United States Statutes at Large/Volume 2/10th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 55

2478130United States Statutes at Large, Volume 2 — Public Acts of the Tenth Congress, 1st Session, LVUnited States Congress


April 23, 1808.

Chap. LV.An Act making provision for arming and equipping the whole body of the Militia of the United States.

Act of May 8, 1792, ch. 33.
Act of March 2, 1803, ch. 15.
Act of April 10, 1806, ch. 20.
Act of April 18, 1814, ch. 80.
Act of April 24, 1816, ch. 69.
Act of May 12, 1820, ch. 96.
Act of March 2, 1821, ch. 12, sec. 14.
Annual appropriation for arms and military equipments.
President authorized to purchase sites for arsenals, &c.
Arms to be distributed amongst the states and territories—in what proportions.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the annual sum of two hundred thousand dollars be, and the same hereby is appropriated, for the purpose of providing arms and military equipments for the whole body of the militia of the United States, either by purchase or manufacture, by and on account of the United States.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is authorized, to purchase sites for, and erect such additional arsenals and manufactories of arms, as he may deem expedient, under the limitations and restrictions now provided by law: Provided also, that so much of any law as restricts the number of workmen in the armories of the United States to one hundred men, be, and the same hereby is repealed.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That all the arms procured in virtue of this act, shall be transmitted to the several states composing this Union, and territories thereof, to each state and territory respectively, in proportion to the number of the effective militia in each state and territory, and by each state and territory to be distributed, to the militia in such state and territory, under such rules and regulations as shall be by law prescribed by the legislature of each state and territory.

Approved, April 23, 1808.