4

Proclamation by the President.

such money, goods, chattels, or effects, be laid out or disposed of for the use and benefit of the said corporation, according to the intention of the donors.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said corporation, hereby created, shall have full power and authority to fill all vacancies which may happen in their number; to make, ordain, establish, and execute such by-laws and ordinances as may be deemed useful to the institution, and the same to alter, amend, and abrogate at pleasure; to make, have, and use a common seal, and the same to break, alter, and renew at will; to appoint such officers as may be required for the management of the concerns of said corporation, and to assign them their duties; and, generally, to provide for the transaction of all business appertaining to the said corporation: Provided, That no by-law, rule, or ordinance, of the said corporation, shall be made repugnant to the laws of the District of Columbia.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the said corporation may procure, by purchase or otherwise, a suitable building for the sittings of the said institution, and for the preservation and safekeeping of a library and museum; and also a tract or parcel of land for a botanic garden, not exceeding five acres: Provided, That the amount of real and personal property to be held by the said corporation shall not exceed one hundred

thousand dollars.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That there shall be an annual meeting of the members of the said corporation, at such time and place as the proper officers of the said corporation may appoint, of which due notice shall be given in one or more of the newspapers published in the District of Columbia; at which time and place the members present shall elect or choose, by ballot, the officers of the institution, to serve for one year ensuing their election, and until others shall be elected and consent to serve in their places.

said province, to be transported from thence to any other port or place within or without the said limits, should, directly or indirectly, be unladen or landed, or put on shore, at any port or place in the United States of America eastward of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, nor unladen or put on board any American ship, vessel, boat, or shallop, of any description, at any port or place eastward of Boston aforesaid, under the penalty of the forfeiture of every such ship or vessel from which any such plaster of Paris, or gypsum, should be unladen contrary to the provisions of the said act, together with her boats, tackle, apparel, and furniture, to be seized and prosecuted in manner thereinafter mentioned:"

And whereas, by an act of the Congress of the United States, passed on the third day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventeen, it was enacted, that, from and after the fourth day of July, then next, no plaster of Paris, the production of any country, or its dependencies, from which the vessels of the United States were not permitted to bring the same article, should be imported into the United States in any foreign vessel; and that all plaster of Paris imported, or attempted to be imported into the United States, contrary to the true intent and meaning of the said act of Congress, and the vessel in which the same might be imported, or attempted to be imported, together with the cargo, tackle, apparel, and furniture, should be forfeited to the United States, and liable to be seized, prosecuted, and condemned in the manner therein described:

And whereas, by the said act of Congress it was further enacted, that the same should continue and be in force five years, from the thirtyfirst day of January, one thousand eight hundred and seventeen: Provided, nevertheless, That if any foreign nation, or its dependencies, which, at the time of the passage of the said act of Congress, had in force regulations on the subject of the trade in plaster of Paris, prohibiting the exportation thereof to certain ports of the United States, should discontinue such regulations, the President of the United States was thereby authorized to declare that fact by his proclamation; the restrictions imposed by the said act of Con

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the said corporation shall not be engaged in any banking or commercial operations; and the continuance of this charter shall be limited to twenty years from and after the passage of this act, un-gress should, from the date of such proclamation, less sooner revoked by Congress. Approved, April 20, 1818.

PROCLAMATION.

cease and be discontinued in relation to the nation or its dependencies discontinuing such regulations:

And whereas, an act of the Lieutenant Governor, Council, and Assembly, of His Britannic Majesty's province of Nova Scotia, repealing the abovementioned act of the said province, passed in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, has been officially communicated by his said Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to this Government:

By the President of the United States of America. Whereas, by an act of the Lieutenant Governor, Council, and Assembly, of His Britannic Majesty's province of Nova Scotia, passed in the And whereas, by the said repealing act of the year one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, it said province of Nova Scotia, one of the_dewas, among other things, enacted, that, from and pendencies of the United Kingdom of Great Britafter the first day of May, of that year, "no plas-ain and Ireland, the regulations of the time of the ter of Paris, otherwise called gypsum, which should be laden or put on board any ship or vessel at any port or place within the limits of the

passage of the said act of Congress, in force in the said province on the subject of the trade in plaster of Paris, prohibiting the exportation there

Resolutions.

of to certain ports of the United States, have been and are discontinued:

Now, therefore, I, James Monroe, President of the United States of America, do, by this, my proclamation, declare that fact, and that the restrictions imposed by the said act of Congress do, from the date hereof, cease, and are discontinued, in relation to His Britannic Majesty's said province of Nova Scotia.

Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, this twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, and in the fortysecond year of the independence of the United States.

By the President:

JAMES MONROE.

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS,
Secretary of State.

RESOLUTIONS.

Resolution for the admission of the State of Mississippi

into the Union.

ted States; one set to each of the Heads of Departments, to the Attorney General of the United States, to each of the Senators and Representatives, and to each Delegate of Territories, of the Fifteenth Congress; one set to each branch of the Legislature of each State or Territory, and one to each of the Executives of the several States and Territories; one set to each University and College in the United States; six sets to the Secretary of the Senate, for the use of the Senate, and eighteen sets to the Clerk of the House of Representatives, for the use of that House; and the residue of the sets of the State papers and documents aforesaid shall be deposited in the Library of Congress.

Approved, December 23, 1817.

A Resolution directing the distribution of certain laws among the Members and Delegates of Territories of the Fifteenth Congress.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of State be directed to distribute copies of the laws of the United States, published by Bioren & Co., among the present Congress, who may not have received the Members and Delegates of Territories, of the same in pursuance of any former act or resolution of Congress.

Approved, December 23, 1817.

Resolution directing the procurement of certain laws.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Repre-

Whereas, in pursuance of an act of Congress passed on the first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventeen, entitled "An act to enable the people of the western part of the Mississippi Territory to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, the people of the said Territory did, on the fifteenth day of August, in the present year, by a convention called for that pur-sentatives of the United States of America in pose, form for themselves a constitution and State government, which constitution and State government, so formed, is republican, and in conformity to the principles of the articles of compact between the original States and the people and States in the Territory northwest of the river Ohio, passed on the thirteenth day of July, one thousand seven and hundred seventy

Congress assembled, That, of the laws passed at the first and second sessions of the Fourteenth Congress, remaining in the office of the Secretary of State, thirty copies be by him deposited in the office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives, and fifteen copies in the office of the Secretary of the Senate, for the use of their members, respectively.

Approved, January 22, 1818.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the copies of laws prepared and printed under the authority of the act, entitled "An act to authorize a new edition of the collection of laws respecting the

Resolution authorizing the distribution of certain Pub-public lands," shall be distributed in the manner

lic Documents.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of State cause to be distributed one set of State papers and public documents, printed by T. B. Wait and Sons, in pursuance of acts of Congress heretofore passed, to the President of the United States; one set to the Vice President of the Uni

following, that is to say: one copy shall be delivered to the President of the United States, the Vice President, and to each member of the Senate, House of Representatives, and Delegate from Territories; fifteen copies shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Senate, and thirty copies to the Clerk of the House of Representatives, for the use of said Houses, respectively; one copy shall be delivered to each of the Judges of the

Resolutions.

Congress assembled, That the Members of Congress, the Delegates from Territories, the Secretary of the Senate, and Clerk of the House of Representatives be, and they are hereby, authorized to transmit, free of postage, the Message of the President of the United States, of the fourteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, and the documents accompanying the same, printed by order of the Senate, and by order of the House of Representatives, to any post office within the United States and the Territories thereof.

Approved, March 19, 1818.

Resolution directing the publication and distribution of the Journal and Proceedings of the Convention which formed the present Constitution of the United States.

Supreme Court and clerk thereof, to each of the judges of the district courts, and to each of the clerks, marshals, and attorneys, of each district; one copy shall be delivered to the Secretary of State, to the Secretary of the Treasury, to the Secretary of War, to the Secretary of the Navy, the Attorney General, to the Director of the Mint, to the first and second Comptrollers of the Treasury, to the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth Auditors, and Register of the Treasury; to the Treasurer; to the Postmaster General, and the two Assistant Postmasters General, and to the Commissioner of the General Land Office; two copies shall be delivered to the Legislatures of the several States and Territories, respectively; and one copy shall be delivered to each of the Governors of the several States and Territories; and one copy shall be delivered to each of the judges of the courts of the several Territories; one copy shall be delivered to the Surveyor Resolved by the Senate and House of RepreGeneral of the United States, the surveyor of sentatives of the United States of America in the lands of the United States south of Tennes- Congress assembled, That the Journals of the see, to the surveyor of the public lands in the Convention which formed the present Constitunorthern part of the late Mississippi Territory, tion of the United States, now remaining in the and the surveyor of the public lands in the Ter-office of the Secretary of State, and all acts and ritories of Illinois and Missouri; to each of the proceedings of that Convention, which are in principal deputy surveyors one copy; there shall the possession of the Government of the United be delivered one copy to each of the registers and States, together with the secret journals of the receivers of public moneys in the land offices acts and proceedings, and the foreign corresponestablished, or that may hereafter be established, dence of the Congress of the United States, from in the several States and Territories; and fifty the first meeting thereof down to the date of the copies shall be placed in the hands of the Secre- ratification of the definitive Treaty of Peace be tary of the Treasury, to be distributed among the tween Great Britain and the United States, in the officers and clerks in his department, as he may year seventeen hundred and eighty-three, except think proper; two hundred and fifty copies shall such parts of the said foreign correspondence as be placed in the library, and remain there under the President of the United States may deem it the same regulations as the other laws of the improper at this time to publish. And, that one United States; and the remainder shall be placed thousand copies thereof be printed, of which, one in the library, and each member of Congress copy shall be furnished to each member of the hereafter elected shall, so long as any remain, present Congress, and the residue shall remain exclusive of the two hundred and fifty copies subject to the future disposition of Congress. beforementioned, be entitled to one copy at the Approved, March 27, 1818. commencement of that session of Congress next succeeding his election.

Approved, March 9, 1818.

Resolution directing the Judges of the Supreme Court

to be furnished with Wait's State Papers. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of State cause to be distributed one set of State Papers and Public Documents, printed by T. B. Wait and Sons, in pursuance of acts of Congress heretofore passed, to the Chief Justice, and to each of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Approved, March 18, 1818.

Resolution authorizing the transportation of certain documents free of postage.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in

Resolution directing the distribution of the laws of the
Fourteenth Congress among the Members of the
Fifteenth Congress.

sentatives of the United States of America in
Resolved by the Senate and House of Repre-
Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the
Senate and Clerk of the House of Representa-
tives be directed to procure from the Secretary
of State as many copies of the laws of the Four-
teenth Congress as shall be necessary, and to dis-
tribute one copy thereof to each Senator, Repre-
sentative, and Delegate from the Territories, of
the Fifteenth Congress who have not been sup-
plied therewith.

Approved, March 27, 1818.

Resolution directing the Secretary of State for the De partment of State to prepare an Index to the Acts and Resolutions of Congress, after the close of every session.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Repre

Resolutions and Acts relative to Florida.

sentatives of the United States of America in
Congress assembled, That, after the close of each
session of Congress, an alphabetical index of the
acts and joint resolutions passed at the preceding
session shall be prepared, printed, and distributed,
therewith, under the direction of the Secretary
for the Department of State.
Approved, April 3, 1818.

Resolution requesting the President of the United
States to present a Sword to Colonel Richard M.
Johnson.

their gallantry and good conduct in defeating the combined British and Indian forces under Major General Proctor, on the Thames, in Upper Canada, on the fifth day of October, one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, capturing the British army, with their baggage, camp equipage, and artillery; and that the President of the United States be requested to cause two gold medals to be struck, emblematical of this triumph, and presented to General Harrison, and Isaac Shelby, late Governor of Kentucky.

Approved, April 4, 1818.

Resolution directing the completion of the survey of the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, and for other purposes.

Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be requested to present to Colonel Richard M. Johnson a sword, as a testimony of the high sense entertained by Congress of the daring and distinguished valor displayed by himself and the regiment of volunteers under his command, in charging, and essentially contributing to vanquish, the combined British and Indian forces under Major General Proctor, on the Thames, in Upper Canada, on the fifth day of Oc-lishment of two naval arsenals; and that, to the tober, one thousand eight hundred and thirteen. Approved, April 4, 1818.

Resolution directing Medals to be struck, and, together with the thanks of Congress, presented to Major General Harrison, and Governor Shelby; and for other purposes.

sentatives of the United States of America in Resolved by the Senate and House of RepreCongress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is, requested to heretofore commenced, preparatory to the estab cause to be resumed and completed, the surveys

naval officers employed in this service, officers of the corps of engineers be joined, with instructions to prepare plans of the fortifications necessary to be erected for the defence of such arsenals, with an estimate of the expense of erecting the same. And, that the President be further requested to cause such a survey of the Chesapeake Bay to be made, as may be requisite to ascertain Resolved by the Senate and House of Repre- what points are necessary to be fortified for the sentatives of the United States of America in protection of the commerce of said bay; and a Congress assembled, That the thanks of Congress report of the same, with a plan of the works nebe, and they are hereby, presented to Major Gen-cessary to be erected, with an estimate of the eral William Henry Harrison, and Isaac Shelby, expense of the same, to be made to Congress in late Governor of Kentucky, and, through them, the first week of their next session. to the officers and men under their command, for Approved, April 20, 1818.

RESOLUTION AND ACTS

Relative to the occupation of the Floridas by the United States of America.

RESOLUTION.

Taking into view the peculiar situation of Spain, and of her American provinces; and considering the influence which the destiny of the territory adjoining the southern border of the United States may have upon their security, tranquillity, and commerce: Therefore,

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the United States, under the peculiar circumstances of the existing erisis, cannot, without serious inquietude, see any part of the said territory pass into the hands of any foreign Power; and that a due regard to their own safety compels them to provide, under certain contingencies, for the temporary occupation of the said territory; they, at the same time, de

clare that the said territory shall, in their hands,
remain subject to future negotiation.
Approved, January 15, 1811.

An Act to enable the President of the United States, under certain contingencies, to take possession of the country lying east of the river Perdido, and south of the State of Georgia and the Mississippi Territory, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized to take possession of, and occupy, all or any part of the territory lying east of the river Perdido, and south of the State of Georgia and the Mississippi Territory, in case an arrangement has been, or

Resolutions and Acts relative to Florida.