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$75,000 of stock

nocas of New

said Indians.

to take a census, and to obtain such other statistical information of the several tribes of Indians among whom they respectively reside, as may be required by the Secretary of War, and in such form as he shall prescribe.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the sum of seventyinvested for Se-five thousand dollars, heretofore paid to the President of the York to be can- United States under the treaty made with the Seneca Indians. celled, and the of New York, in the year eighteen hundred and forty-two, for amount placed to the credit of the benefit of said Indians, and the stock in which the same may have been invested, shall be, and the same is hereby taken absolutely to the use of the United States, in accordance with the prayer of said Indians; and it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to cancel the said stock, and place upon the books of his department the amount of seventy five thousand dollars to the credit of said Indians, upon which sum in5 per cent inte- interest shall thereafter be paid to them, at the rate of five per rest to be paid centum per annum: Provided, That any interest which may be due and unpaid on said stock at the time of its cancellation, shall be forthwith paid to them.

them.

tario Bank of

and to cancel it

President to re- SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the President of ceive from On-the United States be, and he is hereby authorized to receive New York from the Ontario Bank of New York, any stock of the public any U. S. stock debt of the United States, or moneys which the said bank may and money held by it for benefit hold in trust for the said Senecas, whenever the said Indians or of the Senecas, other persons whose consent may be necessary, shall in proper and to place the form authorize the transfer; and to cause the stock to be canamount in the celled, and the amount thereof, and of any moneys which he dit of the said may receive, to be deposited in the treasury to the credit of said Indians, upon which amount interest shall thereafter be paid to 5 percent. in- them at the rate of five per centum per annum, until Congress terest to be paid may direct the principal in this and the preceding section to be paid to the Indians.

treasury to cre

..Indians.

them.

tain what annu

Secretary of SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of War to ascer War be and he is hereby required to ascertain what annuities or ities have been money's have been wrongfully withholden from the said Senewithheld from cas, by the late sub-agent of the United States, and so lost to to take testi- them; and to that end the said Secretary is authorized, if in timony, &c.

said Senecas

his judgment it shall be necessary or expedient so to do, to issue a commission or commissions to some discreet person or persons to be selected by him to take testimony in the premises, and to $500 appro- report the same to Congress; and to defray any expense which priated to de- may be incurred in the execution of the provisions of this fray the neces section, a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars is hereby apsary expenses. propriated.

Approved, June 27, 1846.

CHAP. 35.-AN ACT to retrocede the county of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, to the State of Virginia.

Whereas, no more territory ought to be held under the exclu- Preamble. sive legislation given to Congress over the District which is the Seat of the General Government than may be necessary and proper for the purposes of such a seat; and whereas, experience hath shown that the portion of the District of Columbia ceded to the United States by the State of Virginia has not been, nor is ever likely to be, necessary for that purpose; and whereas, the State of Virginia, by an act passed on the third day of February, eighteen hundred and forty six, entitled "An act accepting by the State of Virginia the county of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, when the same shall be receded by the Congress of the United States," hath signified her willingness to take back the said territory ceded as aforesaid: Therefore

of the District

[SEC. 1] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- All that portion sentatives of the United States of America in Congress as of Columbia cesembled, That, with the assent of the people of the county ded by the State and town of Alexandria, to be ascertained as hereinafter pre-troceded to said of Virginia rescribed, all of that portion of the District of Columbia ceded State. to the United States by the State of Virginia, and all the rights and jurisdiction therewith ceded over the same, be, and the same are hereby, ceded and forever relinquished to the State of Virginia, in full and absolute right and jurisdiction, as well of soil as of persons residing or to reside thereon.

construed su as

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That nothing herein con- Nothing herein tained shall be construed to vest in the State of Virginia any contained to be right of property in the custom-house and post office of the to vest in the United States within the town of Alexandria, or in the soil of State of Virginia any right of the territory hereby receded, so as to affect the rights of indi- property in the viduals or corporations therein, otherwise than as the same shall custom house or may be transferred by such individuals or corporations to the &c. State of Virginia.

and post office,

not to cease or determine until

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the jurisdiction and Existing laws laws now existing in the said territory, ceded to the United and jurisdiction States by the State of Virginia, as aforesaid, over the persons the State of Virand property of individuals therein residing, shall not cease or ginia shall prodetermine until the State of Virginia shall hereafter provide, by vide by law for law, for the extension of her jurisdiction and judicial system her jurisdiction, over the said territory hereby receded.

the extension of

&c.

Assent of the people of Alex

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That this act shall not be in force until after the assent of the people of the county andria town & and town of Alexandria shall be given to it in the mode here- county to be given before inafter provided. Immediately after the close of the present this act shall session of Congress, the President of the United States shall take effect. appoint five commissioners, (any three of whom may act,) citizens of the said town or county of Alexandria, and freehold ers within the same, who shall be sworn before some justice of the peace in and for the the said town or county, to discharge

certaining the

town and coun

ty.

the duties hereby imposed upon them faithfully, impartially, Manner of as- and to the best of their ability. These commissioners, or any sense of the of them, shall proceed, within ten days after they are notified people of said of their appointment, to fix upon the time, place, and manner of taking the vote within the town or county of Alexandria, and shall give notice of the same by advertisement in the newspapers of the said town. And on the day and at the place so appointed, every free white male citizen of the United States, who shall have resided in said county of Alexandria for six months preceding the time when he offers his vote, insane persons and paupers excepted, shall vote viva voce upon the question of accepting or rejecting the provisions of this act. The said commissioners shall preside when this vote is taken, and decide all questions arising in relation to the right of voting under this act. Within three days after this vote is taken as aforesaid, the said commissioners shall make out three statements of the result of this poll, upon oath, and under their seals. Of these, one shall be transmitted to the President of the United States, one to the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and one shall be deposited in the clerk's office of the county court of Alexandria. If a majority of the votes so given shall be cast against accepting the provisions of this act, then it shall be void and of no effect; but if a majority of the said votes should be in favor of accepting the provisions of this act, then this act shall be in full force, and it shall be the duty of the President of the United States to inform the Governor of Virginia that this act is in full force and effect, and to make proclamation of the fact.

Right of proper

of Virginia for

and county.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That, in such case, the ty in the court right of property in the half square in Alexandria on which house and jail to be conveyed stands the court-house, bounded by Columbus, Queen, and to the Governor Princess streets, and the half square on which stands the jail, use of said town bounded by Princess, St. Asaph, and Pitt streets, shall be conveyed to the Governor of Virginia, and his successors, for the use of the county and corporation of Alexandria forever; and the Solicitor of the Treasury of the United States is hereby authorized and required, in the name and on the behalf of the United States, to make all the proper and necessary conveyances for that purpose.

-The debt of the

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That Congress will in corporation of no event assume and pay the debt, or any part thereof, now due to be assumed by the corporation of the city of Alexandria.

Alexandria not

by Congress.

Approved, July 9, 1846.

CHAP. 36.-AN ACT to authorize the President of the United States to sell the reserved mineral lands in the States of Illinois and Arkansas, and Territories of Wisconsin and Iowa, supposed to contain lead ore.

ed lead mines

[SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President be, and he hereby is, authorized, All the reserv as soon as practicable, to cause the reserved lead mines and and contiguous contiguous lands in the States of Illinois and Arkansas, and lands in Illinois, Territories of Wisconsin and Iowa, belonging to the United Arkansas, Wis. States, to be exposed to sale, in the same manner that other pub- to be exposed to lic lands are authorized by law to be sold, except as hereinafter provided.

consin, & Iowa

he notice to be

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That six months' notice Six months pubof the times and places of said sales shall be given in such given of such nawspapers of general circulation, in such of the States as the sales, with a brief descrip. President may think expedient, with a brief description of the ion, &c. mineral regions of the States of Illinois and Arkansas, and Territories of Wisconsin and Iowa, and of the lands to be offered for sale; showing the number and localities of the different mines now known, the probability of discovering others, the quality of the ore, the facilities of working it, the further facilities (if any) for manufactories of shot, sheet lead, and paints, and the means and expense of transporting the whole to the principal markets in the United States: Provided, That the Proviso. said lands shall not be subject to the rights of pre-emption until after the same have been offered at public sale and subject to

private entry.

or mines of lead

divisions as will

such

No bid to be re

acre.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That upon satisfactory Any tract conproof made to the register and receiver of the proper land office, tuining a mine that any tract or tracts of said lands contain a mine or mines of ore to be sold in lead ore, actually discovered and being worked, then, and in that such legal subcase, the same shall be sold in such legal subdivision or subdi- include sions as will include such mine or mines; and no bid shall be mine or mines. received therefor at a less rate than the sum of two dollars and ceived for less fifty cents per acre; and if such tract or tracts shall not be sold than $2 50 per at such public sale, at such price, nor shall be entered at private sale within twelve months thereafter, then the same shall be subject to sale as other lands: Provided, That no legal subdivision of any of said lands, upon which there may be an outstanding lease or leases from the Government of the United States, or their authorized agent, unexpired and undetermined, shall be sold until after the determination of such lease or leases by effluxion of time, voluntary surrender, or other legal extinguishment thereof.

Approved, July 11, 1846.

land at Choc

as may be found

sion of 1834

CHAP. 37.-AN ACT to legalize certain land sales made at Chocchuma and
Columbus, in the State of Mississippi, and to indemnify the Chickasaws

therefor.

[SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress asPatents to issue sembled, That it may and shall be lawful for patents to be for such sales of issued, as in ordinary cases, for such of the sales of land made chuma and Co. in the land offices at Chocchuma and Columbus, in the State lumbus, Miss. of Mississippi, as may be found, by the definitively established to be within the line of the Chickasaw cession of one thousand eight hundred Chickasaw ses- and thirty-four, to be, in whole or part, within that cession, and said sales being the said sales are hereby confirmed and legalized; and for the confirmed and purpose of indemnifying the Chickasaw tribe of Indians for Appropriation Said sales, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in for indemnify the treasury not otherwise appropriated, a sum of money equal ing the Chicka. to all which has been received upon said sales, to the fund created by the treaty with said Chickasaw tribe, and of right to them belonging: Provided, nevertheless, That this act shall not extend to any sale where the purchase money may have been refunded to the purchaser. Approved, July 15, 1846.

legalized.

saws.

Proviso.

lina to be held

CHAP. 38.-AN ACT to change the time of holding the federal court in
North Carolina,

[SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress asCircuit Court Sembled, That the circuit courts of the United States for the dis for North Caro-trict of North Carolina shall be held at Raleigh, on the first at Raleigh on Monday in June and the first Monday in December, instead of 1st Mondays in the times now prescribed by law; and all actions, suits, apcember, instead peals, recognizances, processes, writs, and proceedings whatever of the times pending, or which may be pending, in said courts, or returnable now prescribed thereto, shall have day therein, and be heard, tried, proceeded by law. with, and decided in like manner as if the time of holding said court had not hereby been altered.

June and De

Approved, July 15, 1846.

CHAP. 39.-AN ACT for the relief of James Wyman.

[SEC. 1.] Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress asPension of $6 sembled, That the Secretary of War be, and is hereby, directed per month allowed him. to place the name of James Wyman upon the roll of invalid pensioners, and cause to be paid to him six dollars per month, out of any moneys not otherwise appropriated, commencing from and after the first day of January, eighteen hundred and forty-six, and to continue during his natural life. Approved, July 15, 1846.

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