visions of this act, and with the requirements of any regulations made thereunder, and with the terms of any bond given on such removal, then any person who shall be guilty of such failure, and any person who shall in any manner violate any provisions of this act, or of the regulations made in pursuance thereof, shall be subject, on conviction to a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five thousand dollars, and to imprisonment for not less than three months nor more than three years, for every such failure or violation; and the spirits as to which such failure or violation shall take place shall be forfeited to the United States [March 3, 1877.] March 3, 1877. 19 Stat. L., 395. Swamp and overflowed fands in Missouri granted to State. R. S., § 2479. CHAPTER 116. AN ACT GRANTING TO THE STATE OF MISSOURI ALL LANDS THEREIN SELECTED AS Swamp and overflowed lands in Missouri given to State. Be it enacted, &c., That all lands in the State of Missouri selected as swamp and overflowed lands, and regularly reported as such to the General Land Office, and now withheld from market as such, so far as the same remain vacant and unappropriated and not interfered with by any preemption, homestead, or other claim under any law of the United States, and the claim whereto has not been heretofore rejected by the Commissioner of the General Land Office, or other competent authority, be, and the same are hereby, confirmed to said State, and all title thereto vested in said State; And it is hereby made the duty of the Secretary of the Interior to cause patents to issue for the same. [March 3, 1877.] March 3, 1877. 19 Stat. L., 403. Pensions allowed CHAPTER 120. AN ACT AMENDING THE PENSION-LAW SO AS TO REMOVE THE DISABILITY OF THOSE Be it enacted, &c., That the law prohibiting the payment of any money to disabled sol- on account of pensions to any person, or to the widow, children, or heirs diers, &c., in cer- of any deceased person, who, in any manner, engaged in or aided or tain cases, although they had abetted the late rebellion against the authority of the United States, engaged in rebell- shall not be construed to apply to such persons as afterward voluntarily enlisted in the Army of the United States, and who, while in such 1878, March 9, service, incurred disability from a wound or injury received or disease contracted in the line of duty. [March 3, 1877.] ion. R. S., § 4716. ch. 28, § 5. March 3, 1877. 19 Stat. L., 403. Pensions to en CHAPTER 121. AN ACT EQUALIZING PENSIONS OF CERTAIN OFFICERS IN THE NAVY. Be it enacted, &c., That from and after the passage of this act, the gineers in Navy to pension for total disability of passed assistant engineers, assistant engibe according to neers, and cadet engineers in the naval service, respectively, shall be relative rank. the same as the pensions allowed to officers of the line in the naval service with whom they have relative rank; and that all acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith be, and are hereby, repealed. [March 3, 1877.] R. S., § 4728. CHAPTER 122. AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION TWENTY-TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY-ONE OF THE RE- SECTION 1. Proof of residence and occupation, &c., and oaths of persons making entry of homestead lands; before whom may be taken. Be it enacted, &c. SECTION -to be transmitted to register, &c. 2. Punishment for false swearing, &c. Proof of resi [SECTION 1], That the proof of residence, occupation, or cultivation, the affidavit of non-alienation, and the oath of allegiance, required to dence, occupation, be made by section twenty-two hundred and ninety-one of the Revised &c., and oaths of Statutes, may be made before the judge, or, in his absence, before the entry of bomestead persons making clerk, of any court of record of the county and State, or district and lands; before Territory, in which the lands are situated; whom may bo taken. R. S., § 2291. And if said lands are situated in any unorganized county, such proof may be made in a similar manner in any adjacent county in said State or Territory; and the proof, affidavit, and oath, when so made and duly ch. 192. subscribed, shall have the same force and effect as if made before the register or receiver of the proper land-district; 1880, June 9, ch. 164. And the same shall be transmitted by such judge, or the clerk of his -to be transmitcourt, to the register and the receiver, with the fee and charges allowed ted to register, &c. by law to bim; and the register and receiver shall be entitled to the same fees for examining and approving said testimony as are now allowed by law for taking the same. Punishment for SEC. 2. That if any witness making such proof, or the said applicant making such affidavit or oath, swears falsely as to any material matter false swearing, &c. contained in said proof, affidavits, or oaths, the said false swearing being willful and corrupt, he shall be deemed guilty of perjury, and shall be liable to the same pains and penalties as if he had sworn falsely before the register. [March 3, 1877.] NOTE.-(1) This act is incorporated into the second edition of the Revised Statutes in section 2291. CHAPTER 123. AN ACT FOR THE RELIEF OF SETTLERS ON THE PUBLIC LANDS UNDER THE PRE- Settlers on public lands changing entries from pre-emption to homestead; when may perfect title. March 3, 1877. 19 Stat. L., 404. Settlers on pubBe it enacted, &c., That when any person who has made a settlement lic lands changing on the public lands under the pre-emption laws shall change his filing to entries from prethat for a homestead entry, the time required to perfect his title under emption to homethe homestead laws shall be computed from the date of his original set- stead; when may tlement made under the pre-emption laws. [March 3, 1877.] perfect title. R. S., § 2259, 2291. 1878, May 25, ch. 140. SECTION CHAPTER 127. AN ACT FOR THE RELIEF OF CERTAIN SETTLERS ON THE PUBLIC LANDS. 1878, June 14, ch. 189. Settlers on pub [SECTION 1], That it shall be lawful for homestead and pre-emption settlers on the public lands, or pre-emption settlers on Indian reserva- lic lands injured tions, where crops were destroyed or seriously injured by grasshoppers by grasshoppers in 1877 and 1878 may in the year eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, to leave and be absent be temporarily ab- from said lands until the first day of October, eighteen hundred and sent without preju- seventy-eight, under such rules and regulations as to proof of the same dice, &c. R. S., §§ 2259, as the Commissioner of the General Land-Office shall prescribe; 2289. And where such grasshoppers shall reappear in eighteen hundred and 1878, June 19, ch. seventy-eight, to the like destruction or injury of crops, the right to 1879, July 1, ch. hundred and seventy-nine; leave and be absent as aforesaid shall continue to October first, eighteen 314. 63. And during such absence no adverse rights shall attach to said lands, such settlers being allowed to resume and perfect their settlement as though no such absence had occurred. Time for proof SEC. 2. That the time for making final proof and payment by preand payment by emptors whose crops have been destroyed or injured as aforesaid is pre-emptors exhereby extended for one year after the expiration of the term of absence tended. provided for in the first section of this act; And all the rights and privileges extended by this act to homestead and pre-emption settlers shall apply to and include the settlers under an act entitled "An act to encourage the growth of timber or western prairies," approved March third, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, and the acts amendatory thereof. (1) [March 3, 1877.] NOTE.-(1) The act of 1873, March 3, ch. 277 (17 Stat. L., 606), and the provisions amendatory thereof, to encourage the growth of timber, here referred to, are incorporated into the Revised Statutes in the sections noted in the margin. But new provisions on the subject were made by the act of 1874, March 3, ch. 55, act of 1876, May 20, ch. 102, and still later by the act of 1878, June 14, ch. 190. CHAPTER 129. March 3, 1877. 19 Stat. L., 406. Fort Dalles res be sold. AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE DISPOSITION OF FORT DALLES MILITARY RESERVATION. [SECTION 1], That the Secretary of War be, and hereby is, authorized ervation lands to to transfer to the custody and control of the Secretary of the Interior, 1850, ch. 76 (9 for disposition for cash, according to existing laws relating to the public Stat. L., 496). lands, after appraisement, to the highest bidder, and at not less than the appraised value, nor at less than one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, the United States military reservation known as the Fort Dalles military reservation at Dalles in the State of Oregon, as the same was established by order of Brigadier-General W. S. Harney, in the year eighteen hundred and fifty-nine, excepting any portion of said reservation as may have been granted to any settler under the act of Congress making donations of the public lands in Oregon to settlers, approved September twenty-seventh, eighteen hundred and fifty, or which may have been granted under any other act of Congress previous to the time when such military reservation was established. Subdivision into tracts, town lots, &c. SEC. 2 That the Secretary of the Interior, if in his opinion the public interests require it, may cause the said lands in said reservation, or any part thereof, to be subdivided into tracts less than forty acres each, and into town-lots, or either; And, in such cases, each subdivision or lot shall be appraised and offered separately for sale to the highest bidder, as before provided, after which any tract or lot so offered, and not sold for want of bidders, shall be subject to sale at private entry at the appraised value. Appraisement SEC. 3. That the Secretary of the Interior shall cause the improveand sale of im- ments, buildings, materials, and other property, which may be situate provements. upon said reservation, or upon any such tract or into which the same may be subdivided, to be appraised, and may cause the same to be sold, together with the tract or lot upon which the same may be situate, at not less than the appraised value of the lands and improvements, or may, in his discretion, cause the said improvements to be sold separately at public sale at not less than the appraised value, to be removed by the purchaser within such time as the Secretary of the Interior may direct; And if the improvements are offered and not sold for want of bidders, then the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to sell the same at private sale for not less than the appraised value. Lands between SEC. 4. That the land lying between the northern boundary of said military reservation and the northern boundary of the military reserva- certain boundaries tion, as established by order of Major G. I. Rains in the year eighteen under provisions to be disposed of hundred and fifty-five, shall be disposed of under and according to the of R. S., §§ 2380provisions of title thirty-two, chapter eight, of the Revised Statutes of 2394. the United States, except any portion of the same to which there may be a valid pre-emption claim; And all controversies arising under this act, in regard to the right or Controversies to title to any part of said lands, shall be decided by the register and the be decided by Comreceiver of the proper land office, subject to an appeal to the Commis- missioner of Gensioner of the General Land-Office by any person or party interested therein. [March 3, 1877.] eral Land-Office. RESOLUTIONS. NUMBER 6. JOINT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT TO DESIGNATE AND SET APART A - inauguration ceremonies. Preamble. Whereas, the President has communicated to Congress the information that citizens of the French Republic propose to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of our independence by erecting at their own cost a colossal bronze statue of "Liberty enlightening the world" upon a pedestal of suitable proportions to be built by private subscription upon one of the islands belonging to the United States in the harbor of New York, and Whereas it is proper to provide for the care and preservation of this grand monument of art and of the abiding friendship of our ancient ally: Therefore, Be it resolved, &c., That the President of the United States be and he Colossal statue is hereby authorized and directed to accept the colossal statue of "Lib- of Liberty presenterty enlightening the world" when presented by citizens of the French ed by citizens of Republic, and to designate and set apart for the erection thereof, a suit- France to be acable site upon either Governors or Bedloes Island, in the harbor of New York; cepted. And upon the completion thereof shall cause the same to be inaugu- inauguration rated with such ceremonies as will serve to testify the gratitude of our ceremonies. people for this expressive and felicitous memorial of the sympathy of the citizens of our sister Republic; And he is hereby authorized to cause suitable regulations to be made regulations for nance. for its future maintenance as a beacon, and for the permanent care and future maintepreservation thereof as a monument of art, and of the continued good will of the great nation, which aided us in our struggle for freedom. [March 3, 1877.] NUMBER 7. JOINT RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE JOINT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY Ammunition to be issued with arms to Territories and border States. Ammunition to arms to Territories Resolved, &c., That the joint resolution approved July third, eighteen be issued with hundred and seventy-six, authorizing the Secretary of War to issue and border States. arms to the Territories and the States bordering thereon, be, and the same is hereby, amended by inserting, after the words "each of said R. S., § 1667. 1878, May 16, ch. Territories," the words "and ammunition for the same, not to exceed Sce Res. 1876, No. fifty ball-cartridges for each arm." [March 3, 1877.] 106. 13, p. 253. 1878, No. 26, p. 389. |