The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-05-08


other debts, and also all sums due for postage, or
otherwise, to the General Post Office Department,
shall be paid in gold and silver only, or in such
notes, bills or paper, issued under the authority of
of the United States, as may be directed to be re-
ccyed by law in payment of the public dues.
SEC. 20. BE ii further enacted, That from and
after the treth day of June, which will be in the
wear one thousand eight hundred and iortv-threc,
every officer or agent engaged in making disburse-
mems ON account of the United States, or of the
General Post Office, shall make all payments in
gold and silver coin only, or III such notes, bills or
paper, issued under the authority of the United
States, as may be directed TO be received by law
and any receiving or disbursing officer, who shall
neglect, eyade or violate, the provisions of this and
the last preceding section of this act, shall by the
Secretary of the Treasury, be Immediately report
ed to the President of the Tinted States, with the
facts of such neglect evasion or violation, and also
to Congress if in session, and if not in session, at
the commencement of its session next after the
violation takes place.
Seq. 81. BE ii further enacted, That no ex-
change of funds shall be made by any discussing
officers or agents of the Government, of any grade
or demon nation whatsoever, or connected with any
branch of the public service, other than an exchange
for gold and silver and every such disbursing Of
furnished to him in currency legally receivable un-
der the provisions of this act, shall make his pay
ments in the currency so furnished or when those
means are furnished to him in drafts, shall cause
those drafts to be presented at their place of pay
mcnt and properly paid according to law, and shall
make his payments in currency so received for
drafts furnished, unless in either case he can eX-
change the means in his hands for gold and silver
at par and so to facilitate his payments, or 9TH
crwisc accommodate the public service and pro-
mote the circulation of a metallic currency and
it shall be, and is hereby made the duty of the head
of the proper department Immediately to suspend
from duty any disbursing officer who shall violate
the provision of this section and forthwith report
the to the officer, or agent to the President
with the fact of the violation and all the crcumstan-
ces within the knowledge of the said Secretary, to
the end such officer or agent may be promptly re-
moved from office and restored to his trust and the
performance of his duties, as the President may
seem just and proper.
SEC. -. BE ii further enacted, That it shall
not be lawful for the Secretary of the Treasury to
make or continue in force, any general order, which
shall create any difference between the different
branches of revenue, as to the funds or medium of
payments, in which debts or dues accruing to the
United States may be paid.
SEC. %. BE Hturiher enacted, That it shall be
the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to issue
and publish regulations to enforce the speedy pre-
scnlalion of all Government dues for payment at
the place where payable, to prescribe the time, ac
cording to the different distance of the dcpositarics
from the seat of Government, within which all
drafts upon them respectively, shall be presented
for payment and, in default of such presentation,
to direct any other mode and place of payment
which he may deem proper.
SEC. q. lie ii FURTHER enacted, That the re-
ceivcrs-g general of public moneys directed by this
act to be appointed, shall receive respectively, the
following salaries, per annum, to be paid quarter
yearly, at the Treasury of the United States, to
wit the encouragement of public money at New
York shall be paid salary of three thousand dol
lars per annum ; the rcceyer-gencral of public
money at Boston shall be paid salary of two thou
sand five hundred dollars per annum The reuci,rr-
general of public money at Charleston shall be paid
a salary of two thousand five hundred dollars per
unnum and the Encouragement Of public money
at It. Louis, shall be paid salary oflwo thousand
five hundred dollars per annum and these salaries,
respectively, shall be in full for the services of the
respective officers, nor shall either of them be per-
mi,tcd to charge, or receive any commission pay,
or perquisc, for any official service of any char
acter or description Whatsoever /; and the making of
any such charge, on the receipt of any such COM
pensa,on, is hereby declared to be miSdcmeancr,
for which the officer convicted thereof, before any
court of the United States of competent jurisdiction
shall be subject to punishment by fine, or impris-
onnent, or both at the discretion of the court be-
fore which the offence shall be tried.
SEC. %. BE il further eadcied, That the Treas
urer of the United States be, and he is hereby au-
lhorizcd to receive at the Treasury, and at such
int, bn Il
vance for public lands the payments so made in
all cases, to be cyinccd by the rcccip, of the said
Treasurer of the United States which receipts so
given shall By receivable for public lands, at any
public or private sale of lands, in the same manner
rs the currency authorized by law to be received in
payment for public lands Pr0rided horercr, That
The receipts given by the Treasurer Of the United
States, pursuant To the authority conferred in this
section, shall not be negotiable or transferable, by
delivery, or assignment, or in any other manner
whatsoever, bu, shall in all cases, be presented in
payment for lands by or for the person TO whom the
receipt was given as shown upon It's face
SEC. 26. BE il FURTHER enacici, That for the
purchase of sites, and for the construction of the
offices of rcceivcrs-aencral of public money, bv
this act directed 10 he erected at Charleston South
Carolina and at ~. Louis, Missouri, there shall be
and hereby is appropriately ont of any money in
he Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum
IF ten thousand dollars, TO be expended under the
direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, who is
hereby required to adopt plans for the said officers
md the vaults and safes connected herewith and
% cause the same to be constructed and prepared
Tor use with as little delay as shall be consistent
v it'll the public interests, and the convenient Local
lion and security of the buildings to be erected
Proriiei howercr, That if the Secretary of the
Treasury shall find, upon inquiry and examination,
hat suitable rooms for the use of the receivers
general at Charleston can be obtained in the GUS
courthouse now owned by the United States at that
place, and that vaults and safes can be con-
'tructed in that building for the safe keeping of the
public money, then he shall cause such rooms to be
prepared and fitted up, and such vaults and safes
o be constructed in the custom-house ut Charles
on, and no independent Office shall be there
'reccd.
SEC. p. BE 1t further enacted, That for the
payment of the expenses authorized BY this act,
'thcr than those herein before provided for, suf-
icient sum of money be, and the same is hereby
appropriated to be paid out of any money in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated.
SEC. %. .gad be il further enacted, That all
lets or parts of acts which come in conflict with the
PROVISIONS of this act be and the same are hereby