The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-10-06
CHAP. XCIH.

An Act to prevent and punish Fraud on the Part
of Officers intrusted with making of Contracts
for the Government.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives of the United States of America in
Congress assembled, That it shall be the duty of
the Secretary OF War, OF the Secretary OF the
Navy, and of the Secretary of the Interior, imme-
diately after the passage of this act, to and
require every contract made by them, severally,
on behalf of the Government, Or by their officers
under them appointed to make such contracts, to
be reduced to writing and signed by the con-
tracing parties with their names at the end there
of, copy of which shall be filed by the officer
making and signing the said contract in the g Re-
turns Office" of the Department of the Interior
Hereinafter established for that purpose) soon
after the contract is made as possible, and within
proposals TO him made by persons to obtain the
same, as also a copy of any advertisement he may
have published inviting bids, offers proposals
lation to each contract to be attached together
by ribon and seal, and numbered in regular or
der numerically, according to the number OF pa
pers composing the whole return.
Sec. q And be it further enacted, That it shall
be the further duty of the SAID officer, before
making his return, according to the first section
of this act to afix to the his affidavit in the
following form, sworn to before some magistrate
having authority to administer oaths: " 1 do
s0lemnly swear Cor afirm) that the copy of con-
tract hereto annexed is an exact copy of a con-
tract made by me personally with -; that
made the same fairly without any benefit or ad-
vantage to myself, or allowing any such benefit
or advantage corruptly to the said - or any
other person and that the papers accompanying
inende all those relating to the said contract,
required by the statute in such case made and
provided.' And any officer convicted of falsely
or corruptly swearing to such affidavit, shall be
subject to all the pains and penalties now by law
inflicted for wilful and corrupt perjury.
SEC. g. And be it further enacted, That any Off
Ger making contracts, as aforesaid, and failing or
negecting to make returns OF the same, accord
ing to the provisions of this act, unless from un
avoidable accident and not within his control,
shall be deemed, in every case of such failure or
n
conviction thereof, shall be punished by fine of
not less than one hundred dollars, nor more than
more than six months, at the discretion of the
court trying the same
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That it shall
be the duty of the Secretary of the Interior, i'm
1niately after the passage of this act to provide
n ft and proper apartment in his Department, to
be called the Returns Ofice,' within which to
fike the returns required by this act to be filed,
lrs1 to appoint clerk to attend to the same, who
.shrall be entitled to an annual salary of twelve
hundred dollars, and whose duty it shall be to file
ala returns made to said office, that the same
may be of easy access, filing all returns made by
the same officer in the same place. and numbering
them as they are made in numerical order. He
shall also provide and keep an index book, with
the names OF the contracting parties, and the
number of each and every contract opposite to
the said names and he shall submit the said in
deX book and returns to any person desiring to
inspect the same and he shall also furnish copies
les to said clerk at the rate of five cents for every
one hundred words, to which said copies certifi-
Gates shall be appended in every case by the clerk
making the same, attcsting their correctness, and
that each copy SO certified is full and complete
copy of said return; which return, SO certified
alnder the seal of the Department, shall be evil
dence in all prosecutions under this act.
SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That it shall
be the duty of the Secretary of War, of the Sec
retary of the Navy, and of the Secretary of the
Interior, Immediately after the passage of this
act to furnish each and every officer severally ap
pointed by them with authority to make contracts
behalf of the Government, with printed let
ter of instructions, setting forth the duties of
such officer under this aci, and alse to furnish
Herewith forms, printed in blank, of contracts to
he made, and the affidavit of returns required to
be affixed thereto, so that all the instruments may
be as nearly uniform possible
Approved, June 2, 1852.