Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-31
mashington geutinsl.
AN ACT TO SUPPRESS THE CIRCULA-
TION OF SMALL NOTES, AS CUR
RENCY, In THE DISTRICT OF CO.

BE Il enacted By The Senate and House Of
Representatives. Of the United States Of Anaesicd
IN Congress assembled, That if any person or
persons, body polite or corporate, within the
District of Columbia, shall make, emit issue,
utter sign, draw, or endorse any bank note,
promissory note, or any instrument of writing,
for the payment or delivery of money, or other
valuable thing, or of anything purportng to be
valuable thing, OF less amount than five dol
lars, to be used as a paper currency, or as
circulating medium, either as money, or in lieu
OF money or of any other currency, every such
person, and every member, officer, or agent of
such body polite or corporate, concerned in,
or asserting to, such making, emitting, issuing,
altering, signing, drawing, or endorsing, as
aforesaid, for any of the purposes aforesaid,
shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars for
each and every such bank note, promissory
note, or instrument of writing so made, issued
emitted, uttered, signed, drawn, or endorsed,
one.half to the use of any person who shall sue
therefor, and the other half to the county of
Washington, District of Columbia. And on
the trial Of any such cause, if the promissory
note, bank note, or other instrument in ques-
ton, be in part or in. the whole printed or en-
craven, it shall be deemed sufficient evidence
of an intention to put the same in circulation
in violation of this act, unless the contrary be
shown.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That it
shall be unlawful for any person or persons,
body polite or corporate, to pass, or offer to
pass, within the District of Columbia, any bank
note, promissory note, or any instrument in
writing of less denomination or amount than
FIVE dollars, either as money, or in lieu of
money or ofany other currency, and any other
person or persons, and every member, officer,
or agent of such body polite or corporate, vic.
lating the provisions of this section, shall for
felt and paya sum of not less than five nor
more than ten dollars for every such offence,
onehalf to the use of the person who shall sue
therefor, and the other half to the use of the
county of Washington, District of Columbia.
SEC. 3. And be 1t further enacted, That any
person or persons, body polite and corporate,
holding any such bank note, promissory note.
or instrument in writing, may present the same
for payment to the person or persons, body
polite Or corporate, that made, emitted, issued.
uttered, signed, drew, or endorsed the same.
and if, upon such presentment, the person or
persons, body polite or corporate, that made,
emitted, issued, uttered, signed, drew, or en-
dorsed the same, neglect or refuse to redeem
the same in gold or silver, such party so ne
glecting or refusing shall forfeit and pay the
sum OF twenty dollars for each and every bank
note, promissory note, or instrument in writing
SO presented, aid payment thereof neglected
or refused as n resaid to the use of the person
or persons, body polite or corporate holding
and presentin1 he same as aforesaid.
SEC.4. Il. Ie IL further enacted That each
and every forfeiture under the foregoing pro-
visions Of this act shall be recovered in an &C
ton of debt before any justice Of the peace in
tl,aT t.t,, IF rnl, D., al, Z
person who shall sue therefor; and jurisdiction
is hereby expressly given TO each and every
justice Of the peace in the District of Columbia
TO try and adjudicate each and every such case.
SEC. 5, And be II further enacted, That all
contracts whether written or verbal, hereafter
made, to pay or deliver money or any valuable
thing, or thing purporting to be valuable
thing, the consideration whereof may be, either
wholly or in part any paper currency or cir.
culatiug medium under five dollars or other
paper or currency prohibited by this act shall
be deemed and held to be Illegal and void; and
the person or persons suing on such contract
shall have no remedy in any court of law or
equity; and, in any suit brought on such con-
tract, il shall be competent for the defendant.
under the general issue, or any appropriate
special plea, to offer evidence Of the nature or
o. the consideration Of the contract so sued ON
and on the defendants making oath that he or
she has not evidence sufficient to prove the ma
ture or consideration Of such contract. IL shall
be the duty Of the court before which such
suit may be brought to require the plaintiff or
plaintiff or either or any Of them, TO be sworn
TO testify the truth in regard to the transaction
and if the plaintiff or plaintiffs shall not be
present at the trial, TO compel the attendance OF
such plaintiff or plaintiffs as witness or wit
nesses, and TO postpone or continue the cause
until such attendance can be procured and il
after the whole evidence shall have been heard
IL shall appear that the consideration, either
wholly or in part, of the contract, was such
paper currency or circulating medium prohib
tied by this act, judgment shall be rendered
for tie defendant or defendants, and for costs
against the plaintiff or plaintiffs.
SEC. 6. And be IL further enacted, That il
any merchant, hotelkeeper, shop-keeper, gro
Ger, commission merchant, or insurance agent
any owner or driver Of a hackney carriage
omnibus, cart, wagon, or dray, any huckster
butcher auctioneer livery-stable keeper, any
owner or keeper Of billiard table or ten.pin
alley, any pawnbroker, any manager or agent
Of theatrical or other amusements, any hawker
or pedlar, transacting business under license
granted by the corporation Of the city of Wash
ington or Georgetown, in the District Of Co.
lumbia, or any other person or persons trans
acting business under such license, shall either
receive or pay out any paper under the de-
nomination of FIVE dollars, or any other paper
IT payable in specie on demand, so prohibited
rs aforesaid, it shall be the duty Of the attor.
ney Of the United States for the District Of
Columbia TO sue out process in the nature OF a
scire facias, or to institute other suitable pro.
ceedings in the circuit court Of the District Of
Columbia, against such offender or offenders,
returnable to the said court Immediately, IL
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 often
ders 10 show cause why his, her, or their license
aforesaid, shall not be forfeited and on proof
exhibited to said court Of such receiving or
paying out OF such prohibited paper as afore.
said, said court shall forfeit, annu, and vacate
such license, and no other license for any pur.
pose shall be granted 10 such offender or often
ders until one year thereafter shall have passed
and expired
SEC. Z. And be IL further enacted, That it
shall be the duty of the marshal Of the District
Of Columbia, and Of every constable Of said
District 10 give information TO some Justice of