, 1856-12-26
LAWS OF IAE UNIFIED SIAIES.
BY AUTHORITY.
tPUBLIc 59l
AN ACT To regulate the diplomatic and consular sys-
tens Of the United States,

bculS VI lllt CHltCu HtitNFs
[cONcLuDEDl
Sec 25. Ind be il further enacted, That upon the
application of any seaman mariner for discharge
IT It shall appear the consular officer that he Is en-
titled to his discharge according to the general pth
Ciples or usages of maratme law recognized IN the
United States he shall discharge such seaman or mar
iner and shall require from the master or commander
of the ship or vessel from which such discharge shall
be made, the payment of three months extra wages,
lS provided by the act herein before mentioned, a
proved February twentyeight, eighteen hundred and
three; and it shall be the duty of such master
mander to pay the same, aud no such payment any
part thereof shall bes remitted in any case, except
such as are mentioned in the proviso OF the ninth
clause OF the act entitled An act in addition tO the
several acts regulating the shipment and discharge OF
seanen and the duties OF conSuS, approved July
twentieth eighteen hundsed and forty and as herein
after provided, and the extra wages required to be
paid by the said ninth clause of the last herenbeoe
mentioned act and by this ectiOn shall be applicable
TO the same purposes and in the same manner as is
directed by the said act approved February twenty
eighth, eighteen hundred and three in regard TO the
extra wages required to be paid thereby and il any
consular officer when dischargng any seaman or
mariner, shall neglect to require the payment oil anu
collect the extra wages required to be paid in the
Of the discharge OF any seaman or mariner, by either
of the said acts far as they shall remain in force
under this act by this act he shall be accountable
to the United States for the full amount Of their share
Of such wages and to such seaman or mariner To the
full amount Of his share thereof and If any seaman
or mariner shall, after his discharge have incurred
port or place Of his discharge before shipping again.
such expense shall be paid out of the share of the
three months wages to which he shall be entitled
which shall be retained for that purpose, and the
balance only paid over to him. Prouided hOtcerer
That in case Of wrecked stranded ships or vessels,
ships vessels condemned as unfit for SERVICE no
payment of extra wages shall be required.
Sec. 81 And be IL further enacted, That every con-
sular officer shall keep detailed list of all and
mariners shipped and discharged by him, specifying
their and the names Of the vessels on and from
which they shall be discharged, and the payments, If
any, made account Of each 50 discharged and also
Of the number Of the vessels arrived and departed
and the amounts Of their registered Tonnage, and the
number OF their selmen and mariners, and OF those
who protected, and whether citizens Of the United
States not, and nearly possible the nature and
value Of their cargOes and where produced and make
returns Of the same with their accounts and other
returns, to the Secretary OF the Treasury and no
consular officer shall certify any invoice unless he
shall be satisfied that the person making the oath or
affirmation thereto Is the person he represents himself
tD be, that he is creditabe person, aud that the
statements made under such oath or affirmation are
true and he shall thereupOn by his certicate state
that he was satisfied and 1t shall be the duty of
every consular officer to furnish tn the Secretary of
the Treasury often shall be required the prices
current Of all articles OF merchandise usually exported
to the United States from the port place in which
he shall be located.
Sec. 2s. And be il further enacted, That it shall
be the duty OF every master and commander Of a ship
or vessel Of the United Sate whenever be shall have
occasion for any consular or other ohieia SERVICE
which any consular officer OF the United States shall
be authorized by law usage officially to perform,
and for which any fees shall be allowed by the said
rates tariffs of fees aforesaid to apply 10 such
Of the said officers may then be officially loca
ted ut the consulate or commercial agency, II any
there be where such service shall be required to per
form such service, and such master or commander
shall pay to such officer such fees shall be allowed
for such SERVICE in pursuance OF the provisions OF this
act and IL any such master or commander shall omit
to do he shall be liable to the United States for the
amount OF the fees lawfully chargeable for such SER
vices though the said services had been performed
by such officer and all consular officers hereby
authorized and required to retain in their possession
all the papers Of such ships and vessel which shall he
deposited with them directed by law till payment
shall be made Of all demands and wages on account
Of such ships and vessels.
Sec. 49, And be h further enacted That II any
citizen Of the United States who shall die abroad shall
by any lawful testamentary disposition leave special
directions for the custody and management, by the
consular officer OF The port or place where he shall
die, Of the personal property OF which he shall die
possessed In such country contemplated by the act
entitled An act concerning consuls and vice-con-
suls" approved April fourteenth, seventeen hundred
and nlnetytwo il shall he the duty Of such officer 80
far the law OF such country will permit strictly TO
observe such directions and II any such citizen so
dying shall by any lawful teStamentary disposition,
have appointed any other person persons than such
ocer 10 take charge OF and manage such property, II
shall be the duty Of such officer whenever required by
such person or persons so appointed, N give his Off
cal aid In whatever way may be necessary 10 facil
tate the proceedings Of such person persons in the
lawful execution OF such trust and so far as the laws
Of the country permit to protect the property of the
deceased from any interference Of the local authorities
Of the country where such citizen shall die and TO
this end Il shall be the duty Of such consular officer
70 place his official seal upon all or any Of the personal
property effects Of the deceased, and to break and
remove such seal as may be required by such person
or persons, and not otherwise.
Sec. 80. And be il further enacted That all fees
collected for and in behalf OF the United States in
of this shall bp collected the cOin
the United States, or at its representative value in
exchange.
Sec. 81. nd be further enacted, That in the con-
struction and for the purposes OF all other acts and
parts Of acts which shall remain In force after this act
shall take effect defining any Of the powers declaring
any Of the rights prescribing any Of the duties, or
imposing any penalty or punishment for any act Of
omiasiOn or commission Of any consul, commercial
agent vicecOnsu, yice-commercial agent, allow
ing enj0ning the performance OF any act, matter
thing, with before any such officer all such acts
and parts Of acts shall in all these several respects 80
far may be consistent with the subjectmattcr and
context Of the same and with this act and the treaties
Ol the United States be deemed and taken TO include
aud apply 10 all consular officers though all such
Uficers were specially named therein and the said
Official designations in contemplation Of all such acts
and parts OF acts and Of this act shall be deemed and
taken to have the respective meanings hereinafter
assigned TO them-that i to say. consul general,
consul, and commercial agent shall be deemed
and taken to denote full, principal, and permanent
" consular onicers,r distinguished from subord-
mates and substitutes deputy consul and consul
lar agent" shall be deemed and taken to denote CON
sular officers subordinate 10 such principals exerc
sing the powers and performing the duties within the
limits Of their consnlates commercial agencies
respectively, the former at the same ports or places
and the latter at ports places different from those
ut which such principals are located respectively and
" vice-consnls and =" yice-cOmmercial agents shall
be deemed and taken to denote consular officers -
who shall be substituted temporarily to I'll the places
Of cOnsuls general consuls,' or commercial
agents" when they shall be temporarily absent or re-
heved from duty and the term consular Officer as
used In this act shall be deemed and taken TO include
all such officers mentioned in this section, and
none others and the term diplomatic officer" as
used in this act shall be deemed and taken TO include
all the officers mentioned in the first section Of this
act, and none others.
Sec. 80. And be il further enacted, That II any
consular officer shall wiliully neglect omit to per-
form seas0nably any duty imposed upon him by this
any other act, by any order or instruction made
or given in pursuance Of this or any other act shall
be guilty Of any wfnl malfeasance abuse Of power
or any corrupt conduct in his Office, he shall be liable
% all persons injured by any such neglect, or omts
sion, maeasanee abuse, or corrupt conduct for all
damages occasioned thereby and for all such DANA