Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-06-19
PUBLIC-No 70
An Act to prevent and punish fraud on the rart Of
officers intrasted with making OF contracts for the
Government

An Act to prevent and punih fraud on the rart of
odicers intrasted with making OF contracts for the
Government
Be 1t enacted by the Senate ant House Of R,py,ssntq-
CsS Of the United States Of america Congress Assem-
bed That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of
War, of the Secretary OF the Navy, and ofthe Sc
cretary the interior, imms diately after the pas
sage OF this act, cause ana require every contract
made by fhrm, Scverally, On behalf OF the Govern
ment, or by their officers under til, m appointed 70
make such contracts, to be reduced to writing and
signed BY the contracting parties with their names
a. the end thereof, copy of which shall be filed by
the officer making and signing the said contract in
the Returns ctiice' of the Department of the In
terror hereinafter established for that purpose
soon after the contract is made possible and
within thirty days. together with all bids offers and
prop sails to him made by per.ons to obtain the
same. as also copy OF any advertisement he may
hav publ shed inviting bids offers or proposals tor
the same: all the said copies and papers in relation
to each contract to be attached together by \ rib.
bon and seal and numbered in regular order nu-
merieallv according to the number of papers com
posing the whole return.
Sec. 3 And bsit further enacted That it shall be
further duty of the said officer, before making his
rsturn, according 10 the first section of this act to
aflix to the his affidavit in the following form
sworn to before some magistrate having authority
tc administer oaths: 81 do solemnly swear Tor af-
frm) that the copy ofcontract hereto annexed is an
exact copy of contract made by me personally wi
-; that made the same fairly without any ben
eft or advantage to myself or allowing any such
benefit CT advantage cnrrupty to the said or
any other person and that the papers accompanyiug
include sill those relating to the said contract, as
required by the statute in such case ade and pro-
vided." And any officer convicted of falsely and
corruptly swearing to such affidavit shall be SUI
ject to all the pains and penalties by law in
ficed for wllul and aorrupt perjury
SEC. 8. And be 1t further enacted, That any of
ticer making contracts, aforesaid and failing or
neglecttng to make returns of the same. accordiu
to the provisions of this act. unless from upayoid.
able accident and not within his control shall be
deemed in evsry case OF such failure or neglect to
be guilt of misdemeanor, and, on conviction
thereof shall be punished by fine of not less than
one hundred dollars, nor more than five hun bred
dollars, and be Imprisoned nor not more than six
months, at the discretion of the court trying the
same.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted That it shall be
duty of the Secretary OF the Interior immediately
after the passage of this act, to provide fit aud
proper apartment in his Department, 10 be called
the Returns Ofce,n within which to file the re-
turns requi ed by thi act to be lied and to appoint
clerk tn attend TO the same, who shall be entitled
to an nual salary of twelve hundred dollars and
whose duty it shall be to file all returns made to
said office, so that the same may be of easy access
fling all returns made by the same officer in the
same place, and nuu bsring them as they are m lde
| in numerical order. He shall also provide and
| keep an index book, with the names of the con.
tracing parties and the numbsr of each and every
| contract opposite TO the said names; and he shall
| submit the said index book and returns to any per
son desiring to inspect the sa ne aud he shall asC
rnsh copies of sad returns to auy person paving
for sad copies II said Gle k at the rate of five cent
for every one hundred words to which SAID copit!
certificates shall be appended in every case by thu
| CLERK making the same, attes ing their correctness
ana that esch copy soeertied is full aud complet
copy OF said return which return, certified unde