No. 162.-An Act declaratory of the act for the admission of the State of Iowa into the Union.*

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That by the act entitled "An act for the admission of the State of Iowa into the Union," approved December twenty-eighth, eighteen hundred and forty-six, the United States assented to the application for the support of common schools, as made in the second section of the tenth article of the constitution of said State, of the five per cent. of the net proceeds of the sales of the public lands within the State of Iowa, and of the five hundred thousand acres of land granted to said State by the act of the fourth of September, eighteen hundred and forty-one; said land to be selected in legal subdivisions of not less than three hundred and twenty acres.

Approved, March 2, 1849.

No. 163.-An Act to amend an act entitled "An act for authenticating certain records," approved February twenty-second, eighteen hundred and forty-nine.†

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the first section of the act entitled "An act for authenticating certain records," approved February twenty-second, eighteen hundred and forty-nine, be, and the same is hereby, amended so as to read as follows: 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 or persons having the custody of laws, judgments, orders, decrees, journals, correspondence, or other public documents of any foreign government or its agents, relating to the title to lands claimed by or under the United States, on the application of one of the head of 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 an American minister or consul under his hand and seal of office, or by a judge of one of the United States courts under his hand and seal, 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.

Approved, March 2, 1849.

No. 164.-An Act for changing the location of the land office in the Chippewa land district, and establishing an additional land district in the State of Wisconsin.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the thirtieth June next, the land office for the sale of the public lands in the Chippewa land district shall be removed from the falls of St. Croix, to Stillwater in the county of St. Croix, in the proposed Territory of Minnesota; and sales of the public lands in said district shall thereafter he held at Stillwater, in the county aforesaid.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That for the sale of the public lands in the Territory of Wisconsin, an additional land office and land district are hereby created, comprising all the lands not included within the districts of land subject to sale at Green Bay, Milwaukee, or Mineral Point, which shall be called the western land district.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a register and a receiver of the public moneys for the said district, who shall respectively be required to reside at the site of said office, and who shall have the same powers, perform the same duties, and be entitled to the same compensation as are, or may be, prescribed by law in relation to other land officers of the United States.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the President is authorized to cause the public lands in the said district, with the exemption of sections numbered sixteen, in each township, reserved for the use of schools, or such other lands as may be selected by law in lieu thereof, and of such other tracts as he may select for military or other purposes, to be exposed to sale in the same manner, and upon the same terms and conditions as the other public lands of the United States.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the President is hereby authorized to designate the site at which the said office shall be established, and to remove the same to any other place within said district, whenever, in his opinion, it may be deemed expedient. Approved, March 2, 1849.

No. 165.-An Act in relation to the Fox and Wisconsin river reservation, in the State of Wisconsin.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all land entries made in the Green Bay land district, in the State of Wisconsin, upon the odd-numbered sections of the Fox and Wisconsin river reservation in said State, subsequent to the passage of an act entitled "An act to grant a certain quantity of land to aid in the improvement of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, and connect the same by canal, in the Territory of Wisconsin," approved on the eighth day of August, eighteen hundred and forty-six, be, and the same are hereby, declared to be good and valid as though said act had not been passed: Provided nevertheless, That the governor of said State is hereby authorized to select the same quantity of other lands in lieu thereof; subject, however, to the approval of the President of the United States.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That all similar entries made upon the even-numbered sections of said reservations be also declared to be as good and valid as though said reservation had not been made. Approved, March 2, 1849.

No. 166.-An Act to aid the State of Louisiana in draining the swamp lands therein.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, to aid the State of Louisiana in constructing the necessary levees and drains to reclaim the swamp and overflowed lands therein, the whole of those swamp and overflowed lands, which may be or are found unfit for cultivation, shall be, and the same are hereby, granted to that State.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That as soon as the Secretary of the Treasury shall be advised, by the Governor of Louisiana, that that State has made the necessary preparation to defray the expenses thereof, he shall cause a personal examination to be made, under the direction of the surveyor general thereof, by experienced and faithful deputies, of all the swamp lands therein which are subject to overflow and unfit for cultivation; and a list of the same to be made out, and certified by the deputies and surveyor general, to the Secretary of the Treasury, who shall approve the same, so far as they are not claimed or held by individuals; and on that approval, the fee simple to said lands shall vest in the said State of Louisiana, subject to the disposal of the legislature thereof: Provided however, That the proceeds of said lands shall be applied exclusively, as far as necessary, to the construction of the levees and drains aforesaid.*

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That in making out a list of these swamp lands, subject to overflow and unfit for cultivation, all legal subdivisions, the greater part of which is of that character, shall be included in said list; but when the greater part of a sub-division is not of that character, the whole of it shall be excluded therefrom: Provided however, That the provisions of this act shall not apply to any lands fronting on rivers, creeks, bayous, water-courses, &c., which have been surveyed into lots or tracts under the acts of third March, eighteen hundred and eleven, and twenty-fourth May, eighteen hundred and twenty-four: And provided further, That the United States shall in no manner be held liable for any expense incurred in selecting these lands and making out the lists thereof, or for making any surveys that may be required to carry out the provisions of this act.

Approved, March 2, 1849.

No. 167.-An Act to establish the Home Department, and to provide for the Treasury Department an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, and a commissioner of the customs.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, from and after the pas

*See Nos. 182, 275, 319.

sage of this act, there shall be created a new executive department of the Government of the United States, to be called the Department of the Interior; the head of which department shall be called the Secretary of the Interior, who shall be appointed by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall hold his office by the same tenure, and receive the same salary, as the Secretaries of the other executive departments, and who shall perform all the duties assigned to him by this act.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Interior shall exercise and perform all the acts of supervision and appeal in regard to the office of Commissioner of Patents, now exercised by the Secretary of State; and the said Secretary of the Interior shall sign all requisitions for the advance or payment of money out of the treasury on estimates or accounts, subject to the same adjustment or control now exercised on similar estimates or accounts by the First or Fifth Auditor and First Comptroller of the Treasury.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Interior shall perform all the duties in relation to the General Land Office, of supervision and appeal, now discharged by the Secretary of the Treasury; and the said Secretary of the Interior shall sign all requisitions for the advance or payment of money out of the treasury, on estimates or accounts, approved or certified by the Commissioner of the General Land Office, subject to the same control now exercised by the First Comptroller of the Trea

sury.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the supervisory power now exercised by the Secretary of the Treasury over the accounts of the marshals, clerks, and other officers of all the courts of the United States, shall be exercised by the Secretary of the Interior, who shall sign all requisitions for the advance or payment of money out of the treasury, on estimates or accounts, subject to the same control now exercised on like estimates or accounts by the First Auditor and First Comptroller of the Treasury.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Interior shall exercise the supervisory and appellate powers now exercised by the Secretary of the War Department, in relation to all the acts of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs; and shall sign all requisitions for the advance or payment of money out of the treasury, on estimates or accounts, subject to the same adjustment or control now exercised on similar estimates or accounts by the Second Auditor and Second Comptroller of the Treasury.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Interior shall exercise the supervisory and appellate powers now exercised by the Secretaries of the War and Navy Departments, in relation to all the acts of the Commissioner of Pensions; and shall sign all requisitions for the advance or payment of money out of the treasury, on estimates or accounts, subject to the same adjustment or control now exercised on similar estimates or accounts by the Third or Fourth Auditors and Second Comptroller of the Treasury

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Interior shall exercise all the supervisory and appellate powers now exercised by the Secretary of State, in relation to all acts of marshals and others in taking and returning the census of the United States; and shall sign all requisitions for the advance or payment of money out of the treasury, on estimates or accounts, subject to the same adjustment or control now exercised over similar estimates and accounts by the Fifth Auditor and First Comptroller of the Treasury.

SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That the supervisory and appellate

powers now exercised by the Secretary of the Treasury over the lead and other mines of the United States, and over the accounts of the agents thereof, shall be exercised by the Secretary of the Interior; who shall sign all requisitions for the advance or payment of money out of the treasury, on estimates or accounts, subject to the same adjustment or control now exercised on similar estimates or accounts by the Second Auditor and Second Comptroller of the Treasury.

SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That the supervisory and appellate powers now exercised by the President of the United States over the Commissioner of Public Buildings, shall be exercised by the Secretary of the Interior; who shall sign all requisitions for the advance or payment of money out of the treasury, on estimates or accounts, subject to the same adjustment or control now exercised on similar estimates or accounts by the First Auditor and First Comptroller of the Treasury: Provided, That nothing in this section contained shall be construed to take from the presiding officers of the two houses of Congress the power now possessed by them to make and enforce rules and regulations for the care, preservation, orderly keeping, and police of the Capitol, and its appurtenances.

SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Interior shall have and exercise a supervisory power and control over the board of inspectors and warden of the penitentiary of the District of Columbia; and shall sign all requisitions for the advance or payment of money out of the treasury on estimates or accounts, subject to the same adjustment or control now exercised on similar estimates or accounts by the First Auditor and First Comptroller of the Treasury.

SEC. 11. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to appoint a chief clerk of his department, who shall receive a salary of two thousand dollars per annum; and that the President of the United States, on the recommendation of the said Secretary of the Interior, may transfer from the Treasury Department proper, to the Department of the Interior, such clerks in the office of the Secretary of the Treasury as perform the duties over which the supervision and control are given by this act to the Secretary of the Interior; which said clerks shall be hereafter subject to the appointing and removing power of the Secretary of the Interior, as also the clerks in the several bureaus heretofore appointed or removable by the heads of departments, which bureaus are transferred by this act to the Department of the Interior.

SEC. 12. And be it further enacted, That an officer shall be appointed by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, in the Department of the Treasury, as one of its bureaus, to be called the Commissioner of Customs, who shall perform all the acts and exercise all the powers, now devolved by law on the First Comptroller of the Treasury, relating to the receipts from customs and the accounts of collectors and other officers of the customs, or connected therewith; who shall hold his office by the same tenure, and receive the same amount of salary, as the First Auditor of the Treasury, and payable in the same manAnd the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer from the office of the First Comptroller such clerks as may be necessary to the bureau of the Commissioner of Customs, for whom the said Secretary of the Treasury shall also appoint one chief clerk, at a salary of seventeen hundred dollars

ner.

annum.

per

SEC. 13. And be it further enacted, That an officer shall be appointed in the Treasury Department by the Secretary of the Treasury, to be called the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, whose salary shall be three thousand dollars per annum, payable in the same manner as that of the Secretary