The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-01-06

pany OF individuals. body polite or Corporate
Without me Unite OF the District of Columbia and
toned association, partnership, company Of in
dlviduals, body politic corporate, concerned in
or assentng to-, such hrngipg or sending or to the
causing or procuring of ouch bringing or sending
into the said District Of Columbia, to be used a.
Aforesaid, within the said District, "a paper cur
rency, or as circulating medium, either as mo.
ney, or In lieu OF money or of any other currency
of any letter of credit, bank note promssory note
Dill OF exchange, order, ticket any other instru-
ment OF writing, obligation, promise, contract or
agreement, for the payment or delivery of money
or other valuable thing, or of any thing purport-
ing to bea valuable thing, of q less amount than
nve dollars, shall be liable to indictment by the
grand jury of the District of Columbia, and to &C.
non OF debt before justice of the peace as here
lnbefore provided, and to the some penalties and
consequences on such indictment or action, and to
the same rule OF evidence as to concernment in or
assent to- such bringing sending, of such caus
or procurn TO De brought or sent, into the Dis.
trict of Columbia, for the purpose or purposes
aforesaid, of any bill of credit, bank note promis
sorry note, bill of exchange, order, ticket or anv
other instrument of writing. obligation, promise,
contract or agreement, for the payment or deliv-
cry OF money or other valuable thing. or of anv
thing purporting to be valuable thing, of less
denomination than five dollars, as are hereinbe
fore provided and declared So ~. =
SEC g.. And be 1t further enacted, That all con
tracts, whether written or verbal to paw or deliver
to be valuable thing, the consideration whereof
may be, either wholly or in part, any paper cur
rency or circulating medium under five dollars, or
other paper or currency prohibited by this act,
shall be deemed and held to be illegal ana void !;
and the person or persons suing on such contract
shall have no remedy in any court of aw or eouit
and, in any suit brought on such contract II shall
be competent for the defendant un der the general
ISSUE or any appropriate special plea, to offer evil
dencs of the nature of the consideration of the
contract SO sued on; and on the DEFENDANTS m s.x
ing oath that he or she has not evidence sufficient
to prove the nature or consideration of such con-
tract It shall be the duty of the court before which
such suit may be brought to require the plaintiff or
PLAINTIFF or either any of them to be sworn to
testify the truth in regard to the transaction; and
if the plaintiff plaintiff shall not be present at
the trial. to compel the attendance of such plain.
I'M or ptalntlHs as witness or Witnesses, and to
postpone or continue the cause till such attendance
can be procured; and if, after the whole evidence
shall have been heard, it shall appear that the con-
sideration, either wholly or in part of the contract
was such paper currency or circulating medium
PROMPTED oy this act, Judgment shall be rendered
for the defendant or defendants, and for costs
against the plaintiff or plaintiffs. a.s.. - 3.
SEC l.. And be 1T further enacted That if any
merchant, hotel-keeper, shop keeper, greer, com
mission merchant, or insurance agent, any owner
or driver offs hackney carriage, omnibus. cart.
wagon, or dray, any huckster, butcher, auctoneer.
iivery-stable keeper, any owner or keeper off bill
lard table or ten-pin alley, any pawnbroker, any
manager or agent of theatrical or other arnuse
ments, any hawker or pedler, transacting business
under q license granted by the corporation of the
city of Washington or of Georgetown in the Dis
trict OF Columbia, or any other person or persons
transacting business under such license, shall
either receive or pay out any paper under the
denomination OF hive dollars, or any other paper not
payable in specie on demand, 80 prohibited as
aforesaid it shall be the duty of the attorney of the
United States for the District of Columbia to sue
out process In the nature of scire facias or to in
otI fIrtn M horc ifoh
court of the District of Columbia, against such
offender or offenders, returnabIe to the said court
if said court be then sitting or to the
next term of said court if there be then vacation
OF the terms OF SAID court requiring such offenders
to show cause why his her, Or their license afore-
said shall not be forfeited; and on proof exhibited
to said court of such receiving or paying out of
such prohibited paper as aforesaid, said court shall
forfeit annu and vacate such license and no other
license for any purpose shall be granted to such
offender offenders until one year thereafter shall
have passed and expired
SEC. 8. And be it further enacted That it shal be
the duty OF the marshal of the District of Columbia
and of every constable of said District TO rive in
formation to some justice of the peace in said Dis
trlct, and at the commencement of every term of
the criminal court of said District to the grand ury
OF every violation of this law which NAV come to
bis knowledge; and it shall be the duty Of the Judge
cause it to be read to the grand jury at the begin
ming of every term of said court; and that it aha
be the duty of the clerk of said court to apnv at
the Department Of State for, and of the Secretary
OF State to furnish said clerk with, sufficient
number Of copies of this act for the use of the grand
Jury, justices OF the peace. and sonstabes in the
District of Columbia, from time to time; of which
copies said clerk shall deliver two to the foreman
of the grand jury at the beginning of each term of
said criminal COURT one to every existing Justice
of the peace in the District of Columbia, one to
every such justice who may hereafter be com.
missioned one to every existing constable in said
District, and one to every such constable who may
hereafter be appointed.
SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That on the
trial of any cause. other than criminal prosecu-
ton, under the provisions of this act, it shall be
lawful for the court before whom such cause is
pending to cause to be brought before said court,
and examined as witness, any defendant to any
such suit, his agent, or employer, touching the
matters and things in controversy, and to employ
such process to effect the object aforesaid as is
usual in other cases. ..t..
SEC. 10. And be 1t further enacted, That this act
sha be in force from and after the thereof
and that 80 much and such parts of all former acts
as may be repugnant to this act be and the same
are hereby repealed.
.AcclDEETs THE NAVY YARD We regret to
learn that on Tuesday two severe accidents to
worthy men occurred at this yard. MIR. John Nc.
Cauley, while employed in arranging machinery
in the ordnance department, met with an accident
by which his left leg was broken and a laborer,
employed in driving piles, severely lacerated,
at the same yard, BY some unhappy mismanage
ment. Il ..F .'. 80 1 l'@f5 =.
AMusEMENTs.-The Bateman children to. night
at the National Theatre, and the Aztecs at Iron
Hall, present renewed attractions for the gratifica-
lion of the public, to the bills of each we cam for
want of space, only refer our readers
LECTURE ON ART.-The first lecture of course
On "Art' will be delivered this evening, before the
Metropolitan Mechanics Institute, at the Smith
sonian Institution, by DR. Stone, Of New York.
CRIMINAL CoURT.-The case Of Silas Tucker,
charged with bigamy, was resumed and concluded
yesterday. The jury returned verdict of guilty
STATUE 'DEDIcATIoN.-The chief marshal of the
procession has appointed, in addition to the list
published yesterday, the following gentlemen as
assistant marshals: Messrs. J. w. Fairbanks, E.
n Stratton. Thomas Thornley,, John L. k1innix,
md V. M. Burche. Il lis ao BIZ saa.E
> o. A Fair for the purpose of Iiquidating
he. debt now remaining due on st. Peters's
Church, Capitol Hill.-The Ladies OF the Navy Yard
nost respectfully inform their friends and the public