herein specified, the faith of the United States is hereby solemnly pledged. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said treasury notes shall be prepared under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, and shall be signed, on behalf of the United States, by the treasurer thereof, and countersigned by the register of the treasury; and that those officers respectively shall, as checks upon each other, and to secure the public safety, keep separate, full, and accurate accounts of the number, date, denomination, and amount, of all the notes signed and countersigned by them respectively, which said account shall be entered in a book or books, to be provided for that purpose, and carefully preserved in the treasury department; and also similar accounts, kept and preserved in the same manner, of all the said notes redeemed, as the same shall be returned and cancelled; and the treasurer shall further account, quarterly, for all such notes delivered to him for signature or issue by the register. The treasurer and register of the treasury are hereby authorized, by and with the consent and approbation of the Secretary of the Treasury, to employ such additional temporary clerks as the duties enjoined upon them by this act may render necessary: Provided, Said number shall not exceed five, and with a salary of not more than at the rate of twelve hundred dollars to each per annum. Notes, how signed, &c. Accounts to be kept. Additional clerks author. ized. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treas- May be issued ury is hereby authorized, with the approbation of the President of the to creditors. United States, to cause to be issued such portion of the said treasury notes as the President may think expedient in payment of debts due. by the United States, to such public creditors, or other. persons, as may choose to receive such notes in payment, as aforesaid, at par. And the Secretary of the Treasury is further authorized, with the May be pledged. approbation of the President of the United States, to borrow from time to time such sums as the President may think expedient on the credit of such notes: Provided, however, That no treasury notes shall be pledged, hypothecated, sold, or disposed of in any wise for less than par. any purpose whatever, directly or indirectly, for any sum less than the amount of such notes, including the principal and interest thereon when disposed of. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the said treasury notes shall be transferable, by delivery and assignment endorsed thereon, by the person to whose order the same shall on the face thereof have been made payable. But not for How transferable. To be receiv. dues. SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the said treasury notes shall be received in payment of all duties and taxes laid by the able for all public authority of the United States, of all public lands sold by the said authority, and of all debts to the United States of any character whatsoever, which may be due and payable at the time when said treasury notes may be so offered in payment; and on every such payment credit shall be given for the amount of the principal and interest which, on the day of such payment, may be due on the note or notes thus given in payment. On payment, a receipt to be ta ken, SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That every collector, receiver of public moneys, or other officer or agent of the United States, shall, on the receipt of any treasury notes in payment for the government, take from the holder thereof a receipt on the back of each of said notes, stating distinctly the date, and the amount received; and shall keep, according to such forms as shall be prescribed by the Secretary and entry made. of the Treasury, entries of whom received, the number, date, and respective amounts of principal and interest of each and every treasury note thus received; and on delivering the same to the treasury shall receive credit for the amount paid as prescribed by the last section: Provided, no error shall appear. SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to cause to be reimbursed and paid the principal and interest of the treasury notes which may be issued by virtue of this act, at the several time and times when the same, according to the provisions of this act, should be thus reimbursed and paid. And the said Secretary is further authorized to make purchases of the said notes at par for the amount of the principal and interest due at the time of purchase on such notes. And so much of unappropriated money in the treasury as may be necessary for that purpose is hereby appropriated for paying the principal and interest of said notes. SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall falsely make, forge, or counterfeit, or cause or procure to be falsely made, forged, or counterfeited, or willingly aid or assist in falsely making, forging, or counterfeiting, any note in imitation of, or purporting to be, a treasury note aforesaid, or shall falsely alter, or cause or procure to be falsely altered, or willingly aid or assist in falsely altering, any treasury note issued as aforesaid, or shall pass, utter, or publish, or attempt to pass, utter, or publish as true, any false, forged, or counterfeited note, purporting to be a treasury note as aforesaid, knowing the same to be falsely forged or counterfeited, or shall pass, utter, or publish as true, any falsely altered treasury note issued as aforesaid, knowing the same to be falsely altered, every such person shall be deemed and adjudged guilty of felony, and being thereof convicted, by due course of law, shall be sentenced to be imprisoned and kept to hard labor for a period not less than three years nor more than ten years, and to be fined in a sum not exceeding five thousand dollars. SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall make or engrave, or cause or procure to be made or engraved, or shall have in his custody or possession any metallic plate engraved after the similitude of any plate from which any notes issued as aforesaid shall have been printed, with intent to use such plate, or cause or suffer the same to be used in forging or counterfeiting any of the notes issued as aforesaid, or shall have in his custody or possession any blank note or notes engraved and printed after the similitude of any notes issued as aforesaid, with intent to use such blanks, or cause or suffer the same to be used in forging or counterfeiting any of the notes issued as aforesaid, or shall have in his custody or possession any paper adapted to the making of notes and similar to the paper upon which any such notes shall have been issued, with intent to use such paper or cause or suffer the same to be used in forging or counterfeiting any of the notes issued as aforesaid, every such person being thereof convicted by due course of law, shall be sentenced to be imprisoned, and kept to hard labor, for a term not less than three nor more than ten years, and fined in a sum not exceeding five thousand dollars. SEC. 11. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized to make and issue, from time to time, such instructions, rules, and regulations to the several collectors, receivers of public money, depositaries, and all others who may be authorized to receive the said treasury notes on behalf of and as agents in any capacity for the United States, as to the safe-keeping, disposition, return, and cancelling of the said notes so paid to and received by them, respectively, and as to their accounts and returns to the department of such receipts as may seem to him best calculated to promote the public interests and convenience, and secure the United States and the holders of the notes against fraud and losses. SEC. 12. And be it further enacted, That, in lieu of the notes authorized by this act which may be redeemed, other notes may be issued: Provided, however, The amount of such notes outstanding, Amount together with the stock issued by virtue of the thirteenth and sixteenth to exceed $23,000,000. sections of this act, shall not exceed the sum of twenty-three millions of dollars. not May be converted into stock. SEC. 13. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the holders of the aforesaid treasury notes to present them, at any time, to the treasury of the United States, or to any assistant treasurer, or to such collectors of the customs and receivers of public moneys as may be designated by the Secretary of the Treasury; and the holders. of the said treasury notes shall be entitled to receive therefor the amount of the principal of the said notes in a certificate or certificates of funded stock, bearing interest at six per centum per annum, from the date of such presentment of said treasury notes, and for the interest, shall be paid in money; and the stock thus to be issued shall be transferable on the books of the treasury: Provided, however, and be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the United States to imbursable. reimburse the stock thus created, at any time after the last day of December, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven. SEC. 14. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for the holder of any treasury notes issued, or authorized to be issued, under this act or any laws heretofore passed, to convert the same into certificates of funded stock, upon the same terms and in the same manner herein before provided in relation to the treasury notes authorized by the first section of this act. Stock when re Same subject. Act of 1846, ch. Sec. 15. And be it further enacted, That the authority to issue treasury notes authorized by the " Act authorizing an Issue of Treas- 61, extended. ury Notes and a Loan," approved July twenty-second, one thousand eight hundred and forty-six, be, and the same is hereby, extended to the same period fixed for the treasury notes authorized by this act, and upon the same terms and conditions herein specified: Provided, That the treasury notes authorized by this section shall not exceed five million of dollars. SEC. 16. And be it further enacted, That the President, if in his opinion it shall be the interest of the United States so to do, instead of issuing the whole amount of treasury notes authorized by the first section of this act, may borrow, on the credit of the United States, such an amount of money as he may deem proper, and issue therefor stock of the United States, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding six per centum per annum for the sum thus borrowed, redeemable after thirty-first December, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven: Provided, however, That the sum so borrowed, together with the treasury notes issued under the first and twelfth sections of this act outstand Stock may be issued instead of notes. Whole amount to exceed ing, and the stock created by this and the thirteenth section of this not $23,000,000. act, shall not in the whole exceed the sum of twenty-three millions of dollars: And provided further, That no stock shall be issued at a less rate than par. Proviso. Interest paya SEC. 17. And be it further enacted, That the interest on the stock created by this act shall be payable semi-annually on the first days of ble 1st of JanuJanuary and July in each year. SEC. 18. And be it further enacted, That the certificates of stock to be issued under this act shall be signed by the register of the treasury, and the Secretary of the Treasury shall cause each of said certificates to be sealed with the seal of his department. SEC. 19. And be it further enacted, That for the payment of the stock which may be created under the provisions of this act the sales of the public lands are hereby pledged, and it is hereby made the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to use and apply all moneys which may be received into the treasury for the sales of the public lands after the first day of January, eighteen hundred and forty-eight, VOL. IX. PUB. - 16 ary and July. Certificates of how stock, signed. Proceeds of public lands pledged for re demption. Proviso:repeal ad, post, p. 369. Contingent ex penses. Amount issued monthly. first, to pay the interest on all stocks issued by virtue of this act; and, secondly, to use the balance of said receipts, after paying the interest aforesaid, in the purchase of said stocks at their market value: Provided, No more than par shall be paid for said stocks. SEC. 20. And be it further enacted, That a sum not exceeding twenty-thousand dollars, to be paid out of any unappropriated money in the treasury, be, and the same is hereby appropriated, for defraying the expense of preparing, printing, engraving, and otherwise, incident to the issuing of the treasury notes and stock authorized by this act : Provided, That no compensation shall be made to any officer whose salary is fixed by law, for preparing, signing, or issuing treasury notes or certificates of stock. SEC. 21. And be it further enacted, That it shall be, and hereby is, or redeemed to made the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to cause a statement be published to be published monthly of the amount of all treasury notes issued or redeemed in pursuance of the provisions of this act; and that the Issue, when to power to issue treasury notes conferred on the President of the United States by this act shall cease and determine six months after the exchange and ratification of a treaty of peace with the Republic of Mexico. cease. SEC. 22. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to report to Congress at the commencement of each session the amount of treasury notes which have been issued under the provisions of this act, the amount redeemed, and the manner in which redeemed, the amount purchased and of whom, and at what time purchased, and the amount reissued, stating in lieu of which redemption they are reissued, with the date of such reissue, during the preceding year. APPROVED, January 28, 1847. Feb. 2, 1847. CHAP. VI.—An Act to provide for the Establishment of additional Post Routes in the State of Texas. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following additional post routes be established in the State of Texas: From Sabine City, via Beaumont, Jasper L. Norvill's, and J. Kendrick's, to San Augustine. From Lyon's Post-Office, in Louisiana, via Salem and Patillos to Beaumont. From Alexandria, Louisiana, via Burr's Ferry, on the Sabine River, and the county site of Newton, to Jasper. From Nacogdoches, via county site of Angelina, to county site of From Sabine Town, via Pendleton and Hamilton, to Shelbyville. From Shelbyville, via Henderson, to the county site of Smith. From Shelbyville, via Colonel H. C. Ashton's, Logansport, and McMillen's, to Pulaski. From Greenwood, Louisiana, via Sheenick's Ferry and Rives's Landing, to Moore's Post-Office, and from Shreevesport, via Port Caddo, to Jefferson, in Cass county. From Nacogdoches, via county site of Cherokee, Anglin's, Palestine, and the county site of Henderson, to Dallas. From Jefferson, in Cass county, via the county site of Cass, via Dangerfield, the county site of Titus, (Mount Pleasant,) the county site of Hopkins, (Tarrant,) and the county site of Hunt, to Dallas. From Bonham, via Warren, to county site of Grayson, (Sherman,) and from Sherman, via Pinckneysville, to Stewartville; and the exist ing route from Bonham to Dallas shall be so changed as to pass through Buckner, Stewartville, and Cedar Spring. From Marshall, via the county site of Upshur and the county site of Henderson, to Buffalo, on the Trinity. From county site of Upshur, via county site of Titus, to Clarksville, and from Paris to Tarrant. From county site of Cherokee, via the "Saline (Neches,)" and the county site of Smith, to county site of Upshur. From Galveston to Sabine Pass. From Houston, via Linchburg and Cedar Bayou, to Liberty. From Austin, via San Marco and New Braunfels, to San Antonio. From La Grange, via Lyons, Chawdoin's, Hallett's, Petersburgh, and Shibbling's Mills, to Victoria. From Gonzales, via Cuero, and Victoria, to Port La Bacca. From Port La Bacca, via Indian Point and Port Caballo, to Matagorda. From Galveston, via Springfield and Shelton's, to Chamber's Creek. From Victoria, via Goliad, Refugio, and San Patricio, to Corpus Christi. From Brasos Santiago, via Point Isabel, to Fort Brown. From Corpus Christi to Brasos Santiago. From Austin to Fredericksburg. From San Antonio to Castroville. viz: SEC. 2. Whereas the following routes have been put in operation by the agent, under a misconstruction of the law, From Crockett to Fort Houston ; From Columbia, via Hinds, Liverpool, and Parker's Point, to Galveston; From Port La Bacca, via Victoria and Cuero, to Gonzales; From Port Caballo to Port La Bacca; Be it further enacted, That they are hereby legalized by this act up to the time the new routes established by this act go into operation, when they shall cease. APPROVED, February 2, 1847. Certain routes legalized. CHAP. VII, — An Act to provide for the Payment of any Interest, falling duc, on the Public Debt. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to cause to be paid, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, any interest falling due, or accruing on, any portion of the public debt authorized by law. APPROVED, February 9, 1847. Feb. 9, 1847. Payment of interest on the pub lic debt. CHAP. VIII.-An Act to raise for a limited Time an additional military Force, and for other Purposes. Feb. 11, 1847. Ten additional regiments to be Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That in addition to raised |