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State of Massachusetts, the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars; [and to See 1866, ch. the collector of the port of entry for the district of Pensacola, in the Territory of 293, § 1. Florida, the sum of five hundred dollars.]

Office of sur

SEC. 2. That, from and after the thirtieth day of June next, the office of surveyor of the port of entry for the district of Pensacola, in the Ter- veyor for the ritory above mentioned, be, and the same is hereby, abolished.

No. 146. - MAY 26, 1824.

CHAP. CLXI.- An Act to authorize Masters of Vessels in certain Cases, to clear out either at the Custom-House of Petersburgh, or that of Richmond.

district of Pensacola, abolished.

Stat. at Large,

Vol. IV. p. 44.

Richmond, load

Be it enacted, &c. That any ship or vessel, owned by, or consigned to, Ships or vesany person or persons in the collection district of Richmond, and which sels owned in, shall be loaded, in whole or in part, in the district of Petersburgh, by such or consigned to owner or owners, consignee or consignees, may be cleared out by the col- ed in the district lector of the district of Richmond, on application of the owner, consignee, of Petersburg, or captain, of such ship or vessel: Provided, That the entire cargo shall may be cleared be bona fide taken or shipped from the district of Richmond.

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No. 147.- JANUARY 12, 1825.

· An Act authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to adopt a new Hydrom-
eter for ascertaining the Proof of Liquors.

out at Richmond. 1830, ch. 152.

Stat. at Large, Vol. IV. p. 79.

The Secretary

authorized to

Be it enacted, &c. That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized, under the direction of the President of the United of the Treasury States, to adopt and substitute such hydrometer as he may deem best cal- adopt an hyculated to promote the public interest, in lieu of that now prescribed by drometer for aslaw, for the purpose of ascertaining the proof of liquors; and that, after certaining the such adoption and substitution, the duties imposed by law upon distilled spirits shall be levied, collected, and paid, according to the proof ascertained by any hydrometer so substituted and adopted.

No. 148. MARCH 3, 1825.

proof of liquors.

Stat. at Large, Vol. IV. p. 95.

CHAP. XLV. — An Act authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to direct the Completion of Entries for the Benefit of Drawback, after the Period of twenty Days. Be it enacted, &c. That, whenever the exporter or exporters, entering Course to be any goods, wares, or merchandise, for the benefit of drawback, shall not pursued by the Secretary of the have completed such entry, by taking the oath or giving the bond, re- Treasury where quired by the existing laws of the United States within the period pre- the exporter or scribed by law, but shall offer to complete the said entry after the exporters entering any goods, expiration of the said period, it shall and may be lawful for the Secretary &c. for the benof the Treasury, upon application to him made, by the said exporter or efit of drawback, exporters, setting forth the cause of his or their omission, under oath, and shall not have completed such accompanied by a statement of the collector, of all the circumstances at- entry within the tending the transaction within the knowledge of such collector, if he shall period prescribed be satisfied that the failure to complete the said entry was accidental, or without any intention to evade the law or defraud the revenue, to direct the said entry to be completed, and the certificates or debentures, as the case may be, to issue, in the same manner, as if such entry had been completed, within the period prescribed by the existing laws of the United States.

CHAP. LXIV. —

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- An Act to reduce into One the several Acts establishing and regulating
the Post-Office Department.

by law.

Stat. at Large, Vol. IV. p. 102.

The mail to

SEC. 5. That the Postmaster-General be authorized to have the mail carried in any steamboat, or other vessel, which shall be used as a packet, be carried in any

steamboat or

Proviso.

other vessel used in any of the waters of the United States, on such terms and conditions as a packet. as shall be considered expedient: Provided, That he does not pay more than three cents for each letter, and more than one half-cent for each newspaper, conveyed in such mail.

Course to be

pursued by the

master or manager of every steamboat car

rying the mail;

with his duties enjoined.

No ship or vessel arriving

at any port of the United

States, where a

post-office is established, shall be permitted to report, &c.

SEC. 6. That it shall be the duty of every master or manager of any steamboat, which shall pass from one port or place to another port or place in the United States, where a post-office is established, to deliver within three hours after his arrival, if in the daytime, and within two hours after the next sunrise, if the arrival be in the night, all letters and packets addressed to, or destined for such port or place, to the postmaster there, for which he shall be entitled to receive, of such postmaster, two cents for every letter or packet so delivered, unless the same shall be carried or conveyed under a contract with the Postmaster-General; and, if any master or manager of a steamboat shall fail so to deliver any letter or packet, which shall have been brought by him, or shall have been in his care, or within his power, he shall incur a penalty of thirty dollars for every such failure. And every person employed on board any steamboat, shall deliver every letter, and packet of letters, intrusted to such person, to the master or manager of such steamboat, and before the said vessel shall touch at any other port or place; and for every failure or neglect so to deliver, a penalty of ten dollars shall be incurred for each letter or packet.

SEC. 17. That no ship or vessel, arriving at any port within the United States where a post-office is established, shall be permitted to report, make entry, or break bulk, until the master or commander shall have delivered to the postmaster all letters directed to any person or persons within the United States, or the Territories thereof, which, under his care, or within his power, shall be brought in such ship or vessel, except such as are directed to the owner or consignee of the ship or vessel. And it shall be the duty of the collector or other officer of the port empowered to receive entries of ships or vessels, to require from every master or commander of such ship or vessel, an oath or affirmation, purporting that he has deliverSee 1852, ch. 113, § 5. ed all such letters, except as aforesaid, and if any commander or master Vol. x. p. 140. of any such ship or vessel shall break bulk before he shall have complied with the requirements of this act, every such offender shall, on conviction thereof, forfeit, for every such offence, a sum not exceeding one hundred dollars.

Duties of the

collector.

Master or commander of vessels delivering packets to be paid.

No stage or other vehicle

performs trips on post-roads, &c. to convey letters, &c.

SEC. 18. That the postmaster to whom such letters may be delivered, shall pay the master or commander, or other person delivering the same, except the commanders of foreign packets, two cents for each letter or packet; and shall obtain from the person delivering the same, a certificate, specifying the number of letters and packets, with the name of the ship or vessel, and the place from whence she last sailed; which certificate, together with a receipt for the money, shall be, with his quarterly accounts, transmitted to the Postmaster-General, who shall credit him with the amount.

SEC. 19. That no stage or other vehicle, which regularly performs trips on a post-road, or on a road parallel to it, shall convey letters; nor which regularly shall any packet boat or other vessel, which regularly plies on a water declared to be a post-road, except such as relate to some part of the cargo. For the violation of this provision, the owner of the carriage, or other vehicle, or vessel, shall incur the penalty of fifty dollars. And the person who has charge of such carriage, or other vehicle or vessel, may be prosecuted under this section, and the property in his charge may be levied on and sold, in satisfaction of the penalty and costs of suit: Provided, That it shall be lawful for any one to send letters by special mes

Provisc.

senger.

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- An Act more effectually to provide for the Punishment of certain Crimes
against the United States, and for other Purposes.

Stat. at Large,

Vol. IV. p. 115.

Murder on the

§ 12.

SEC. 4. That, if any person or persons, upon the high seas, or in any arm of the sea, or in any river, haven, creek, basin or bay, within the high seas, &c. punishable with admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States, and out of death. the jurisdiction of any particular State, shall commit the crime of wilful Act of April murder, or rape, or shall, willfully and maliciously, strike, stab, wound, 30, 1790, ch. 9, poison, or shoot at, any other person, of which striking, stabbing, wounding, poisoning, or shooting such person shall afterwards die, upon land, within or without the United States, every person so offending, his or her counsellors, aiders, or abettors, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, upon conviction thereof, suffer death.

of the United

state, by any

ed States.

SEC. 5. That if any offence shall be committed on board of any ship or Any offence vessel, belonging to any citizen or citizens of the United States, while committed on board any ship lying in a port or place within the jurisdiction of any foreign state or or vessel belongsovereign, by any person belonging to the company of said ship, or any ing to a citizen passenger, on any other person belonging to the company of said ship, or States, within any other passenger, the same offence shall be cognizable and punishable the jurisdiction by the proper circuit court of the United States, in the same way and of any foreign manner, and under the same circumstances, as if said offence had been person belonging committed on board of such ship or vessel on the high seas, and without thereto, to be the jurisdiction of such foreign sovereign or state: Provided, always, by the proper cognizable, &c. That if such offender shall be tried for such offence, and acquitted or con- court of the Unitvicted thereof, in any competent court of such foreign state or sovereign, he shall not be subject to another trial in any court of the United States. SEC. 6. That, if any person or persons, upon the high seas, or in any Punishment of arm of the sea, or in any river, haven, creek, basin, or bay, within the &c. shall, &c. any person who, admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States, and out of the attack any ship jurisdiction of any particular State, shall, by surprise or by open force or or vessel, &c. violence, maliciously attack, or set upon, any ship or vessel belonging in whole or part, to the United States, or to any citizen or citizens thereof, or to any other person whatsoever, with an intent unlawfully to plunder the same ship or vessel, or to despoil any owner or owners thereof of any moneys, goods, or merchandise, laden on board thereof, every person so 1819, ch. 77. offending, his or her counsellors, aiders, or abettors, shall be deemed 15, 1820, ch. guilty of felony; and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, 113. not exceeding five thousand dollars, and by imprisonment and confinement to hard labor, not exceeding ten years, according to the aggravation of the offence.

any

SEC. 7. That, if any person or persons, upon the high seas, or in other of the places aforesaid, with intent to kill, rob, steal, commit a rape, or to do or perpetrate any other felony, shall break or enter any ship or vessel, boat, or raft; or if any person or persons shall, wilfully and maliciously, cut, spoil, or destroy, any cordage, cable, buoys, buoy-rope, headfast, or other fast, fixed to any anchor or moorings, belonging to any ship, vessel, boat, or raft; every person, so offending, his or her counsellors, aiders, and abettors, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding one thousand dollars, and by imprisonment and confinement to hard labor, not exceeding five years, according to the aggravation of the offence.

with an intent

to plunder.

Act of April 30, 1790, ch. 9,

§

3,

12.

Act of March

Act of May

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Of any person buying, &c. any goods, &c. knowing the

SEC. 8. That, if any person or persons, upon the high seas, or in any of the places aforesaid, shall buy, receive, or conceal, or aid in concealing any money, goods, bank notes, or other effects or things which may be the subject of larceny, which have been feloniously taken or stolen, from any other person, knowing the same to have been taken or stolen, every ceny. person, so offending, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and may Act of April be prosecuted therefor, although the principal offender chargeable, or 30, 1790, ch. 9,

same to be the subject of lar

§ 11.

Of any person who shall plunder, steal, or de

stroy any money, goods, &c. belonging to any ship or vessel,

&c. in distress.

Act of April 30, 1790, ch. 9, § 16.

Of any master, &c. of any ship or vessel belong ing in whole or in part to a citi

charged with the larceny, shall not have been prosecuted or convicted thereof; and shall on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding one thousand dollars, and imprisonment and confinement to hard labor, not exceeding three years, according to the aggravation of the offence.

SEC. 9. That, if any person or persons shall plunder, steal, or destroy, any money, goods, merchandise, or other effects, from or belonging to any ship or vessel, or boat, or raft, which shall be in distress, or which shall be wrecked, lost, stranded, or cast away, upon the sea, or upon any reef, shoal, bank, or rocks, of the sea, or in any other place within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States, or if any person or persons shall wilfully obstruct the escape of any person endeavoring to save his or her life from such ship, or vessel, boat, or raft, or the wreck thereof, or, if any person or persons shall hold out or show any false light, or lights, or extinguish any true light, with intention to bring any ship or vessel, boat or raft, being or sailing upon the sea, into danger, or distress, or shipwreck; every person, so offending, his or her counsellors, aiders, and abettors, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding five thousand dollars, and imprisonment and confinement to hard labor, not exceeding ten years, according to the aggravation of the offence.

SEC. 10. That, if any master or commander of any ship or vessel, belonging, in whole or in part, to any citizen or citizens of the United States, shall, during his being abroad, maliciously, and without justifiable cause, force any officer, or mariner of such ship or vessel, on shore, or leave him behind, in any foreign port or place, or refuse to bring home again, all such of the officers and mariners of such ship or vessel, whom he carried out with him, as are in a condition to return, and willing to return, when he shall be ready to proceed in his homeward voyage, every master or commander, so offending, shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment, not exceeding six any foreign port months, according to the aggravation of the offence.

zen or citizens of the United States, while abroad, who shall force any officer, &c. on shore or leave

him behind in

or place.

Of any person wilfully, &c. setting on fire any ship or vessel of the United

States afloat on

the high seas, or

any arm of the

sea, within the admiralty jurisdiction of the United States. Proviso.

Of any officer of the United

States who is

SEC. 11. That, if any person or persons, shall, wilfully and maliciously, set on fire, or burn, or otherwise destroy or cause to be set on fire, or burnt, or otherwise destroyed, or aid, procure, abet, or assist in setting on fire, or burning or otherwise destroying, any ship or vessel of war of the United States, afloat on the high seas, or in any arm of the sea, or in any river, haven, creek, basin or bay within the admiralty jurisdiction of the United States, and out of the jurisdiction of any particular State, every person so offending, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction thereof, suffer death: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to take away or impair the right of any court-martial to punish any offence, which, by the law of the United States, may be punishable by such court.

SEC. 12. That, if any officer of the United States shall be guilty of extortion, under, or by color of his office, every person so offending shall, on guilty of extor- conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment, not exceeding one year, according to the aggravation of the offence.

tion.

Of any person in any case,

SEC. 13. That, if any person, in any case, matter, hearing, or other matter, &c. who proceeding, when an oath or affirmation shall be required to be taken or when an oath or administered under or by any law or laws of the United States, shall, upon affirmation, shall the taking of such oath or affirmation, knowingly and willingly swear or be required to be taken or admin- affirm falsely, every person, so offending, shall be deemed guilty of perjury, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding two thousand dollars, and by imprisonment and confinement to hard labor, not exceeding five years, according to the aggravation of the offence. And if any person or persons shall knowingly or willingly procure any such Act of April perjury to be committed, every person so offending shall be deemed guilty of subornation of perjury, and shall on conviction thereof, be punished by

istered, under any law of the United States, shall wilfully swear falsely.

30, 1790, ch. 9, $19.

fine, not exceeding two thousand dollars, and by imprisonment and confinement to hard labor, not exceeding five years, according to the aggravation of the offence.

When any

to answer to

SEC. 14. That, if any person, upon his or her arraignment upon any indictment before any court of the United States for any offence, not person is arraigued for any capital, shall stand mute, or will not answer or plead to such indictment, offence, not capthe court shall, notwithstanding, proceed to the trial of the person, so ital, and refuse standing mute, or refusing to answer or plead, as if he or she had pleaded such indictment, not guilty, and upon a verdict being returned by the jury, may proceed to judgment shall render judgment accordingly. And the trial of all offences which shall be rendered accordingly. be committed upon the high seas or elsewhere, out of the limits of any Act of April State or district, shall be in the district where the offender is apprehended, 30, 1790, § 29. or into which he may be first brought.

order the same

on, &c.

United States.

SEC. 15. That, in every case where any criminal convicted of any In every case offence against the United States shall be sentenced to imprisonment and where a criminal is convicted, the confinement to hard labor, it shall be lawful for the court by which the court which sentence is passed, to order the same to be executed in any State prison, shall pass the or penitentiary within the district where such court is holden; the use of sentence shall which prison or penitentiary may be allowed or granted by the legislature to be executed of such State for such purposes; and the expenses attendant upon the in any State prisexecution of such sentence, shall be paid by the United States. Act of April SEC. 17. That, if any person or persons shall falsely make, forge, or 30, 1790, ch. 9, counterfeit, or cause or procure to be falsely made, forged, or counter-§ 23. Forgery of feited, or willingly aid or assist in falsely making, forging, or counterfeit- treasury notes, ing, any paper, writing, or instrument, in imitation of, or purporting to be, or other public an indent, certificate of the public stock, or debt, treasury note, or other security of the public security of the United States, or any letters patent, issued or Act of April granted by the President of the United States, or any bill, check, or draft 30, 1790, ch. 9, § 14. for money drawn by, or on the treasurer of the United States, or by, or on, any other public officer or agent of the United States, duly authorized to make, draw, accept, or pay the same, on behalf and for account of the United States, or if any person or persons shall pass, utter, or publish, or attempt to pass, utter, or publish, as true, any such false, forged, or counterfeited paper, writing, or instrument, knowing the same to be false, forged, or counterfeited, with intent to defraud the United States, or any body politic or corporate, or any other person or persons whatsoever; or if any person or persons shall falsely alter any indent, certificate of the public stock, or debt, treasury note, or other public security of the United States, or any letters patent, issued or granted by the President of the United States, or any bill, check, or draft for money drawn by or on the treasurer of the United States, or any other public officer or agent of the United States, duly authorized to make, draw, accept, or pay such bill, check, or draft, or if any person or persons shall pass, utter, or publish, or attempt to pass, utter, or publish, as true and unaltered, any such falsely altered indent, certificate, treasury note, or other public security, letters patent, or bill, check, or draft, knowing the same to be falsely altered, with intent to defraud the United States, or any body politic or corporate, or any person or persons whatsoever, every such person, so offending, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding five thousand dollars, and by imprisonment and confinement to hard labor, not exceeding ten years, according to the aggravation of the offence.

SEC. 19. That if any person or persons, shall falsely make, forge, or Forging an counterfeit, or cause or procure to be falsely made, forged, or counterfeited, abstract or official copy, &c. or willingly aid or assist in falsely making, forging, or counterfeiting any or certificate of instrument in imitation of, or purporting to be, an abstract or official copy, the recording, &c. of any ship or certificate of the recording, registry, or enrolment of any ship or ves- or vessel in the sel, in the office of any collector of the customs of the United States, or office of any a license to any ship or vessel, for carrying on the coasting trade, or fish- collector of the

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customs.

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