, 1855-08-10

] lDEN. ZlHu W 60 IufHtI CNuttGf, "
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 in.
strumcnt of writing Of less denomination
or amount than Eve dollars, either as mo.
ney, or in lieu Of money, or of any other
currency; and any other person or persons,
and every member, officer, or agent of such
body polite or corporate, violating the pro
visions Of this section, shall forfeit and pay
Q sum OF not less than FIVE, and not more
than ten dollars, for every such offence, one
half TO the use OF the person who shall sue
therefor, and the other half TO the use oi
the county Of Washington, District Of Co
lumhia.
SEC. 3. And be HJHrfheT 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 corpor-
ate, mat made, emitted issued uttered,
signed, drew, or endorsed the same; and II,
upon such presentment, the person or per-
sons, body polite or corporate, that made,
emitted, issued, uttered, signed, drew, or
endorsed the same, neglect or refuse to re-
deem the same in gold or silver, such party
so neglecting or refusing shall forfeit and
pay the sum OF twenty dollars for each and
and every such bank note, promissory note,
or instrument in writing so presented and
payment thereof neglected or refused, as
aforesaid, to tho use of the person or per-
sons, body polite or corporate, holding and
presenting the same as aforesaid.
SEC. 4. And be IL further enacted, That
each and every forfeiture, under the forgo-
ing provisions Of this act, shall be recovered
in an action Of debt, before any justice OF
the peace in the District Of Columbia, in
the name of any person who shall sue there
for, and jurisdiction is hereby expressly Civ
en- to each and every justice Of the peace
in the District Of Columbia to try and ad-
Indicate each and every such case. t.
SEC. 5. And be u further eHdeted, That
all contracts, whether written or verbal,
hereafter made, 10 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 circulating medium
under fvc dollars. or other paPSt or cr--
rcncy prohibited by this act, shall be deem
ed and held to be illegal aud void; and
the person or persons suing on such con.
tract shan nave no remedy ~ any eoIr. % o.
Jaw OF equlty; anu ~ any SUI. otousn' .S'a ~
such contract !" snali DC competent iOr V"e
defendant, under tne genera issue, or any
appropriate speciai pea, 10 Sner eN'oence
OF the nature or OF lne Consideration .. tne
contract so sued on; anu on ,ne 1eienu-
ants making oatn tnat nc OF sne Ias ho'
evidence sumcleht 10 prove Tue nature 's ~ ~
cohslueration oi sucn eoe'race, ~ shSll , De
the duty oil the court before wh'cn SUCH sur
may DC Drought 70 require Ine pialitlnn IN Of
pia'htinS' or eitner OF any OIL the,n' 70 pc
sworn 10 'estliy !he ttutn IN reg9ru 10 'he
transaction; ana II the plalnt,n or Piaih-
TINS shall not pe present AZ the uiSi' 70
compel the attendance OF sucn plaintln anu
plaln'lhs as witness or WITNESSES 's: anu 70
postpone or continue tne cause ,ili sucn az
tendance can DC procured; anu H. uiter 'ne
whole evidence snail nave neen hearo, IL
shall appear that tue eonslderatonr either
wholly or IN part, Of inc contract was such
paper currency or circulating medium pro-
6lOited BY TINS act' Judgment snail DC rem,
dered Tor the defendant or deienuants' and
costs against the plalntln or plalntlns,
SIC. 6. And be IL further enacted, That If
any merchant, hotelkeeper, shopkeeper,
grocer, commission merchant, or insurance
agent, any owner or driver Of hackney
carriage, omnibus, cart, wagon, or dray,
any huckster, butcher, auctionecr, livery
stable keeper, any owner or keeper of q bill
liard-table or ten-pin alley, any pawnbroker,
any manager or agent Of theatrical or 9TH
er nmusements, any hawker or pedlar,
transacting business under license grant.
ed by the corporation of the city of Wash
ington or Georgetown, in the District Of
Columbia, or any other person or persons
transacting business under such license,
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