The Placer herald., 1865-04-15
Important Amendment to the q. s. Inter.
nal Revenue Act.

At the recent session of Congress the fol,
lowing amendment was made TO the Inter
nal Revenue Act, by which persons who have
failed to comply with the law in putting
stamps upon legal instruments of writing,
can make the same valid in law by paying a
fine Of $50 and stamping such documents as
required:
That Section 1853 be amended by striking
out all after tho enacting clause, and insert
ing in lieu thereof the following, to witt
That any person or persons who shall make,
sign, or issue, or who shall cause to be made,
signed, or issued, any instrument, document,
or paper Of any kind or description whatso.
ever, or shall accept, negotiate, or pay or
bill of exchange, draft or order, or promis
sorry note, for the payment of money without
the same being duly stamped, or having
thereupon an adhesive stamp for denoting
the duty chargeable thereon, with intent to
evade the provisions of this act, shall for
every such offense forfeit the sum of $50,
and such instrument document, or paper,
BILL draft, order or note, shall be deemed in
valid and Of no effect; provided, that the
title of a purchaser of land, ty deed duly
stamped, shall not be defeated or affected by
the want Of proper stamp on any deed con
veying said land by any person from, through
or under whom the grantor claims or holds
title; and provided further, that hereafter,
to any instrument required by the 100 aud
5lst section section of the Act of June 80,
1864, or the schedule marked b. thereunto
affixed, at the time of making or issuing the
said instrument, and he, or they, or any par
ty having an interest therein shall be snbse-
quenly desirous of affixing such stamp TO
said instrument, he or they shall appear be-
fore the Collector of the revenue of the pro.
per district, who shall upon the payment of
the price of the proper stamp required by
law, and OF a penalty Of $50, and, where
the whole amount Of the duty denoted by
the stamp required shall exceed the sum of
$50, on payment also of interest, at the rate
Of 6 per cent on said duty from the day on
which said stamp ought TO have been affixed,
atfix the proper stamp TO such instrument,
and note upon the margin of said ins,ru
ment the date of his so doing, and the fact
that such penalty has been paid and such
instrument shall thereupon he deemed and
held to be as valid to all intents and purpo
ses, as if stamped when made or issued: And
provided further, That where it shall appear
to said Collector, upon oath or otherwise to
his satisfaction, that any such instrument has
not been duly stamped at the time of making
or issuing the same by reason of accident,
mistake, inadvertence. or urgent necessity,
and without any wllful design to defraud
the II nil ed States of he Stamn 1uty Or IN
evade or delay the payment thereof, then,
and in such case, if such instrument shall.
within twelve calendar months after the ma
king or issuing thereof, be brought to the
said Collector Of revenue to be stamped and
the stamp duty chargeable thereon shall be
paid, it shall be lawful for the said Collector
to remit the penalty aforesaid, and to cause
such instrument to be duly stamped"