THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES. ACTS OF THE SIXTH CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, Passed at the first session, which was begun and held at the City of STATUTE I. CHAPTER I.-An Act for reviving and continuing suits and proceedings in the SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives nine. Dec. 24, 1799. [Obsolete.] Proceedings which were dis continued by the failure to hold October session 1799, revived. Teste of writs. Jurors may be next April term. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the judge of the district court of the district of Pennsylvania, to direct the summoned for clerk of the said circuit court to issue such process, for the purpose of causing jurors to be summoned to attend at the session of the said circuit court, on the eleventh day of April next, as hath heretofore been issued for the like purposes, returnable to any preceding session thereof; and the persons so summoned shall, in case of non-attendance, be liable to the same penalties as if such process had been issued in the ordinary non-attendance. course of proceeding. APPROVED, December 24, 1799. Penalties for CHAP. II.-An Act extending the privilege of franking to William Henry Harrison, the delegate from the territory of the United States, northwest of the Ohio; and making provision for his compensation. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That William Henry Harrison, the delegate to Congress from the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio, be entitled to the privilege of sending and receiving letters free of postage, on the same terms, and under the same restrictions, as are provided for the members of the Senate and of the House of Representatives of the United States, by the act, intituled "An act to establish the post-office and post roads within the United States." SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said William Henry Harrison shall receive for his travelling expenses and attendance in Congress, the same compensation as is or may be allowed by law, to the members of the House of Representatives of the United States, to be certified and paid in like manner. APPROVED, January 2, 1800. CHAP. III.-An Act supplementary to the act, intituled "An act to provide for the SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the commissioners appointed under the act to which this is a supplement, shall have power, on consideration and examination of the lists, returns, valuations and abstracts rendered by the assessors, to revise, adjust and vary the valuations of lands and dwelling-houses in each and every subdivision of the several assessment districts, by adding thereto, or deducting therefrom, such a rate per centum as shall appear to be just and reasonable: Provided, that the relative valuations of the different lots or tracts of land, or dwelling-houses in the same subdivision, shall not be changed or affected. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said commissioners may direct the additions or deductions as aforesaid, to be made out and completed by the several principal assessors, or if they shall deem it more advisable, by their clerk and such assistants as they shall find necessary, and appoint for that purpose: Provided, that the compensation to be made to the said assistants shall not exceed the pay allowed to the assistant assessors, by the act to which this is a supplement. APPROVED, January 2, 1800. STATUTE I. Jan. 6, 1800. Prisoners en its of gaols as persons con. fined under process from CHAP. IV.-An Act for the relief of persons imprisoned for Debt.(b) SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives titled to the lim- of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That persons imprisoned on process issuing from any court of the United States, as well at the suit of the United States as at the suit of any person or persons in civil actions, shall be entitled to like privileges of the yards or limits of the respective gaols, as persons confined in like cases on process from the courts of the respective states, are entitled to, and under the like regulations and restrictions. state courts. (a) Act of July 9, 1798, chap. 70. (b) Act of May 28, 1796, chap. 38; act of June 6, 1798, chap. 49; act of January 7, 1824, chap. 3. Prisoners in execution may have an oath of insolvency administered to them by the District Judge, If no cause is shown to the contrary, SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That any person imprisoned on process of execution issuing from any court of the United States in civil actions, except at the suit of the United States, may have the oath or affirmation hereinafter expressed, administered to him by the judge of the district court of the United States, within whose jurisdiction the debtor may be confined; and in case there shall be no district judge residing within twenty miles of the gaol wherein such debtor may be confined, such oath or affirmation may be administered by any two persons who may be commissioned for that purpose by the district judge: or by commisThe creditor, his agent or attorney, if either live within one hundred sioners. miles of the place of imprisonment, or within the district in which the judgment was rendered, having had at least thirty days previous notice by a citation served on him, issued by the district judge, to appear at the time and place therein mentioned, if he see fit to show cause why the said oath or affirmation should not be so administered: At which time and place, if no sufficient cause, in the opinion of the judge, (or the commissioners appointed as aforesaid) be shown, or doth from examination appear to the contrary, he or they may, at the request of the debtor, proceed to administer to him the following oath or affirmation, as the case may be, viz. "You solemnly (swear or affirm) on making oath that you have no estate, real or personal, in possession, reversion or re- or affirmation, mainder, to the amount or value of thirty dollars, other than necessary wearing apparel; and that you have not, directly or indirectly, given, sold, leased, or otherwise conveyed to, or intrusted any person or persons with all or any part of the estate, real or personal, whereof you have been the lawful owner or possessor, with any intent to secure the same, or to receive or expect any profit or advantage therefrom, or to defraud your creditors, or have caused or suffered to be done any thing else whatsoever, whereby any of your creditors may be defrauded." Which oath or affirmation being administered, the judge or commissioners shall certify the same under his or their hands to the prisonkeeper, and the debtor shall be discharged from his imprisonment on they shall be such judgment, and shall not be liable to be imprisoned again for the discharged. said debt, but the judgment shall remain good and sufficient in law, and may be satisfied out of any estate which may then, or at any time afterwards, belong to the debtor. And the judge or commissioners, in addition to the certificate by them made and delivered to the prison-keeper, shall make return of their doings to the district court, with the commission, in cases where a commission hath been issued, to be kept upon the files and record of the same court. And the said judge, or commissioners, may send for books and papers, and have the same authority as a court of record, to compel the appearance of witnesses, and administer to them, as well as to the debtor, the oaths or affirmations necessary for the inquiry into, and discovery of the true state of the debtor's property, transactions and affairs. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That when the examination and proceedings aforesaid, in the opinion of the said judge or commissioners, cannot be had with safety or convenience in the prison wherein the debtor is confined, it shall be lawful for him or them, by warrant under his or their hand and seals, to order the marshal or prison-keeper, to remove the debtor to such other place convenient and near to the prison as he or they may see fit; and to remand the debtor to the same prison, if upon examination or cause shown by the creditor, it shall appear that the debtor ought not to be admitted to take the above recited oath or affirmation, or that he is holden for any other cause. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall falsely take any oath or affirmation, authorized by this act, such person shall be deemed guilty of perjury, and upon conviction thereof, shall suffer the pains and penalties in that case provided. And in case any false Proceedings to be filed in district court. Powers of the judge and com missioners, to send for books and papers. Debtor may be removed to facilitate proceedings, and may be remand ed. taking a false Penalty on oath or affirma. tion 1790, ch. 9, sec. 18. scc. 2. 1798, ch. 49, oath or affirmation be so taken by the debtor, the court, upon the motion of the creditor, shall recommit the debtor to the prison from whence he was liberated, there to be detained for the said debt, in the same manner as if such oath or affirmation had not been taken. Thirty days after judgment, debtor imprisoned may take the benefit of this act, although no exe. cution is sued out. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That any person imprisoned upon process issuing from any court of the United States, except at the suit of the United States, in any civil action, against whom judgment has been or shall be recovered, shall be entitled to the privileges and relief provided by this act, after the expiration of thirty days from the time such judgment has been or shall be recovered, though the creditor should not, within that time, sue out his execution, and charge the debtor therewith. APPROVED, January 6, 1800. STATUTE Jan. 17, 1800. [Expired] Penalty on cor respondence with the In dians, to produce infraction of treaties, or disturb the peace of the United States. Penalty on the bearers of such correspond ence. Penalty on certain correspondence with a foreign pow. er, in relation to the Indiansand on attempting to alienate their confidence. Certain provisions of a former act applied to this. Vol. i. 743. Limitation. CHAP. V.-An Act for the preservation of peace with the Indian tribes.(a) SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That if any citizen or other person residing within the United States, or the territory thereof, shall send any talk, speech, message or letter to any Indian nation, tribe, or chief, with an intent to produce a contravention or infraction of any treaty or other law of the United States, or to disturb the peace and tranquillity of the United States, he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding two thousand dollars, and be imprisoned not exceeding two years. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any citizen or other person shall carry or deliver any such talk, speech, message or letter, to or from any Indian nation, tribe, or chief, from or to any person or persons whatsoever, residing within the United States; or from or to any subject, citizen or agent of any foreign power or state, knowing the contents thereof, he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding one thousand dollars, and be imprisoned not exceeding twelve months. SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That if any citizen or other person, residing or being among the Indians, or elsewhere, within the territory of the United States, shall carry on a correspondence, by letter or otherwise, with any foreign nation or power, with an intent to induce such foreign nation or power to excite any Indian nation, tribe, or chief, to war against the United States, or to the violation of any existing treaty; or in case any citizen or other person shall alienate, or attempt to alienate the confidence of the Indians from the government of the United States, or from any such person or persons as are, or may be employed and entrusted by the President of the United States, as a commissioner or commissioners, agent or agents, or in any capacity whatever, for facilitating or preserving a friendly intercourse with the Indians, or for managing the concerns of the United States with them, he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding one thousand dollars, and be imprisoned not exceeding twelve months. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the provisions of the act, intituled "An act to regulate trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes, and to preserve peace on the frontiers," passed the third day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, be, and the same are hereby extended to carry into effect this act, and for the trial and punishment of offences against it, in the same manner as if they were herein specially recited. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That this act shall continue and (a) Act of March 3, 1799, chap. 46, sec. 105; act of March 30, 1802, chap. 13; act of April 29, 1816; act of March 3, 1817, chap. 43; act of May 6, 1822, chap. 58. be in force until the third day of March, in the year one thousand eight CHAP. VI.—An Act to repeal part of an act, intituled "An act to provide for mili- APPROVED, February 11, 1800. CHAP. VIII.—An Act giving further time to the holders of Military Warrants, to register, and locate the same. 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 shall, for the space of fourteen days after the expiration of the nine months heretofore allowed for that purpose, by the act, intituled "An act regulating the grants of land, appropriated for military services, and for the society of the United Brethren for propagating the Gospel among the Heathen," register warrants for military services in the form and manner as is prescribed by the said recited act; and the priority of location of said warrants, and the warrants registered under the said recited act shall be determined by lot, immediately after the expiration of the said fourteen days, and a day for the location shall be fixed by the Secretary of the Treasury, in a public notice given in one of the gazettes of the city of Philadelphia. APPROVED, February 11, 1800. STATUTE I. Feb. 11, 1800. Vol. i. 506. STATUTE I. Feb. 11, 1800. [Obsolete.] 1796, ch. 46. STATUTE I. CHAP. IX.-An Act to suspend in part, an act, intituled "An act to augment the Feb. 20, 1800. Army of the United States; and for other purposes." Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all further enlistments under the second section of an act, intituled "An act to augment the army of the United States, and for other purposes," shall be suspended until the further order of Congress, unless in the recess of Congress, and during the continuance of the existing differences between the United States and the French Republic, war shall break out between the United States and the French Republic, or imminent danger of invasion of their territory by the said Republic, shall, in the opinion of the President of the United States, be discovered to exist. APPROVED, February 20, 1800. [Obsolete.] Vol. i. 604. STATUTE I. CHAP. X.-An Act further to suspend the commercial intercourse between the Feb. 27, 1800. United States and France, and the dependencies thereof.(b) SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all com [Expired.] (4) Act of March 3, 1797, chap. 13. (b) Act of February 9, 1799, chap. 2. |