oaths or affirmations taken before said clerk or deputy, shall be of like obligation, and subject to like penalties for false swearing or affirmations, as if taken before the pension agent himself. Approved February 19, 1849. CHAP. 54.-AN ACT to authorize the Secretary of War to make reparation for the killing of a Caddo boy by volunteer troops in Texas. ated to make rep boy by certain [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre sentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the sun of five hundred dollars be, and the 8500 approprisame is hereby, appropriated out of any money in the treasury aration for the not otherwise appropriated, to enable the Secretary of War to killing of a Caddo carry out an agreement made and entered into at Torray's volunteers. Trading House, in the State of Texas, thirteenth September, eighteen hundred and forty-eight, between R. S. Neighbors, United States special Indian agent, and Colonel P. H. Bell, on the one part, and José Maria Tow-i-ash and Had-i-hah, Caddo Indians, on the other part, to make reparation in money for the killing of a Caddo boy by the volunteer troops in Texas, in the summer of eighteen hundred and forty-eight. Approved February 19, 1849. CHAP. 55.-AN ACT to relinquish the reversionary interest of the United Reversionary in terest of the U.S. a certain tract fished to Ste of land relin James Daniel. [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all the right, title, and interest, which might accrue or revert, or has accrued or reverted to the United States, to a in certain reservation confirmed to the heirs of William Jones, deceased, by the certificate from the United States, bearing phen Steele and date the twelfth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and twenty, being known and described as fractional section sixteen, and the southeast and southwest quarters of section nine, in township six, and range five, under a treaty made and concluded at Fort Jackson, on the ninth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and fourteen, and lying in the State of Alabania, be, and the same are hereby, relinquished and vested in Stephen Steele and James Daniel, respectively, according to the extent of their several interests therein: Provided, Proviso. however, (and this relinquishment is made upon the condition,) that the said Steele and Daniel, or either of them, have fairly, and in good faith, and for a valuable and adequate consideration, purchased of the said heirs, by authentic and valid deeds, their respective rights in and to the said reservations: And provided, further, That no sale or conveyance of said reservation, or any part thereof, by the said reservees, or either of them, shall be deemed regular or valid, nor shall this act have effect, until the President of the United States, or some officer to be by him designated, shall have approved such conveyance, and endorsed his approval thereon. Approved February 19, 1849. plete their entries of land. CHAP. 56.-AN ACT for the relief of James P. Sexton and Joshua Holden. [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assemAllowed to com- bled, That James P. Sexton is hereby permitted to complete to certain tracts his entry, and purchase a half-quarter section of land, situate in the land district north of Red river, in the State of Louisiana, it being the east half of the southwest quarter of section sixteen, township fifteen, range five east; and Joshua Holden is also authorized to enter the west half of the same quarter section. Proviso. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the register of the land office and receiver of public moneys in the district aforesaid, under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, to select and reserve for the use of schools in the aforesaid township, other lands of the same extent and quality within the same or the next adjoining township, in lieu of the quarter section which the said Sexton and the said Holden are hereby permitted to purchase, and which embraces their improvements: Provided, That the said Sexton and the said Joshua Holden shall first obtain and file with the register of the district, the assent thereto of the commissioners of schools of the parish in which the land lies, and of a majority of the free white male inhabitants of the township, over twenty-one years of age. Approved February 19, 1849. CHAP. 57.-AN ACT for the relief of Levi H. Corson, and for other pur poses. [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assem Said Corson an- bled, That Levi H Corson be, and he hereby is, authorized thorized to com- to deposite in the office of the clerk of the northern district of ceedings for ob- New York, the title of the print of a certain perpetual calendar or almanac, of which he alleges himself to be the original sole tual calendar of and only author, inventor, and proprietor, and to pursue the author and inven- usual legal measures for the purpose of obtaining a copy right, mence anew pro taining a copy right for a perpe which he is the tor, &c. Proviso. with like effect to all intents and purposes as would have been produced if he had not already, by mistake, proceeded in the southern district of New York, or printed, published, sold, or disposed of the same: Provided, always, That nothing herein contained shall be so construed to affect in any way whatever the rights of persons, who, by reason of the proceedings hereto fore adopted by the said Levi H. Corson, or otherwise, have printed, published, or vended the said work, or have in any manner availed themselves of the said invention, in the absence of a copy right duly obtained by the authors. Public notice to Corson. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, By the authority aforesaid, that before the said Levi H. Corson shall avail himself of be given by said the benefits of this act, he shall give public notice of the same, in the manner and at the times when publication is made of the copy of the record of his deposite in the office of the clerk of the proper district, according to law. Approved February 19, 1849. CHAP. 58.-AN ACT for the relief of William De Buys, late postmaster at Accounting of certain allowan [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the proper accounting officers of the Post Office ficers of the Trea Department be authorized and directed, in settling the accounts sury to make him of William De Buys, late postmaster at New Orleans, to al- ces. low the said William De Buys such sum, in addition to the regular commissions on postages collected at the post office in New Orleans, as shall make up to him a compensation, from all sources, at the rate of five thousand dollars per year, from the first of January, one thousand eight hundred and forty-two, to the seventh of May, one thousand eight hundred and fortythree: Provided, That there is a sufficient surplus of the box rents collected at said office, and accounted for by said postmaster, to cover said allowance. Approved February 19, 1849. CHAP. 59.-AN ACT granting a pension to Bethiah Healy, widow of George Her name to be placed on the revolutionary pen [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of War be directed to place the name of Bethiah Healy, of the city of New York, widow of George Healy, on the revolutionary pension roll; to pay her at son roll. the rate of six months' service rendered by her late husband in the revolutionary war as a soldier, under the act of July, eighteen hundred and thirty-six, in addition to the pension which she now receives, commencing on the fourth day of March, eighteen hundred and forty-six. Approved February 19, 1849. firmed to her. CHAP. 60.-AN ACT for the relief of Sarah D. Caldwell, wife of James H. [SEc. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress as Her title to two sembled, That the title to two parcels of land-one containing tracts of land con- eight hundred and seventy-five arpens, the other one hundred and seventy-one arpens, being part of a tract of land known as the Baron de Bastrop, which is held by Sarah D. Caldwell, by regular chain of title from De Bastrop-be confirmed to Sarah D. Caldwell, her heirs and assigns: Provided, That this act shall not be so construed as in any manner to confion any part of said De Bastrop grants save the said two tracts, or to affect the rights of third persons in said two tracts hereby confirmed, or to be any thing more than a mere relinquishment of any title which the United States may have in said tracts of land. Proviso. Approved February 19, 1849. Manner in which CHAP. 61.-AN ACT for authenticating certain records. [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it may and shall be lawful for the keepers oF certain recorda, persons having the custody of laws, judgments, orders, decrees, thenticated and journals, correspondence, or other public documents, of any read in evidence. foreign government or its agents, relating to the title to lands &c., may be au Solicitor of the Treas'y to cause a soal to be made for his office. claimed by or under the United States, on the application of the head of any one of the departments, the Solicitor of the Treasury, or the Commissioner of the General Land office, to authenticate the same under his hand and seal, and certify the same to be correct and true copies of such laws, judgments, orders, decrees, journals, correspondence, or other public documents; and when the same shall be certified by such minister, consul, or judge, mentioned in the first section of this act, under his hand and seal of office, to be true copies of the originals, the same shall be sealed up by him and returned to the Solicitor of the Treasury, who shall file the same in his office, and cause it to be recorded in a book to be kept for that purpose. A copy of said laws, judgments, orders, decrees, journals, correspondence, or other public documents, so filed, or of the same so recorded in said book, may be read in evidence in all courts where the title to land, claimed by or under the United States, may come into question equally with the originals thereof. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Solicitor of the Treasury shall cause a seal to be made and provided for his office, with such device as the President of the United States shall approve, and copies of any public documents, records, books, or papers, belonging to or on the files of the said office, under the signature of the said Solicitor, or, when the office shall be vacant, under the signature of such officer as may be officiating for the time being, accompanied by an impress of the said seal, shall be competent evidence in all cases equally with the original records, documents, books, or papers. Books, papers, Dep'ts, may be fied in the same manner as in the SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That all books, papers, & in the war, documents, and records in the War, Navy, Treasury, and Post Navy. Treasury, Office Departments, and the Attorney General's office, may be and Rost Office copied and certified under seal in the same manner as those in copied and certithe State Department may now by law be, and with the same force and effect, and the said Attorney General shall cause a seal to be made and provided for his office, with such device as the President of the United States shall approve. Approved February 22, 1849. State Dept. to Attorney Gen) have a seal. CHAP. 62.-AN ACT granting five years' half pay to certain widows and orphans of officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, both regulars and volunteers. 20 How the act of July, 1843, agranting half pay widows, or mending the act phans, &c., sba!! [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the provisions of the second section of the act entitled "An act amending the act entitled 'An act granting balf pay to widows or orphans, where their husbands and fathers have died of wounds received in the military service of the United States, in cases of deceased officers and soldiers of be construed. the militia and volunteers,"" approved July twenty-first, eighteen hundred and forty-eight, shall be so construed as to embrace all widows and orphans of officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, whether of the regular army or of volunteers, who have received an honorable discharge, or who remained to the date of their death in the military service of the United States, and who have died since their return to their usual place of residence, of wounds received or from disease contracted while in line of duty, subject to such rules, regulations, and restrictions as the Secretary of War, by the third section of said act, is authorize to impose. Approved February 22, 1849. CHAP. 63.—AN ACT continuing the pension granted to Patrick Walker. sion of $40 per [SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the act entitled "An act granting a pension to The act grant Patrick Walker," approved on the eighth of April, eighteen ing him a penhundred and forty-eight, be and the same is hereby revived and month, revived continued in force during the natural life of the said Patrick during his natu Walker; and there shall be allowed and paid to him a pension ral life. at the rate of forty dollars per month during his natural life, in conformity to the provisions of the said act, from and after the and continued |