of an edition of the Laws. I know of no work more called for. Judge Story's edition of the Laws is now the only one accessible to the profession, and may perhaps suffice for the text of public acts. But, in the matter of the private acts, no access can be had except to the originally published acts, which are not to be found except as rarities. The courts, too, in their reference to the citation of the United States laws, sometimes refer to the act by its date and title, and sometimes to the session pamphlet, sometimes to volumes accidentally bound up, and sometimes to Judge Story's. The citations by counsel are equally various, and great difficulty and confusion result.

"The annotations, giving a history of the laws, and a series of the adjudications upon them, seem to me a matter of so great convenience as almost to amount to a necessity.

"Your whole enterprise seems to me to be called for by the greatest need, and to be one really of national benefit. I hope it will receive every public and private patronage." VOL. I.-(3)

Letter from Henry M. Watts, Esq., District Attorney of the United States. "PHILADELPHIA, December 8, 1843. "MY DEAR SIR: I have examined carefully the prospectus of the work you propose to publish, and am happy to find there is some one of sufficient capacity to undertake so useful and herculean a task.

"A complete edition of the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution of the United States, and the Statutes of the United States, since the organization of the government, in the style, mode, and with the notes and appendix you contemplate, will undoubtedly be a most valuable acquisition, not only to Congress, the public officers, the judiciary, and the bar, but to the whole community."

Letter from Thomas Ewing, Esq., of Ohio.

“WASHINGTON, January 27, 1844. "DEAR SIR: I have examined your prospectus for the publication of the Laws of the United States, with notes and references, and approve of your plan entirely.

"Such a publication is much needed by the legal profession, and I am satisfied that you will execute it with care and fidelity."

Letter from the Hon. Joseph L. Tillinghast, of Rhode Island.

"MY DEAR SIR: I had the pleasure, this morning, to receive your letter, with a prospectus of your intended publication of an edition of the Laws of the United States.

"Such a work must prove highly acceptable, not only to the National and State Legislatures, the tribunals of justice, and the profession, but to the great numbers of the community who have occasion at times to look at the laws of the Union, and who are now obliged to expend much time and toil in looking for them.

"There are by no means a sufficient number of copies in the Library of Congress for the accommodation of the members.

"The subject of a new edition was before the Joint Library Committee of Congress at several times and on several suggestions, while I had the honour of being a member of the committee. All concurred in the necessity of the work; but differences of opinion existed as to the plan, and as to the auspices or direction under which it should be accomplished.

"I have looked carefully at the plan detailed in your prospectus; and as to all that relates to the matter to be comprised, and the arrangement and designation of that matter, I do not believe a better could be adopted."

Letter from the Hon. Isaac H. Bronson, Judge of the Supreme Court of Florida.

"Newnansville, East Florida, December 20, 1843.

"MY DEAR SIR: I have examined your notice or plan of this new work with much satisfaction. Such a work is much needed, and I think cannot fail to meet with the ready approbation of the bench and the bar throughout the country, as well as all public men or officers in any way connected with the execution or administration of the laws of the United States. "The plan of the work seems to be calculated to render it very perfect."

Letter from the Hon. Andrew T. Judson, District Judge of Connecticut.

"CANTERBURY, CONNECTICUT, March 4, 1844. "I have received and examined with care your prospectus of a work entitled the Statutes of the United States at large,' and permit me to say, that a work of that description is very much needed. If executed in the manner you propose, a great favour will be conferred on the public, and I have no doubt it will be universally acknowledged. Its convenience and benefit will be incalculable to the profession.

"I hope you will not only be encouraged to progress with the work, but find from all quarters an ample reward."

LIST

OF THE

PUBLIC ACTS OF CONGRESS,

CONTAINED IN VOLUME FIRST.

Acts of the First Congress of the United States.

STATUTE I.-1789.

Page

Oaths of Office. An act to regulate the time and manner of administering certain oaths.
June 1, 1789.....

23

.....

Duties on Merchandise imported into the United States. An act for laying a duty on goods, wares, and merchandises imported into the United States. (Repealed.) July 4,

1789.

.....

Notes of Acts laying duties on merchandise imported

24

222

24

28

Duties on Tonnage. An act imposing duties on tonnage. (Repealed.) July 20, 1789.... 27 Department of Foreign Affairs. An act for establishing an executive department to be denominated the Department of Foreign Affairs. (Altered.) July 27, 1789. Regulation of the Collection of Duties on Tonnage and on Merchandise. An act to regulate the collection of the duties imposed by law on the tonnage of ships or vessels, and on goods, wares, and merchandise. (Repealed.) July 31, 1789..

Settlement of Accounts between the United States and the individual States. An act for settling the accounts between the United States and individual States. (Obsolete.) August 5, 1789.....

.......

20

29

49

49

Establishment of the Department of War. An act to establish an executive department, to be denominated the Department of War. (Altered.) August 7, 1789...... Government of the North-West Territory provided for. An act to provide for the government of the territory north-west of the river Ohio. (Obsolete.) August 7, 1789........ 50 (Ordinance for the government of the territory of the United States north-west of the river Ohio.)......

Light-houses, Beacons, Buoys, &c. An act for the establishment and support of light-houses, beacons, buoys, and public piers. August 7, 1789.....

An

Expenses of Treaties with the Indians, and appointment of Commissioners to manage the same.
act providing for the expenses which may attend negotiations or treaties with the
Indian tribes, and the appointment of commissioners for managing the same. (Ob-
solete.) August 20, 1789.....

Registering and clearing of Vessels, and regulating the Coasting Trade, and for other purposes.
An act for registering and clearing vessels, regulating the coasting trade, and for
other purposes. (Repealed.) Sept. 1, 1789.....

Establishment of the Treasury Department. An act to establish the Treasury Department. (Altered.) Sept. 2, 1789....

Salaries to Executive Officers with their Assistants. An act for establishing the salaries of the executive officers of government, with their assistants and clerks. (Obsolete.) Sept. 11, 1789.

b2

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

xvii

Safe keeping of the Records and Seal of the United States. An act to provide for the safe keeping of the acts, records, and seal of the United States, and for other purposes. Sept. 15, 1789.

Act for the Collection of Duties on Tonnage suspended in part, &c. An act to suspend part of an act entitled "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. (Expired.) Sept. 16, 1789.............................. Temporary Establishment of the Post-office. An act for the temporary establishment of the post-office. (Obsolete.) Sept. 22, 1789.

Fago

68

69

70

Compensation to Members of Congress and to the Officers of both Houses. An act for allowing compensation to the members of the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, and to the officers of both Houses. (Expired.) Sept. 22, 1789...... 70 Compensation to the Judges of the Courts of the United States and to the Attorney-General. An act for allowing certain compensation to the judges of the supreme and other courts, and to the Attorney-General of the United States. (Altered.) Sept. 23, 1789...... 72 Compensation to the President and Vice-President of the United States. An act for allowing a compensation to the President and Vice-President of the United States. (Supplied.) Sept. 24, 1789. ...

.....

Establishment of the Judicial Courts of the United States. An act to establish the judicial courts of the United States. Sept. 24, 1789....

72

.... 73

Regulation of Process in the Courts of the United States. An act to regulate processes in the courts of the United States. Sept. 29, 1789...... .......93 Act for the Registering and Clearing Vessels, and Regulating the Coasting Trade, explained and amended. An act to explain and amend an act entitled "An act for registering and clearing vessels, regulating the coasting trade, and for other purposes." (Repealed.) Sept. 29, 1789.

94

.... 95

.... 95

Appropriations for the Support of Government. An act making appropriations for the service of the present year. (Obsolete.) Sept. 29, 1789....... Invalid Pensioners. An act providing for the payment of the invalid pensioners of the United States. (Expired.) Sept. 29, 1789...... Establishment of the Troops of the United States recognised and adapted to the Constitution. An act to recognise and adapt to the Constitution of the United States, the establishment of the troops raised under the resolves of the United States, in Congress assembled, and for other purposes therein mentioned. (Repealed.) Sept. 29, 1789. 95 Meeting of Congress. An act to alter the time for the next meeting of Congress. solete.) Sept. 29, 1789....

(Ob

96

STATUTE II.-1790.

Laws of the United States, giving effect to; in North Carolina. An act for giving effect to the several acts therein mentioned in respect to the State of North Carolina, and other purposes. Feb. 8, 1790.......

Census of 1790. An act providing for the enumeration of the Inhabitants of the United States. (Obsolete.) March 1, 1790.........

99

..... 101

Naturalization. An act to establish an uniform rule of naturalization. (Repealed.) March 26, 1790......

.... 103

Appropriations for the Support of Government. An act making appropriations for the support of government for the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety. (Obsolete.) March 26, 1790......

104

[ocr errors]

Preventing Exportation of Goods not duly inspected according to the Laws of the several States. An act to prevent the exportation of goods not duly inspected according to the laws of the several States. (Repealed.) April 2, 1790...... ..... 106

Cession by North Carolina of a District in the Western Territory accepted. An act to accept a cession of the Claims of the State of North Carolina to a certain district of western territory. April 2, 1790...... .... 106

Patents for Useful Inventions. An act to promote the progress of useful arts. (Repealed.) April 10, 1790...

109

« PreviousContinue »