and when extra copies of any document shall be ordered by both houses, and the same are executed by the same printer, the copies shall be delivered to the two houses simultaneously, in proportion to the whole number of copies which the houses have respectively ordered.

Approved, July 23, 1846.

[No. 15.]-A RESOLUTION authorizing the sale of certain lands at Baton Rouge to the State of Louisiana.

Secretary of

War authorized to sell State of

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered to sell and convey (for the use and benefit of the State Louisiana cerof Louisiana) to the three commissioners appointed by the le-tain land near Baton Rouge gislature of said State, to select a site on which to erect a State for a site for house, two or more acres of the tract of land owned by the State House. United States, lying in the parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, above and adjoining the town of Baton Rouge: Provided, That in the judgment of the President of the United States said sale may be made without detriment to the public interest.

Approved, July 23, 1846.

[No. 16.] JOINT RESOLUTION directing the manner of procuring the printing for the two houses of Congress.

Senate & Clerk

ing.

vertisement

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Repre- of House to adsentatives be and they are hereby, authorized and required, at vertise for prothe beginning of the final session of every Congress, to adver- posals for printtise for four weeks successively, in all the newspapers published in the city of Washington, for sealed proposals for supplying the Senate and House of Representatives respectively, of the next ensuing Congress, with the necessary printing for each; which advertisement shall describe the kind of printing and the What the adquality of paper required, as near as may be, in the execution shall contain. of the work and said advertisement shall divide and classify the printing of the respective houses, as follows: One of bills and resolutions; one of reports of committees; one of journals; one of executive documents; and one for every other description of printing; each class to be a separate job, and to be provided for by separate contract. The said advertisement shall also contain a designation of the place in the said city of Washington where such sealed proposals shall be received, and the day and time of day at which said secretary and clerk will cease to receive any further proposals. And the secretary and Samples of the clerk aforesaid shall provide suitable samples of the printing ed to be provid

printing requir

ed.

ed and exhibit required, antl of the paper on which the same is to be executed, to be kept at the place so designated as aforesaid at least twenty days successively before the time of receiving proposals shall expire, open to the inspection of all persons desiring to make proposals for the printing aforesaid, intelligence whereof shall When and how be contained in said advertisement. Immediately on the exproposals shall be opened. piration of the time for receiving said proposals, they shall be opened by the secretary and clerk aforesaid in the presence of the Vice President, or President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and of such persons making Each class of proposals as may wish to be present. And the Secretary of the printing to be Senate, under the supervision of the Vice President or Presilet to the low-dent of the Senate, and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, under the supervision of the Speaker, shall thereupon, let each class of said printing to the lowest bidder, who shall furnish satisfactory evidence of his practical skill and his ability to do the work, and who shall offer good and sufficient security for the faithful execution of the jobs and contracts undertaken Bonds and suf- by him. And thereupon the Vice President or President of the ficient security Senate and its secretary, and the Speaker of the House and its clerk, shall proceed to take bonds, with good and sufficient seAll lettings of curity, for the due and faithful performance of the work; and printing to be the oflicers aforesaid shall immediately thereafter report to their two Houses. respective houses all such lettings of printing, and the contracts

est bidder, &c.

to be taken.

reported to the

Proviso.

Joint Commit

to be chosen.

and powers.

relating to the same: Provided, That the said proposals shall remain sealed until the time appointed for examining the same. SEC. 2. And be it further resolved, That a committee, contee on Printing sisting of three members of the Senate and three members of the House of Representatives, shall be chosen by their respective Houses, which shall constitute a committee on printing, Their duties which shall have power to adopt such measures as may be deemed necessary to remedy any neglect or delay on the part of the contractor to execute the work ordered by Congress, and to make a pro rata reduction in the compensation allowed, or to refuse the work altogether, should it be inferior to the standard; and in all cases, the contractor and his securities shall be responsible for any increased expenditure consequent upon the non-performance of the contract. The committee shall audit and pass upon all accounts for printing; but no bill shall be acted upon for work that is not actually executed and delivered, and which they may require to be properly authenticated.

Motions for

numbers to be

where made.

SEC. 3. And be it further resolved, That all motions to printing extra print extra numbers of any bill, paper, or document, in either referred to com- house, shall be referred to the members of the committee of that mittee of House house, who shall report upon the propriety of printing, and the Expenses for probable expense thereof, as early as convenient. And all exprinting-how paid. penses for printing shall be paid from the contingent fund of the two Houses. in proportion to the number of copies ordered by each, except the expense of composition, which shall be paid by the house which shall have first ordered the printing of the paper or document; and if there shall be a second composi

tion, it shall be paid for by the house which shall authorize and direct the same; and when extra copies of any document or paper shall be ordered by both houses, they shall be delivered to the two houses simultaneously, in proportion to the number of copies by them respectively ordered.

Extra copies.

SEC. 4. And be it further resolved, That all laws and parts Repeal of laws of laws now in force, not in conformity with the provisions of inconsistent this joint resolution, be, and the same are hereby, repealed. Approved, August 3, 1846.

with this resolution.

[No. 17-JOINT RESOLUTION to authorize the Secretary of War to adjudicate the claims of the Su-quah-natch-ah, and other clans of Choctaw Indians, whose cases were left undetermined by the commissioners for the want of the township maps.

War authorized

Choctaw

claims, and to

land

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Secretary of the Secretary of War, for the purpose of consummating the to decide cerclaims of the Su quah-natch-ah and other clans of Choctaw In- tain dians, in whose cases the testimony was taken by the commis- award sioners appointed by virtue of the act approved the twenty- scrip therefor. third of August, eighteen hundred and forty-two, and return- *Sec vol. 10, p. ed to the War Department, but judgment was not entered up for 286. the want of the maps whereby the location of the lands of the claimants and the allotment of land or scrip, respectively, to each, could alone be determined, be, and he is hereby, authorized to decide the same, and award land or scrip in each case, as the testimony already taken may justify. Approved, August 3, 1846.

[No. 18.]-A RESOLUTION for the relief of Putney and Riddle.

War to cause

support of their

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Secretary of for the purpose of a final settlement of the accounts of Putney the papers and and Riddle, the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, evidence in directed to cause the papers and evidence now on file to be re- claim to be reexamined by the proper accounting officer of the department; examined, &c. and if it shall appear that the Government failed to fulfil its contract with the said Putney and Riddle, he shall then restate the account, upon principles of equity and justice, according to the evidence on file. And the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and directed to pay, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the balance, if any, which shall appear to be due, after deducting what the said Putney and Riddle have already received.

Approved, August 4, 1846.

Balance appearing to

be

due to be paid.

tain the dama

tract.

[No. 19.] JOINT RESOLUTION for the relief of Seth M. Leavenworth.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of Postmaster Ge- the United States of America in Congress assembled, That neral to ascer the Postmaster General be authorized and required to inquire ges sustained into and ascertain the amount of damages (if any) sustained by him by reaby Seth M. Leavenworth, mail contractor on route two thouson of the transfer of his con- sand five hundred and four, by reason of the transfer of the contract for carrying the mail on said route from said Leavenworth to John Orchard, on the twentieth of September, one Amount of such thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight; and the Postmaster General is required to pay such damages ascertained out of the Two years al- current appropriation for mail transportation; and the said make his proof. Leavenworth shall be allowed the term of two years to make his proof of such damages.

damages to be

paid him.

lowed him

10

Approved, August 6, 1846.

and received in

Gaines to be

act of May 13,

1846.

[No. 20-JOINT RESOLUTION directing the payment of certain volunteers and militia, under the limitations therein prescribed.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of Certain volun- the United States of America in Congress assembled, That teers called out the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby, authorized and reto service under quired to cause to be paid, out of the appropriation made by orders of Gen. the act providing for the prosecution of the existing war bepaid out of the tween the United States of America and the Republic of Mexappropriation in ico, approved the thirteenth day of May, one thousand eight 'hundred and forty-six, to the volunteers and militia, called and actually received by virtue of the orders of General E. P. Gaines, into the service of the United States during the present year, and discharged before joining the army, and such companies as were actually organized and rendezvoused under said call, including the two companies of Major Gally's command, and the company at Baton Rouge arsenal; and also the company of Mississippi volunteers, [Natchez Fencibles,) and also the company of Mississippi volunteers, (Pontotoc Rovers,) organized and assembled ai Vicksburg, and afterwards disbanded or discharged, and the companies of Ohio volunteers assembled at camp Washington, near Cincinnati, and who claim to have been mustered into service, one day's pay and allowances for every day detained in service, and the usual travelling allowWhere individ- ances, and no more. And further, that where States or indiuals or States viduals have paid the expenses or provided the means of transpenses or pro- portation of volunteers to the place of rendezvous, and furnishvided transpored subsistence or clothing, the proportional amount thus furto be refunded. nished to each man, not exceeding the legal allowance to each, may be charged on the pay rolls, and withheld and paid to the Compensation State or individual who actually provided the same. And further, that when surgeons and assistant surgeons have attended geons-and of regiments of volunteers to the time when medical officers, duly termasters and appointed by the United States, entered upon their duties with

have paid ex

tation, &e. how

of surgeons and assistant sur

assistant quar.

commissaries.

said regiments, they may receive the same rate of compensation, and to a like number as provided for by law; and persons doing the duties of assistant quartermasters and assistant commissaries, under like circumstances, may in like manner receive the same rate of compensation, and to a like number, as authorized by existing law.

Approved, August 8, 1846.

[No. 21.]-JOINT RESOLUTION for the relief of John B. Denton and Curtis Humphreys.

to

with

Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Relieved from responsibility John B. Denton and Curtis Humphreys, and their guarantors, for failure be relieved from any supposed responsibility they may have in- comply curred by reason of the failure of the said John B. Denton and their with the Post Curtis Humphreys to comply with their contract with the Post Office Dept. Office Department.

Approved, August 8, 1846.

contract

[No. 22.]-JOINT RESOLUTION for the relief of Shelden B. Hays.

67 due him for

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress asassembled, That the To be paid $342 Postmaster General be, and he is hereby, required to pay Shel- mail services. den B. Hayes, out of the revenues of the Post Office Department, the sum of three hundred and forty-two dollars and sixty-seven cents, it being a balance due him for mail services upon route Washington to Bedford, Pennsylvania, in the winter of eighteen hundred and thirty-nine.

Approved, August 8, 1846.

[No. 23.]—A RESOLUTION appointing regents of the Smithsonian Institution.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Ru- Regents of the fus Choate, of Massachusetts, Gideon Hawley, of New York, Smithsonian InRichard Rush, of Pennsylvania, William C. Preston, of South Carolina, and Alexander Dallas Bache and Joseph G. Totten, residents of the city of Washington, be, and the same are hereby, appointed regents of the Smithsonian Institution, in accordance with the provisions of the act establishing said institution. Approved August 10, 1846.