Acts of Congress.

ships-of-war, of a size to carry, and which shall be armed with not less than seventy-four guns, each; and there shall be built or purchased within the United States, six sloops-of-war, of a size to carry, and which shall be armed with, eighteen guns, each, or not exceeding that force; all which ships and vessels shall be procured, manned, and employed, as soon as may be, for the service of the United States: And, in part of the necessary expenditures to be incurred herein, a sum not exceeding one million of dollars, shall be, and is hereby, appropriated, and shall be paid out of any moneys which shall be in the Treasury of the United States, not otherwise appropriated.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States shall be, and he is hereby, authorized to augment, at his discretion, the force of any ship or vessel, now in the service, or building for the service of the United States, by allowing an additional number of guns and men therein, beyond the established rate, and according to the respective size and capacity of such ship or vessel: And a sum not exceeding thirty-five thousand dollars shall be, and is hereby, appropriated, to defray the expense of such augmentation, and shall be paid out of any moneys which shall be in the Treasury of the United States, not otherwise appropriated.

ber, or of lands on which timber is growing, suitable for the Navy, and to cause proper measures to be taken to have the same preserved for the future uses of the Navy.

Approved, February 25, 1799.

An Act to alter the stamp duties imposed upon foreign bills of exchange and bills of lading, by an act, entitled "An act laying duties on stamped vellum, parchment, and paper;" and further to amend the

same.

Be it enacted, &c., That, from and after the thirty-first day of March next, the duties imposed by an act, entitled "An act laying duties on stamped vellum, parchment, and paper," upon foreign bills of exchange and bills of lading, shall cease and determine; and from and after the said thirtyfirst day of March next, there shall be levied and paid throughout the United States, the several stamp duties following, to wit: On every skin or piece of vellum, or parchment, or sheet or piece of paper, on which shall be written or printed any or either of the instruments following, to wit: Any foreign bill of exchange, draught, or order, for the payment of money in any foreign country, twenty cents; any note or bill of lading, or writing, or receipt, in the nature thereof, for any goods or merSEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the chandise to be exported, if from one district to anPresident of the United States shall be, and is other district of the United States, not being in hereby, authorized to place on the naval establish- the same State, four cents; if to be exported to any ment, and employ accordingly, all or any of the foreign port or place, ten cents; any policy of asvessels, which, as revenue cutters, have been in-surance, or instrument in nature thereof, other creased in force, and employed in the defence of the seacoast, pursuant to the act, entitled "An act providing a naval armament; and, thereupon, the officers and crews of such vessels may be allowed, at the discretion of the President of the United States, the pay, subsistence, advantages, and compensations, proportionably to the rates of such vessels, and shall be governed by the rules and discipline which are, or which shall be, established, for the Navy of the United States. Approved, February 22, 1799.

An Act authorizing the establishment of docks. Be it enacted, &c., That two docks, for the convenience of repairing the public ships and vessels, be erected in suitable places, under the direction of the President of the United States, and that the sum of fifty thousand dollars be appropriated towards effecting this object, to be paid out of any moneys in the Treasury of the United States, not otherwise appropriated.

Approved, February 25, 1799.

An Act authorizing the purchase of timber for naval

purposes.

than those specified in the above recited act, when the sum for which insurance is made shall not exceed five hundred dollars, twenty-five cents; and when the sum insured shall exceed five hundred dollars, one dollar. And the said duties shall be chargeable upon each and every bill of exchange and bill of lading, without respect to the number contained in a set.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That, from and after the said thirty-first day of March, it shall not be lawful for any supervisor, or other person employed for the stamping of vellum, parchment, or paper, to stamp any foreign bill of exchange, draught, or order, for the payment of money in any foreign country, after the same shall be written or drawn. And, if any person or persons, from or after the said thirty-first day of March, shall presume to write or draw, or cause to be written or drawn, any such foreign bill, draught, or order, or any duplicate or triplicate thereof, before the vellum, parchment, or paper, on which the same shall be drawn, shall be duly stamped, or shall sell, loan, endorse, or remit any such foreign bill, draught, or order, unless every duplicate, triplicate, and other bill of the same tenor and date, which shall be drawn, or intended to be drawn, shall be first duly stamped; then, and in every such case, the person or persons so offending, shall, for each offence, forfeit and pay a sum, not exceeding one hundred dollars, according to the nature and aggravation of the offence.

Be it enacted, &c., That the President of the United States shall be, and he is hereby, authorized to direct a sum not exceeding two hundred thousand dollars, to be paid out of any moneys in the Treasury, not otherwise appropriated, to be SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That if any laid out in the purchase of growing or other tim-person or persons, at any time after the said thirty

Acts of Congress.

than officers of the revenue, and upon all fines, a commission of four per centum; upon all duties received from officers of the revenue, or which are collected and duly accounted for by the said officers, a commission of one per centum; and that the inspectors of surveys, not being also supervisors, shall, severally, be allowed upon all stamp duties, and upon all fines accruing thereupon, which shall be collected and accounted for by them, respectively, a commission of one and an half per centum. And the allowances aforesaid shall extend to the duties and fines which have been heretofore, or may be hereafter, collected and accounted for, in manner aforesaid, in pursuance of the act, entitled "An act laying duties upon stamped vellum, parchment, and paper," as well as to all duties and fines authorized by this act. Approved, February 28, 1799.

An Act concerning French citizens that have been, or may be, captured and brought into the United States.

first day of March next, shall knowingly and fraudulently write or engross, or cause to be written or engrossed, the whole or any part of any bond, bill, instrument, or other writing whatsoever, in respect whereof any duty is payable by the acts of Congress, or any of them, on the whole or any part of any piece of vellum, parchment, or paper, whereon there shall have been before written any other bond, bill, instrument, or other writing, in respect whereof any duty was payable by the said acts, or either of them, before such vellum, parchment, or paper, shall have been again marked or stamped, according to the said acts; or shall fraudulently erase or scrape out, or cause to be erased or scraped out, the name or names of any person or persons, or any sum, date, or other thing written in such bond, bill, instrument, or writing, or fraudulently cut, tear, or get off, any mark or stamp from any piece of vellum, parchment, or paper, or part thereof, with intent to use such stamp or mark for any writing or thing, in respect whereof any duty shall be payable by virtue of the said acts, or either of them, that then, Be it enacted, &c., That the President of the so often, and in every such case, every person, United States be, and he hereby is, authorized to so offending, shall, for every such offence, forfeit exchange or send away from the United States to the sum of two hundred dollars, and costs of suit. the dominions of France, as he may deem proper SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That if any and expedient, all French citizens that have been, writings, matters, and things, in respect whereof or may be, captured and brought into the United any of the said duties shall be payable, and which States, in pursuance of the act, entitled "An act shall be engrossed or written, after the said thirty- in addition to the act more effectually to profirst day of March next, shall be written at a dis-tect the commerce and coasts of the United tance from the stamps or marks which shall, in pursuance of the said acts, or any of them, be placed on the vellum, parchment, or paper, whereupon the same shall be written or engrossed, with intent fraudulently to evade the duties imposed by the said acts, or any of them, the person who shall write or engross, or cause to be written or engrossed any such writing, matter, or thing, contrary to the tenor and true meaning hereof, shall, for every such offence, forfeit the sum of one hundred dollars, and full costs of suit.

States."

Approved, February 28, 1799.

An Act for providing compensation for the marshals, clerks, attorneys, jurors, and witnesses, in the courts of the United States, and to repeal certain parts of the acts therein mentioned, and for other purposes. Be it enacted, &c., That, from and after the passing of this act, the compensation to the seve ral officers hereinafter mentioned, shall be as folSEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the lows, to wit: to the marshals of the several disduties imposed by this act shall be levied and col- tricts of the United States, for the service of any lected in the same manner, and by the same per-writ, warrant, attachment, or process, issuing out sons, and under the same regulations, fines, penalties, and forfeitures, which are provided in and by the acts of Congress now in force, respecting the duties on stamped vellum, parchment, and paper. And the said fines, penalties, and forfeitures, shall be sued for and recovered, in the same manner, and to the same uses, as are provided in the said

acts.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That no duties shall be levied or collected upon any bonds required in any case by the laws of the United States, or of any State, upon legal process, or in any judicial proceeding, or for the faithful performance of any trust or duty; anything in the above recited act to the contrary notwithstanding. SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the supervisors shall be severally allowed upon all stamp duties, and upon all fines accruing thereupon, which shall be collected and accounted for by them, respectively, the commissions following, to wit: Upon all duties collected from persons other

of any courts of the United States, two dollars; and in case there be more than one person named in the said writ, warrant, attachment, or process, then, two dollars for each person so named; for his travel out in serving each writ, warrant, attachment, or process, aforesaid, five cents per mile, to be computed from the place of service, to the court where the writ or process shall be returned; and if more persons than one are named therein, the travel shall be computed from the court to the place of service which shall be the most remote, adding thereto the extra travel which shall be necessary to serve it on the other; for each bail bond, fifty cents; for actually summoning witnesses or appraisers, each fifty cents; for every commitment or discharge of a prisoner, fifty cents; for every proclamation in the Admiralty, thirty cents; for sales of vessels, or other property, and for receiving and paying the money, for any sum under five hundred dollars, two and one half per cent.; for any larger sum, one and one quarter per cent.

Acts of Congress.

the fees in admiralty proceedings in the district courts of the United States, and for other purposes."

upon the excess; for summoning each grand and other jury, four dollars: Provided, That in no case shall the fees for summoning jurors, to any one court, exceed fifty dollars; and in those States SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the where jurors, by the laws of the State, are drawn compensation to the attorneys of the respective by constables, or other officers of corporate towns districts of the United States shall be as follows, or places, by lot, the marshal shall receive, for the to wit: for each day which any such attorney use of the officers employed in summoning the shall necessarily attend on business of the United jurors and returning the venire, the sum of two | States, during the session of any district or circuit dollars, and for his own trouble in distributing the court, five dollars; for travelling from the place venire, the sum of two dollars; for attending the of his abode to such court, ten cents per mile; and supreme or circuit court, five dollars per day; and such fees, in each State, respectively, as are alfor attending the district court, where such court lowed in the supreme court thereof; and in the has the powers and cognizance of a circuit court, district courts, his stated fees, in the cases hereinfive dollars per day; and for attending the district mentioned, shall be as follows, to wit: for drawcourts in other cases, four dollars per day, and ating interrogatories, five dollars; for drawing and the rate of ten cents per mile. for his travel from exhibiting libel, claim, or answer, six dollars; and the place of his abode to either of the said courts; for all other services in any one cause, six dollars. for all other services, not herein enumerated, ex- And the annual sum of two hundred dollars, as a cept as shall be hereafter provided, such fees and full compensation for all extra services, shall be compensations as are allowed in the supreme court allowed and paid by the United States, to each of the State where such services are rendered: district attorney for the districts of Maine, New And the annual sum of two hundred dollars as a Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, full compensation for all extra services, shall be New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, allowed to each marshal for the districts of Ten- Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. nessee, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That when a deputy marshal, who shall be duly appointed by the marshal of any district, shall reside and be more than twenty miles from the place where the district judge of such district shall reside and be, the oath of office required of such deputy, before he enters on the discharge thereof, may be administered and taken by and before any judge or justice of any State court within the same district, or before any justice of the peace, having authority therein, and being certified by him, to the said district judge, shall be as effectual as if administered or taken before such district judge. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the compensation to the clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States, shall be as follows, to wit: for his attendance in court, ten dollars per day, and for his other services, double the fees of the clerk of the Supreme Court of the State in which the Supreme Court of the United States shall be holden. To the clerks of circuit and district courts, in each State respectively, the same fees as are allowed in the supreme court of the said State, with an addition thereto of one-third of said fees, and five dollars per day for his attendance at any circuit or district court, and at the rate of ten cents per mile for his travel from the place of his abode to either of said courts; and in case a clerk of a court of the United States perform any duty which is not performed by the clerks of the State, and for which the laws of the State make no provision, the court in which such service shall be performed shall make a reasonable compensation therefor. And in all cases of admiralty jurisdiction, the clerk of the district court shall be allowed the same fees as are prescribed by the second section of an act, passed the first day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety three, entitled "An act to ascertain 5th CoN.-121

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That for all services in criminal cases performed by the attorney for the district of Virginia, and for which no fees are allowed by law for similar services in the courts of that State, he shall be allowed such sum or sums as the court in which the same is rendered shall consider a reasonable compensation therefor.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the compensation to jurors and witnesses, in the courts of the United States, shall be as follows, to wit: to each grand and other juror, for each day he shall attend in court, one dollar and twenty-five cents; and for travelling, at the rate of five cents per mile, from their respective places of abode to the place where the court is holden, and the like allowance for returning; to the witnesses summoned in any court of the United States, the same allowance as is above provided for jurors.

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the respective courts of the United States shall appoint cryers for their courts, to be allowed the sum of two dollars per day; and that the marshals be, and they are hereby, authorized to appoint such a number of persons, not exceeding three, as the judges of their respective courts shall determine, to attend upon the grand and other jurors, and for other necessary purposes, who shall be allowed for their services the sum of two dollars per day, to be paid by, and included in the accounts of, the marshal, out of any money of the United States in his hands.

SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That if any informer on a penal statute, and to whom the penalty, or any part thereof, if recovered, is directed to accrue, shall discontinue his suit or prosecution, or shall be nonsuited in the same, or if, upon trial, judgment shall be rendered in favor of the defendent, unless the informer be an officer of the United States, he shall be alone liable to the clerks, marshals, and attorneys, for the fees of

Acts of Congress.

such prosecution; but if such informer be an offi- appointed to be holden at Rutland in said district cer, whose duty it is to commence such prosecu- on the first Monday of May, annually, shall heretion, and the court shall certify there was reason-after be holden at Rutland in said district on the able ground for the same, then the United States second Monday of May, annually. shall be responsible for such fees.

Acts of Congress.

To the district of York shall be annexed Kittery and Berwick, as ports of delivery only; and a collector for the district shall be appointed, to re-waters and shores within the county of Barnstable. side at York.