Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1864-09-10
TPUBL1c-No. 1861
An ACT to encourage immigratie


Be it enacted by the Senate and House
Of Representatives Of the United States
of america in Congress Assembled, That.
the President of the United States is hereby
authorized, by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate, to appoint Commission
er of Immigration, who shall be subject to the
direction of the Department of State, shall
hold his Office for four years, and shall receive
a salary at this rate Of two thousand five hun
dred dollars year. The said Commissioner
may employ not more than three clerks, of
such grade as the Secretary of State shall
designate, to be appointed by him, with tho
approval of tho Secretary of State, and to
hold their offices at his pleasure.
Sec. g. And be 1t further enacted, That
all contracts that shall BE- made by emigrants
to the United States in foreign countries, in
conformity to regulations that may be estab-
lishcG by the said Commissioner, whereby
emigrants shall pledge the wages of their
labor for term not exceeding twelve months,
to repay the expenses of their emigration,
shall be held to b. valid in law, and may be
enforced in the courts of the United States,
or ofthe several States and Territories, and
such advances il so stipulated in the contract,
and tho contract bc recorded in the recorder s
Office in the county where the emigrant shall
settle, shall operate as lien upon any land
thereafter acquired by the emigrant, whether
under the homestead law when the title is
consumated or the property otherwise ac-
quired. until liquidated by the emigrant; but
nothing herein contained shall be deemed to
authorize any contract contravening the Con-
stitution of the United States or creating in
any way the relation of slavery or servitude.
Sec. 3. Ind be it .fIrhcr enacted, That
no emigrant to the United States who shall be
compulsively enrolled for military service
during the existing ;nsurrcction, unless such
emigrant shall voluntarily renounce under oath
his allegiance to the country Of his birth and
declare his intention to become a citizen of
the United States.
Sec. 4. And be It further enacted, That
there shall be established in the city Of New
York an Office to bs known as the United
States Emigrant Office; and there shall be
appointed, by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate, an officer for said city, to
be known as superintendent of immigration.
at an annual salary of two thousand dollars,
and tho said superintendent may employ a
clerk Of the first class; and such superintend.
ent shall, under the direction Of the Commits
sioner of immigration, make contracts with
the different railroads and transportation com
panies of the United States for transportation
tickets, to be furnished to such immigrants.
and to be paid for by them, and shall. under
such rules as may be prescribed by the Com
missioner Of immigration. protect such immi.
grants from imposition and fraud. and shall
furnish them euch information and facilities
"A will enable them to proceed in the cheap
est and most expeditions manner to the place
OF their destination. And such superintend-
ent Of immigration shall perform such other
duties n may be prescribed by the Commis-
sioner Of Immigration; Prorided, That the
duties hereby imposed upon the suP:rintend-
eut in the city Of New York shall not be
held TO affect the powers and duiies Of the
Commissioner Of immigration Of the State u
New York. And il shall be the duty ofsaid
superintendent in the city of New York "a
see that the provisions Of the act coamonIy
known as the passenger act are strictly com.
pl;rd with, and al breaches thereof punished
according to law.
Sec. 5. Had he IL f1aAey essofed. That
no per-on shall be qualified to GIL any Office
under this act who shall be dir-csly OF indi-
recfly interested in any corporation having
lands for sale Tn immigrants, OF in the carrying
or transportation Of immigrants. either iron
foreign countries to the United States and
i,s Territories cr to any part thereof. or whe
shall receive any fee or reward. or the prom
ise thereof, for any service performed q. any