Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-03-17
pproved December %, 1854
Public No. 81

Public No. 81
AN ACT to suppress the circulation of small notes,
currency in the District of Columbia
Be 1T enacted By the Senate and House Of
9f1e United States Of Aeea in Congress assembled That
any person or persons body police or corporate WITHIN
draw endorse bank noe promissory note or any
instrument of writing for the payment or delivery otoney
other valuable thing or Of thing PuPorng to be
valuable thing, of less amount than five dollars to be
ed paper currency, circulating medium either
as money! or IN lieu OF money or OF any ohe currency e
such person. and every member officer or agent OF such
body polite corporate concerned asserting such
making emitting, issuing utterng signing drawing
endorsing aforesaid for any of the purposes aforesaid
shall forfeit and pay the sum Of ten dollars for each and
cry such bank note prossy noe or OF VIII
ting made issued emitted uttered signed drawn or
therefor and the other half the county of Washington
District of Columbia And the trial of such
question be in part in the whole printed or engraven
shall be deemed sufficient evidence of intention to put
the same circulation IN violation OF this act unless the
SEC ?. And be itfurther enacted That it shall be unlaw-
pass offer pass within the District of Columbia any
bank note, promssory note any instrument in writing
money or in lieu of money of any other currency and
any other or persons and every member officer or
agent of such body polite corporate violating the
visions of this section, shall forfeit and pay of not
fence oneha to the of the person who shall there
for and the other half the use of the county OF Washing
SEC And Be further enacted That any person per-
sons body petite and corporate, holding such bank
note promissory noe instrument in writing may pre-
polite corporate that made, emitted issued uttered
signed drew endorsed the same and if upon such pre-
sentiment the persons body polite corporate
that made emitted issued uttered signed drew endor
sed the neglect refuse redeem the in gold
silver such party negecting refusing shall forfeit
and the of twenty dollars for each and every such
presented and payment thereof neglected refused
aforesaid to the use of the PERSONS body polite
corporate holding and presenting the aforesaid
SEC. 4 Ind be II rtAer enacd, That each and every
debt before any justice of the
peace in the District of Columbia in the name of
pressy given every justice of the peace in the
District of Columbia to try and adudcate each and
such case
SEC. s. Ind be 1t further enacted That all contracts
whether written verbal hereafter made pay delv
valuable thing the consideration whereof may be, either
wholly or in part paper currency circulating medi
ed by this act shall be deemed and held illegal and
and the person or persons suing such shall
suit brought such contract it shall be competent
defendant under the general ISSUE appropriate
cal plea to offer evidence the consdera-
ton OF the contract sued and the defendants
king oath that he she has evidence sufficient prove
the nature consideration of such contract shall be the
duty of the court before which such suit may brought
require the plaintiff or plaintiffs either any of them,
to be to testify the truth regard the
and if the plaintiff plaintiffs shall not be present the
trial. to compel the attendance of such plaintiff plaintiffs
as witness or witnesses and to postpone continue the
until such attendance procured after
the whole evidence shall have been heard it shall appear
that the consideration either wholly in part of the
tract WAS such paper or circulating medium pro-
PENDANT or defendants and for coasts against the plaintiff
plaintiffs
SEC 6. Asa be further enacted That if any merchant
hotekeeper, shopkeeper grocer commission merchant
insurance agent driver of hackney carriage
omnibus, cart wagon dray, huckster butcher
ttoneer yery-sabe keeper, keeper of bill
marketable or tenpn alley pawnbroker manager
agent of theatrical amsemeuts any hawker or
pedar ransacting business under granted by the
corporation of the city of Washington of Georgetown in
the District of Columbia any other person persons
transacng business under such license Shall
or pay out under the denomination
other paper not payable in
hibitd aforesaid shall be duty attorney of
the United States for the District Columbia to sue out
process In the nature of scre facas institute other
suitable proceedings in the circuit court of the District of
Conmola against such offender offenders, retunabe
the said court immediately if said be then
to the next term of said court there be then vacation of
the terms OF said court requiring such Offenders
cause why his her, their license aforesaid shall not be
forelted and proof exhibited to said such
ceVng or paying out OF such prohibited paper aforesaid
SAID court shall forfeit annu and vacate such license and
offender or offenders until year thereafter shall have
passed and expired
Sec z And be 1t further enacted That it shall be the
duty OF the marshal of the District Of Coum ba
Justice of the peace said District every violation of this
law which may come to his knowledge
SEC g. An6 be 1t further enacted That any
cause other than criminal prosecution under the prov
slons OF this act 1t Shall be lawful for the before whom
such cause is pending to brought before said
court and examined witness defendant to any such
suit his agent employer touching and things
IN controversy and to employ such effect the
object aforesaid as is usual in other cases
SEC g. And be further enacted, That this act shall be
that much and such parts of all acts as may be
to this act be- and the hereby
Approved December 81, 1854