First meeting of the legislatures of such States. First section to take effect as when as to Georgia. Proceedings thereupon. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That if the day fixed for the first meeting of the legislature of either of said States by the constitution or ordinance thereof shall have passed or have so nearly arrived before the passage of this act that there shall not be time for the legislature to assemble at the period fixed, such legislature shall convene at the end of twenty days from the time this act takes effect, unless the governor elect shall sooner convene the same. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the first section of this act shall of this act when take effect as to each State, except Georgia, when such State shall, by its to other States; legislature, duly ratify article fourteen of the amendments to the Constitation of the United States, proposed by the Thirty-ninth Congress, and as to the State of Georgia when it shall in addition give the assent of said State to the fundamental condition hereinbefore imposed upon the same; and thereupon the officers of each State duly elected and qualified under the constitution thereof shall be inaugurated without delay; but no person prohibited from holding office under the United States, or under any State, by section three of the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States, known as article fourteen, shall be deemed eligible to any office in either of said States, unless relieved from disability as Duty of Presi- provided in said amendment; and it is hereby made the duty of the dent as to pro- President within ten days after receiving official information of the ratificlaiming ratification of said amendment by the legislature of either of said States to cation, &c. issue a proclamation announcing that fact. Who not eligible to office. SCHUYLER COLFAX, Speaker of the House of Representatives. B. F. WADE, President of the Senate pro tempore. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U. S., June 25, 1868. S., } The President of the United States, having returned to the House of Representatives, in which it originated, the bill entitled "An act to admit the States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida to representation in Congress," with his objections thereto, the House of Representatives proceeded, in pursuance of the Constitution, to reconsider the same; and Resolved, That the said bill do pass, two thirds of the House of Representatives agreeing to pass the same. Attest: EDWD. MCPHERSON, IN SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,} The Senate having proceeded, in pursuance of the Constitution, to reconsider the bill entitled "An act to admit the States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida to representation in Congress," returned to the House of Representatives by the President of the United States, with his objections, and sent by the House of Representatives to the Senate, with the message of the President returning the bill: Resolved, That the bill do pass, two thirds of the Senate agreeing to pass the same. Attest: GEO. C. GORHAM, Secretary of the Senate. CHAP. LXXI. - An Act to provide for Appeals from the Court of Claims, and for other June 25, 1868. Purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That an appeal to the Supreme Appeal alCourt of the United States shall be allowed on behalf of the United lowed to Supreme Court, States from all the final judgments of the said court of claims adverse from all judgto the United States, whether such judgments shall have been rendered ments of court of by virtue of the general or any special power or jurisdiction of said claims adverse court under the limitations now provided by law for other cases of appeal States. from said court. to the United time and for SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That said court of claims, at any New trials, time while any suit or claim is pending before or on appeal from said within what court, or within two years next after the final disposition of any such what cause. suit or claim, may, on motion on behalf of the United States, grant a new trial in any such suit or claim and stay the payment of any judgment therein, upon such evidence (although the same may be cumulative or other) as shall reasonably satisfy said court that any fraud, wrong, or injustice in the premises has been done to the United States; but until an order is made staying the payment of a judgment, the same shall be payable and paid as now provided by law. the same affirmatively. dence in rebel SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That whenever it shall be material Party assertin any suit or claim before any court to ascertain whether any person of any person ing the loyalty did or did not give any aid or comfort to the late rebellion, the claimant during the reor party asserting the loyalty of any such person to the United States bellion to prove during such rebellion, shall be required to prove affirmatively that such person did, during said rebellion, consistently adhere to the United States, and did give no aid or comfort to persons engaged in said rebellion; and Voluntary resi the voluntary residence of any such person in any place where, at any State to be time during such residence, the rebel force or organization held sway, prima facie evishall be prima facie evidence that such person did give aid and comfort dence of giving aid, &c. to the to said rebellion and to the persons engaged therein. rebellion. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That no plaintiff or claimant, or Claimants and any person from or through whom any such plaintiff or claimant derives persons interesthis alleged title, claim or right against the United States, or any person be incompetent interested in any such title, claim, or right shall be a competent witness witnesses; in the court of claims in supporting any such title, claim, or right, and no testimony given by such plaintiff, claimant, or person shall be used: Provided, That the United States shall, if they see cause, have the right to examine such plaintiff, claimant, or person as a witness under the regulations and with the privileges provided in section eight of the act passed March third, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, entitled "An act to amend an act to establish a court for the investigation of claims against the United States," approved February twenty-fourth, eighteen hundred and fifty-five. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That from and after the first day of July, eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, the Attorney-General of the United States for the time being shall, with his assistants, attend to the prosecution and defence of all matters and suits in the court of claims ed in claims to may be examined by the 1863, ch. 92, § 8. Vol. xii. p. 766. United States. Attorney-general and assistcute, &c. all suits in court of ants to prose on behalf of the United States. There shall be appointed by the claims for the United States. President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, two Two assistant assistant attorneys-general, who shall hold their offices for four years al authorized; attorneys-generrespectively, unless sooner lawfully removed, and whose salaries shall be term of office, four thousand dollars each, per year, payable quarterly, and who shall be salary, &c. in lieu of the solicitor, assistant solicitor, and deputy solicitor of the Offices of socourt of claims, and of the assistant attorney-general now provided for licitor, assistant by law; and the existing offices of solicitor, assistant solicitor, and deputy and deputy sosolicitor, of the court of claims, and of assistant attorney-general, are licitor, and ashereby abolished from and after the first day of July, eighteen hundred and sixty-eight. The Attorney-General shall have power to appoint two ished. sistant attorneygeneral abol Attorney-gen- additional clerks of the fourth class, and one clerk at a salary not eral may ap point two addi- exceeding two thousand dollars, in his office. tional clerks. Attorney-gen eral and assistants in certain suits against the United States in court of claims to call on de partments, &c. Departments, bureaus, &c. to furnish statement upon call of attorney-general. official documents and papers; SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That it shall also be the duty of the said Attorney-General and his assistants, in all cases brought against the United States in said court of claims founded upon any contract, agreement, or transaction with any executive department, or any bureau, officer, or agent of such department, or where the matter or thing on which the claim is based shall have been passed upon and decided by any department, bureau, or officer intrusted by law or department regulations with the settlement and adjustment of such claims, demands, or accounts, to transmit to said department, bureau, or officer, as aforesaid, a printed of the petition filed by the claimant in such case, with a request copy that the said department, bureau, or officer to whom the same shall be so transmitted as aforesaid, will furnish to said Attorney-General all facts, circumstances, and evidence touching said claim as is or may be in the possession or knowledge of the said department, bureau, or officer; and Statement to it shall be the duty of the said department, bureau, or officer to whom contain what; such petition may be transmitted and such request preferred as aforesaid, without delay, and within a reasonable time, to furnish said Attorney-General with a full statement of all the facts, information, and proofs which are or may be within the knowledge or in the possession of said department, bureau, or officer, relating to the claim aforesaid. Such statement shall also contain a reference to or description of all official documents or papers, if any, as may or do furnish proof of facts referred to in said statement, or that may be necessary and proper for the defence of the United States against the said claim, together with the department, office, or place where the same is kept or may be procured. And if the said claim shall have been passed upon and decided by the said department, bureau, or officer, the statement or answer to be transmitted to said Attorney-General, as hereinbefore provided, shall succinctly state the reasons and principles upon which such decision shall have been if upon acts of based. In all cases where such decision shall have been made upon any Congress; act of Congress, or upon any section or clause of such act, the same shall be cited specifically. And if any previous interpretation or construction shall have been given to such act, section, or clause, by the said department or bureau transmitting such statement, the same shall be set forth succinctly in said statement, and a copy of the opinion filed, if any, shall be annexed to such statement and transmitted with the same to the Attorney-General aforesaid. And where any decision in the case shall have been based upon any regulation of an executive department, or where such regulation shall or may, in the opinion of the department, bureau, or officer transmitting such statement, have any bearing upon the claim in suit, the same shall be distinctly referred to and quoted in extenso in the statement transmitted to said Attorney-General: Provided, however, That where there shall be pending in said court more than one. case, or a class of cases, the defence to which shall rest upon the same facts, circumstances, and proofs, the said department, bureau, or officer shall only be required to certify and transmit one statement of the same, and such statement shall be held to apply to all such classes of cases as if made out, certified, and transmitted in each case respectively. decisions of department, &c.; upon regula tions of an executive depart ment. One statement to suffice for a class of cases. Heads of departments in certain cases SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for the head of any executive department, whenever any claim is made may send claim, upon said department involving disputed facts or controverted questions &c. to court of of law, where the amount in controversy exceeds three thousand dollars, claims, to be or where the decision will affect a class of cases or furnish a precedent proceeded in as though origin- for the future action of any executive department in the adjustment of a ally voluntarily class of cases, without regard to the amount involved in the particular case, or where any authority, right, privilege, or exemption is claimed or denied under the Constitution of the United States, to cause such claim, commenced there by claim ant. send accounts, which the court with all the vouchers, papers, proofs, and documents pertaining thereto, to be transmitted to the court of claims, and the same shall be there proceeded in as if originally commenced by the voluntary action of the claimant. And the Secretary of the Treasury may, upon the certificate Secretary of of any auditor or comptroller of the treasury, direct any account, Treasury may matter, or claim of the character, amount, or class described or limited in &c. to court of this section to be transmitted, with all the vouchers, papers, documents, claims for trial, and proofs pertaining thereto, to the said court of claims, for trial and &c. adjudication: Provided, however, That no case shall be referred by any Cases only to head of a department unless it belongs to one of the several classes of be referred, over cases to which, by reason of the subject-matter and character, the said would have court of claims might, under existing laws, take jurisdiction on such jurisdiction, voluntary action of the claimant. And all the cases mentioned in this if commenced by section which shall be transmitted by the head of any executive department, or upon the certificate of any auditor or comptroller, shall be proceeded in as other cases pending in said court, and shall, in all Proceedings in respects, be subject to the same rules and regulations; and appeals from these cases. the final judgments or decrees of said court therein to the Supreme Court of the United States shall be allowed in the manner now provided by law. The amount of the final judgments or decrees in such cases so transmitted to said court, where rendered in favor of the claimants, shall ments and dein all cases be paid out of any specific appropriation applicable to the crees, how paid. same, if any such there be; and where no such appropriation exists, the same shall be paid in the same manner as other judgments of said court. SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That no person shall file or prosecute any claim or suit in the court of claims, or an appeal therefrom, for or in respect to which he or any assignee of his shall have commenced and has pending any suit or process in any other court against any officer or person who, at the time of the cause of action alleged in such suit or process arose, was in respect thereto acting or professing to act, mediately or immediately, under the authority of the United States, unless such suit or process, if now pending in such other court, shall be withdrawn or dismissed within thirty days after the passage of this act. claimant. Final judg Clerk of court SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the clerk of the said court of claims to transmit to Congress, at the com- of claims to transmit to Conmencement of every December session, a full and complete statement of gress stateinent all the judgments rendered by the said court for the previous year, stating of judgments the amounts thereof and the parties in whose favor rendered, together rendered by with a brief synopsis of the nature of the claims upon which said judgments have been rendered. said court, &c. consistent laws. SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That all provisions of any act in- Repeal of incompatible herewith be, and the same are hereby, repealed. APPROVED, June 25, 1868. CHAP. LXXII.-An Act constituting eight Hours a Day's Work for all Laborers, June 25, 1868. Eight hours to day's work for constitute a Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That eight hours shall constitute a day's work for all laborers, workmen, and mechanics now employed, or who may be hereafter employed, by or on behalf of the government mechanics, laof the United States; and that all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with borers, &c. emthis act be, and the same are hereby, repealed. ployed by the United States. APPROVED, June 25, 1868. June 25, 1868. Construction of act 1868, ch. 3. Ante, p. 34. See post, p. 256. Certain rum may be withdrawn for exportation; to be exported within sixty CHAP. LXXIII. · An Act for the Relief of certain Exporters of Rum. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the act of January eleventh, eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, entitled "An act to prevent frauds in the collection of tax on distilled spirits," be so construed as to permit rum, which at the date of the passage of said act was already distilled or redistilled and intended for export and actually contracted for to be delivered for exportation, to be withdrawn, removed, and exported from the United States under such transportation and export bonds and regulations as were required therefor immediately prior to the passage of said act, and as shall be provided for hereafter: Provided, That all such spirits shall be actually exported within sixty days from the passage of this act ; and that before any such exportation shall be permitted, proof in writing shall be furnished by sworn evidence, to the satisfaction of the commissioner of internal revenue, that such rum was in fact at the date mentioned intended for export and distilled or redistilled for that purpose or Tax to be due, actually contracted for to be so exported. And upon failure to so export if, &c. the same within said sixty days, the tax thereon shall become due and payable, and the bonds given for the transportation and export thereof shall be forfeited and collected, as in case of such bonds not cancelled according to law. days. Proof required. APPROVED, June 25, 1868. June 25, 1868. CHAP. LXXIV. — An Act to re-establish the Boundaries of the Collection Districts of Michigan and Michilimackinac, and to change the Names of the Collection Districts of Michilimackinac and Port Huron. Collection dis trict of Michigan extended. District of Michilimackinac to be called include what. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the collection district of Michigan shall be extended so as to embrace all the territory and waters of the State of Michigan lying west of the principal meridian and south of the latitudinal line dividing townships number forty-three from townships number forty-four, north of the base line of said State, excluding the territory bordering Green Bay and including the island of Bois Blanc. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the collection district of Michilimackinac shall hereafter be called the district of Superior, and shall Superior, and to embrace all that part of the upper peninsula of the State of Michigan lying east of the principal meridian, all the islands in, and bordering upon, the Saint Marie river, and all that part of the State of Michigan lying west of the principal meridian and north of the latitudinal line dividing townships number forty-three from townships number forty-four, north of the base line of the said State, including the territory in said State bordering Green Bay, together with all the islands, waters, and shores of Lake Superior and the adjacent territory unto the headwaters of all the rivers and streams tributary thereto and within the jurisdiction of the United States. District of Port Huron to SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the collection district of Port be called Huron. Huron, in the State of Michigan, shall hereafter be called the district of Huron. APPROVED, June 25, 1868. June 25, 1868. CHAP. LXXV. - An Act to extend the Boundaries of the Collection District of Philadelphia so as to include the whole consolidated City of Philadelphia. Port of entry and delivery of Philadelphia to include whole consolidated city. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the port of entry and delivery of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is hereby extended so as to include within its boundaries the whole consolidated city of Philadelphia. APPROVED, June 25, 1868. |