New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-07-13

working Icondition at all tines and that,
until such time as the needful changes
are made ito accommodate railroad and
other traffic, as contemplated by this sup
plement, it shall be the duty OF the said
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company
to repair without delay all damages to the
present bridge. and maintain it without cost
to the United States: Provided, THAT said
railroad company shall give other railroad
companies the right to pass over said bridge
upon such reasonable terms as may be
agreed upon, or Congress prescribe.*
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted. That if
the said Baltimore and Potomac Railroad
Company shall at any time neglect to keep
said bridge i'll good repair, and free for
public use for ordinary travel, the govern
ment Of the United States may enter into
possession Of the said bridge; and Congress
reserves the right to alter or amend this law.
Approved, june 81, 1870.
PUBLIC-No. 81.
AN ACT to establish the Department of
Justice.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America, in Congress assembled, That there
shall be, and is hereby, established, an ex-
ecutive department of the government of
the United States, to be called the Depart
ment of Justice, of which the Attorney
General shall be the head. His duties,
salary, and tenure Of Office shall remain as
now fixed by lax, except SO far as they may
be modified by this act.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That
there shall be in said department an officer
learned in the law, to assist the Attorney
General in the performance OF his duties,
to be called the Solicitor General and who,
in case of vacancy in the office of AttOr-
ney General, or in his absence or disability,
shall have power to exercise all the duties
Of that office. There shall also he continued
in said department the two other
officers learned in the law, called
the assistants OF the Attorney
the Attorney General and Solicitor General
in the performance Of their duties, as now
required by law.
SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That
from and after the time when this act takes
effect, the solicitor of the treasury and his
assistants, the solicitor Of internal revenue
the solicitor and naval judge advocate gen.
eral, who shall hereafter be known asthe
naval solicitor, and the clerks, messengers,
and labOrers employed in the Office of the
Attorney General, and in the offices OF the
solicitor of the treasury, naval solicitor, and
solicitor of internal revenue, and the law
officer in the Department Of State, now
designated as the examiner of claims in said
department. shall be transferred from the
departments with which they are now asso-
ciated to the Department of Justice; and
said officers shall exercise their functions
under the supervision and control of the
head of the Department of Justice.
SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That
questions of law submitted to the Attorney
General for his opinion, except questions III.
vOlving construction of the Constitution
of the United States, may be by him re-
ferred to such of his subOrlinates as he may
deem appropriate, and he may require the -
written opinion thereon. of the officer TO
whom the same may be referred: and if the
opinion given by such officer shall heap
proved by the Attorney General such ap
proval SO Endorsed thereon shall give the
opinion the same force and effect as belong
to the opinions of the Attorney General
SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That :.
whenever the Attorney General deems it
necessary. he may require the Solicitor Gen
eral to argue. any case in which the govern
ment is interested before the Court Of
Claims; and as to cases coming by appeal
from the Court of Claims to the Supreme
Court of the United States, it shall he the
duty of the Attorney General and Solicitor
that court as in other cases in which the
United States is interested. And the Attor-
ney General may, whenever he deems it for
the interest of the United States. conduct
and argue any case in which the govern
ment is interested, in any court Of the
United States, or may require the Solicitor
General or any officer Of his department to
do So. And the Solicitor General, or any
officer of the Department of Justice may
be sent by the Attorney General to IN!
State or district in the United States toat
fan1 tn no int of ba Unit
in any suit pending in any of the court
of the United States, or in the courr
OF any State, or to attend to any
other interests of the United States; fG
which service they shall receive, in add
ton to their salaries, their actual and ne
cessary expenses while SO absent from the
seat Of government the account thereot@
be verified by affidavit.
Sec. g. And be it further enacted, That
whenever question of law arises in the ad' 1
either of the War or Navy DE- Y
partment, the cognizance of which is not
given by statute to some other Officer
from whom the head of either Of
these departments may require advls
the same shall be sent to the A.
torney General, to be by him referd
to the proper officer in his department pr
vided for in this act, or otherwise disposa
Of as he may deem proper; and each hal
require the opinion of the Attorney Genenl
on all questions of law arising in the W
OF their respective depSf
ments. FL. III
SIC. 7. And be it further enacted, TT
The duties enjOined upon the Auditor OF
POstOffice Department by the fourteen
section of the act entitled IAN act to chalr
he organization of the PostOffice Depm
nent, and to provide more effectually
-ha of fhn
passed, July two, eighteen hundred
.hirty-six, shall hereafter be performed
'Ome officer Of the Department OF Jurtr'
% be specially designated, under the DIRE
ion of the Attorney General, who shall S~
nave the care Of prosecutions for mail Gr
relations and penal offenses against p'
postal laws.
Sec g. And be it further enacted. Thai
he Attorney General is hereby empowers
% make all necessary rules and regulator
or the government of said Departments
Justice, and for the management and dlsus =
,ution of it's business a.-s K
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, Tb, N
he several officers hereinbcfore Transferred
rom the other departments to the Depart
nent of Justice shall hold their respective
tfices until their successors are duly
Qualified; and the Solicitor General, anu
whenever vacancies occur, the assistants VI tN
ne Attorney Ueneritl, anu III inc soHeArH:
nd assistant solicitors mentioned in TINS
ct shall be appointed by the President, oy
nd with the advice and consent of the Sen
te All the other officers, clerks, and EN-
loyes in the said department shall be az
oi1ted and be removable by the Attorne
,enerai,
SEC TO- And bc it further enacted. 1h$
he following annual salaries shall be pig
, the officers hereinbefore mentioned;
he Solicitor General, seven thousand n.y.
undred dollars; to each OF the assistant
f the Attorney General, five thousand ooi
IFS each; to the solicitor OF the 1nterns