United States Statutes at Large/Volume 4/22nd Congress/1st Session/Chapter 199

United States Statutes at Large, Volume 4
United States Congress
Public Acts of the Twenty-Second Congress, First Session, Chapter 199
3081172United States Statutes at Large, Volume 4 — Public Acts of the Twenty-Second Congress, First Session, Chapter 199United States Congress


July 13, 1832.
[Obsolete.]

Chap. CXCIX.An Act to carry into effect the convention between the United States and his majesty the King of the French, concluded at Paris on the fourth of July, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one.

Commissioners to be appointed to examine all claims under the convention with France.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint three commissioners, who shall form a board, whose duty it shall be to receive and examine all claims which may be presented to them under the convention between the United States and France, of the fourth of July, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one, which are provided for by the said convention, according to the provisions of the same, and the principles of justice, equity, and the law of nations.Secretary and clerk. The said board shall have a secretary, versed in the English, French, and Spanish languages, and a clerk, both to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate; and the commissioners, secretary, and clerk, shall, before they enter on the duties of their offices, take oath well and faithfully to perform the duties thereof.

Rules and regulations.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said commissioners shall be, and they are hereby, authorized to make all needful rules and regulations, not contravening the laws of the land, the provisions of this act, or the provisions of the said convention, for carrying their said commission into full and complete effect.

Time of meeting and termination of duties.
Notice of meeting.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the board so constituted shall meet on the first Monday of August next at the city of Washington; and, within two years from the time of its meeting, shall terminate its duties. And the Secretary of State is required forthwith, after the passing of this act, to give notice of the said meeting; to be published in two newspapers in Washington, and in such other papers as he may think proper.

Records, &c. to be delivered to commission.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That all records, documents, or other papers, which now are in, or hereafter, during the continuance of this commission, may come into the possession of the Department of State, in relation to such claims, shall be delivered to the commission aforesaid.

Pay of commissioners, secretary, and clerk.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the compensation of the respective officers, for whose appointment provision is made by this act, shall not exceed the following sums, namely: to each of the said commissioners, at the rate of three thousand dollars per annum; to the secretary of the board at the rate of two thousand dollars per annum; and to the clerk, at the rate of fifteen hundred dollars per annum.Contingent expenses of commission. And the President of the United States shall be, and he is hereby authorized to make such provision for the contingent expenses of the said commission, as shall appear to him reasonable and proper; and the said salaries and expenses shall be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

List of awards to be reported to Secretary of State, and certified copy to Secretary of the Treasury, who shall distribute, &c.Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the said commissioners shall report to the Secretary of State a list of the several awards made by them; a certified copy whereof shall be by him transmitted to the Secretary of the Treasury, who shall thereupon distribute, in rateable proportions, among the persons in whose favour the awards shall have been made, such moneys as may have been received into the Treasury in virtue of this act, according to the proportions which their respective awards shall bear to the whole amount then received, first deducting such sums of money as may be due the United States from said persons in whose favour said awards shall be made;Certificates to be issued. and shall also cause certificates to be issued by the Secretary of the Treasury, in such form as he may prescribe, showing the proportion to which each may be entitled of the amount that may thereafter be received; and, on the presentation of the said certificates at the treasury, as the net proceeds of the general instalments, payable by the French government, shall have been received, such proportions thereof shall be paid to the legal holders of the said certificates.

Instalments to be transferred to United States, and net proceeds paid into the treasury.
Sum to be set apart, &c.
Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to cause the several isntalments, with the interest thereon, payable to the United States in virtue of the said convention, to be received from the French government, and transferred to the United States, in such manner as he may deem best, and the net proceeds thereof to be paid into the treasury; and, on the payment of the proceeds of each of the said instalments, there shall be set apart, of the money in the treasury, such further sum as would have been received from the net proceeds of such instalment, if the reservation stipulated by the fourth article of said convention had not been deducted;Appropriation. and the moneys which may be thus set apart, together with those which may be received into the treasury under this act, shall be, and the same are hereby, appropriated, to satisfy the awards herein provided for.

Communications free.Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That all communications to or from the secretary of the board of commissioners, on the business of the commission, shall pass by mail free of postage.

Records, &c. to be deposited in State Department.Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That, as soon as said commission shall be executed and completed, the records, documents, and all other papers, in the possession of the commission or its officers, shall be deposit in the office of the Secretary of State.

Rates of duties on French wines for ten years.Sec. 10. And be it further enacted, That, for the term of ten years, from and after the second day of February, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, wines, the produce of France, shall be admitted into the United States on paying duties not exceeding the following rates on the gallon, (such as is at present used in the United States,) that is to say: six cents for red wines in casks, ten cents for white wine in casks, and twenty-two cents for wine of all sorts in bottles.[1]

Approved, July 13, 1832.


  1. See notes of acts relative to discriminating duties, vol. iv. p. 2.