# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 3/15th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 80

Chap. LXXX.—An Act to provide for the publication of the laws of the United States and for other purposes.
Act of May 11, 1820, ch. 92. The Secretary of State to publish the laws and resolutions and treaties.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, at and during the session of each Congress of the United States, the Secretary for the Department of State shall cause the acts and resolutions passed by Congress at such session, to be published, currently as they are enacted, and as soon as practicable, in not more than one newspaper in the District of Columbia, and in not more than three newspapers in each of the several states, and in not more than three newspapers in each of the several territories of the United States. And he shall also cause to be published, in the like manner, in the said newspapers, or in such of them as he shall for that purpose designate, the public treaties entered into and ratified by the United States.
Amendments of the constitution to be published also with a certificate of the Secretary of State, &c.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That, whenever official notice shall have been received, at the Department of State, that any amendment which heretofore has been, or hereafter may be, proposed to the constitution of the United States, has been adopted, according to the provisions of the constitution, it shall be the duty of the said Secretary of State forthwith to cause the said amendment to be published in the said newspapers authorized to promulgate the laws, with his certificate, specifying the states by which the same may have been adopted, and that the same has become valid, to all intents and purposes, as a part of the constitution of the United States.
Compensation for publication.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the proprietor of every newspaper in which the laws, resolutions, treaties, or amendments, shall be so published, shall receive, as full compensation therefor, at the rate of one dollar for each printed page of the laws, resolutions, and treaties, as published in the pamphlet form in the manner hereinafter directed.In case of wilful omission or unreasonable delay in publishing the laws. And if it shall appear, on the examination of any account, that there has been any unreasonable delay or intentional omission in the publication of the laws aforesaid, the proper accounting officer of the treasury is hereby authorized and required to deduct, from such account, such sum as shall be charged therein for the publication of any laws which shall have been so unreasonably delayed or intentionally omitted. And in any such case it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to discontinue the publication of the laws in the newspaper belonging to such proprietor, and such newspaper shall, in no event, be again authorized, nor shall the proprietor thereof be again employed, to publish the laws of the United States.
The Secretary of State to cause 11,000 copies of the acts, resolutions, treaties, &c., of every session of Congress to be published: to correspond with the revised edition. Distribution of the 11,000 copies.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of State shall cause to be published, at the close of every session of Congress, and as soon as practicable, eleven thousand copies of the acts of Congress at large, including all resolutions passed by Congress, amendments to the constitution adopted, and all public treaties made and ratified since the then last publication of the laws; which copies shall be printed on paper, and in the size of the sheet and type, in a manner to correspond with the late revised edition of the laws, published by Bioren and Co., which copies shall be distributed in the following manner: To every person who has been President of the United States, one copy to each, during their respective lives; to the present and every future President and Vice President, one copy to each, during their lives; one copy to the actual President and Vice President, to be deemed an appurtenant to their offices respectively; to each member of the Senate and House of Representatives, and to each delegate in Congress from any territory, one copy each; twenty copies to the secretary of the Senate, and fifty copies to the clerk of the House of Representatives, for the general use of the committees and members of the respective Houses; to the judges and clerks of the supreme and district courts, and to the marshal and attorney of each district or section of ​a district, one copy each; to the Secretaries of State, of the Treasury, of War, and of the Navy, and to each of their chief clerks one copy each; one copy to the attorney general, to each of the comptrollers and auditors, and to the register and treasurer of the United States, and to the commissioner of the revenue, and the commissioner of the general land office, and to the paymaster general, and the adjutant and inspector general, and to the commissary general of supplies, and the director of the mint; one copy to each collector, naval officer, surveyor, and inspector of the customs; to the governors, judges, secretaries, and clerks of the territories of the United States, one copy each; to the postmaster general, and each assistant, one copy; and one copy to each of the surveyors general of the lands of the United States, and to each register of a land office; and one copy to each publisher of a newspaper authorized to promulgate the same.The delivery under the direction of the Secretary of State. The delivery of the said copies shall be under the direction of the Secretary of State, or such officer as he shall, for that purpose, authorize.
300 copies to the library of Congress. 100 copies to the Secretary of War, and 50 copies to the Secretary of the Navy, &c. 400 copies to be reserved by the Secretary of State, for ministers and consuls.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That three hundred of the said copies shall be annually placed in the library of Congress; and every member of Congress, and every delegate shall be entitled to the use of a copy during the session, and the same shall be returned and accounted for, as may be prescribed by the rules of the library. And one hundred of the said copies, authorized by this act to be printed, shall be delivered to the Secretary of War, and fifty copies to the Secretary of the Navy, to be by them respectively distributed among such officers of the army and navy as the public service may require. Four hundred copies shall be reserved by the Secretary of State, to be distributed by him, at his discretion, among the public and foreign ministers and consuls and other public agents.
The residue of the copies to be distributed among the state and territories.Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the residue of the said number of copies, authorized to be printed, shall be distributed among the several states and territories, in proportion to the number of representatives and delegates to which each state and territory may be entitled in Congress, at the time of such distribution.
Contracts for publishing the laws in the pamphlet form.Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That whenever the Secretary of State shall enter into any contract, with any person for the publication of the laws, in the pamphlet form, as aforesaid, he shall require at least two good and sufficient sureties for the faithful performance of the contract; and, in every such agreement, it shall always be stipulated that the number of copies hereby authorized to be printed, shall be delivered at the office of the Secretary of State within thirty days after the adjournment of each session of Congress, and that, for every day’s delay in such delivery, the person so contracting shall forfeit the sum of one hundred dollars, to be deducted from the compensation to which he otherwise would have been entitled.
Former and contravening acts.Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That all acts or parts of acts, heretofore passed, which in any manner contravene the provisions of this act, or which may be inconsistent with the same; and all acts or parts of acts, in which are contained any provisions for the publication of the laws, either in pamphlet form or in newspapers, be, and the same are hereby repealed; Provided,Proviso. That such repeal shall not be construed to prevent the payment of any compensation that may be due, for the publication of the laws, previous to the promulgation of this act.
Money necessary to carry this act into effect appropriated.Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That whenever a sum of money may be necessary to carry into effect this act, besides any specific appropriations, for the same objects, that have been, or may be, made, shall be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Approved, April 20, 1818.