[PUBLIC-No. 56.] AN ACT to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to change the names of certain vessels. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and hereby is, authorized to change the name of the yacht "W. W. Abell," owned by James Lloyd Greene, of Norwich, Connecticut, administrator of the estate of Benjamin D. Greene, late of said Norwich, deceased, and John Jeffries, jr., of Boston, Mass., to that of "Ethel;" and also to change the name of the yacht 'L'Hirondelle," owned by James Gordon Bennette, jr., of the city of New York, to that of "Dauntless," and to grant said vessels registers in said respective names; the said vessels being pleasure yachts only, and not engaged in commercial or other business. 66 Approved, June 25, 1868. [PUBLIC NO. 57.] AN ACT relating to contested elections in the city of Washington, District of Columbia. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That whenever any person has received or shall hereafter receive a certificate from the register of the city of Washington, based upon satisfactory evidence furnished by the commissioners of election, notifying him of his election to any elective office of said city, the person receiving such notification shall be entitled to enter upon the discharge of the duties of his office, and the certificate of the register shall be prima facie evidence of his election to and right to discharge the duties of said office. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That any person who shall hinder or obstruct a person holding the certificate of election mentioned in the foregoing section from entering upon or discharging the duties of such office, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, in any court of competent jurisdiction, shall be fined in any sum not exceeding one thousand dollars, or be imprisoned in the county jail not exceeding six months, or both said punishments in the discretion of the court. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the supreme court of the District of Columbia, or any judge thereof, shall have jurisdiction to enforce, by mandamus, or otherwise, the right of any person holding the certificate mentioned in the first section of this act. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That any person who claims, or shall hereafter claim, to be elected to any elective office in said city, may commence proceedings before the said supreme court of the District of Columbia, by petition setting forth the facts upon which he relies, and shall serve a copy on the incumbent or person who has received the certificate of election; and the person so served shall make answer to said petition within five days; and said court shall thereupon try the rights of the parties to said office in a summary manner; and for that purpose a special session shall be called and held whenever necessary for the purposes of such trial; and the decision of said court in any case so brought before it shall be final and conclusive. And when the legal organization of the board of aldermen or board of common council shall be delayed on account of any contest in relation to the election of any member of either of said boards, the mayor of said city is hereby authorized to make temporary appointments of all subordinate officers whose appointment or election is authorized by the said mayor and members of said boards under existing laws, to continue until said boards shall be legally organized. SCHUYLER COLFAX, Speaker of the House of Representatives. President of the Senate pro tempore. Endorsed by the President: "Received June 16th, 1868." [NOTE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.-The foregoing act having been presented to the President of the United States for his approval, and not having been returned by him to the house of Congress in which it originated within the time prescribed by the Constitution of the United States, has become a law without his approval.] [PUBLIC-No. 58.] AN ACT for holding terms of the district court of the United States for the southern district of Illinois at the city of Cairo, in said State. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in addition to the terms of the district court of the United States for the southern district of Illinois, now required by law to be held at the city of Springfield, terms of said court shall hereafter be held at the city of Cairo, in said State, commencing on the first Mondays of March and October in each year. Approved, July 3, 1868. [PUBLIC-No. 59.] AN ACT confirming the title to a tract of land in Burlington, Iowa. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all of the title of the United States in and to a certain tract of land in the city of Burlington, Des Moines county, in the State of Iowa, described as being west of lot number nine hundred and seventy-eight in said city, south of Valley street, west of Boundary street, and north of Market street, and which was originally reserved from sale by the United States and dedicated to public burial purposes, be, and the same is hereby, confirmed to and vested in the "Independent School District" of said city, to be forever dedicated to and used by said school district for public school purposes and for no other use or purpose whatever. Approved, July 4, 1868. [PUBLIC-No. 60.] AN ACT to authorize the construction of a bridge over the Black river, in Lorain county, Ohio. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it shall be lawful for the county commissioners of the county of Lorain and State of Ohio to build a bridge across the Black river near the village of Black River, in said county, at the point where the county road leading east from said village crosses said stream: Pro vided, That there shall be placed in said bridge a draw of not less than one hundred and forty feet in width, with a centre abutment not to exceed twenty-five feet wide and ten feet above the water-line, leaving a passage on each side of the abutment of not less than fifty-seven feet in width, and so constructed as not to impede the navigation of said river, and allow the easy passage of vessels through said bridge. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the right to alter or amend this act, so as to prevent or remove all material obstructions to the navigation of said river by the construction of said bridge, is hereby expressly reserved. Approved, July 6, 1868. [PUBLIC-No. 61.] AN ACT to incorporate the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church of Washington. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Francis H. Smith, N. P. Chipman, Otis C. Wight, A. D. Robinson, Zenas C. Robbins, and their associates, who are now, or may hereafter become members of the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church of Washington, in the District of Columbia, under the rules, regulations, or by-laws of the same, be, and they are hereby, created a body corporate, under the name of "The Congregation of the First Presbyterian Church of Washington," and as such shall have perpetual succession, may purchase, hold, and convey personal and real estate, make contracts, sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, and may generally exercise and enjoy all such powers as are usually vested in corporations, and as may be necessary or incident to sustaining religious worship, Sabbath schools, missionary, and charitable enterprises in the District of Columbia, and no others; and said corporation shall be exempt from any taxes to be assessed upon their corporate property under the authority of Congress, or of the city or county of Washington: Provided, That the value of all property so exempt shall not exceed two hundred thousand dollars. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the title to any lands, buildings, and property heretofore conveyed to said congregation, or to any person or persons for the use and benefit of the same, or of the said First Presbyterian Church, is hereby vested in and confirmed to said corporation. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for said congregation, at its first meeting subsequent to the passage of this act, to be held at such time and place as the persons named in the first section of this act may designate, by a majority of the members present, to adopt such by-laws as they may deem expedient, regulating the government of said corporation, prescribing the number, character, and duties of their officers, and the manner of their election, defining the terms on which persons may become, or cease to be, members of said corporation, and providing in all things for the holding and disposal and conveyance of its real and personal estate, and for the management of said congregation, which by-laws may be amended or repealed from time to time, under such regulations as said congregation may adopt: Provided, That no by-laws shall be adopted or remain in force inconsistent with the government and laws of the United States, or with the constitution and authority of the Presbyterian church in the United States of America. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That Congress reserves the right to alter, amend, or abolish this charter at pleasure. Approved, July 7, 1868. [PUBLIC-No. 62.] AN ACT to amend section five of an act entitled "An act concerning the registering and recording of ships or vessels," approved December thirty-one, seventeen hundred and ninety-two. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section five of an act entitled "An act concerning the registering and recording of ships or vessels," approved December thirty-one, seventeen hundred and ninety-two, be, and the same is hereby, repealed. Approved, July 7, 1868. [PUBLIC-No. 63.] AN ACT to continue the Bureau for the Relief of Freedmen and Refugees, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the act entitled "An act to establish a Bureau for the Relief of Freedmen and Refugees," approved March three, eighteen hundred and sixty-five, and the act entitled "An act to continue in force and to amend An act to establish a Bureau for the Relief of Freedmen and Refugees,' and for other purposes," passed on the sixteenth of July, anno Domini eighteen hundred and sixty-six, shall continue in force for the term of one year from and after the sixteenth of July, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, excepting so far as the same shall be herein modified. And the Secretary of War is hereby directed to re-establish said bureau where the same has been wholly or in part discontinued: Provided, [That] he shall be satisfied that the personal safety of freedmen shall require it. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of War to discontinue the operations of the bureau in any State whenever such State shall be fully restored in its constitutional relations with the government of the United States, and shall be duly represented in the Congress of the United States, unless, upon advising with the Commissioner of the bureau, and upon full consideration of the condition of freedmen's affairs in such State, the Secretary of War shall be of opinion that the further continuance of the bureau shall be necessary: Provided, however, That the educational division of said bureau shall not be affected, or in any way interfered with, until such State shall have made suitable provision for the education of the children of freedmen within said State. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That unexpended balances in the hands of the Commissioner, not required otherwise for the due execution of the law, may be, in the discretion of the Commissioner, applied for the education of freedmen and refugees, subject to the provisions of laws applicable thereto. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That officers of the Veteran Reserve Corps or of the volunteer service, now on duty in the Freedmen's Bureau as assistant commissioners, agents, medical officers, or in other capacities, who have been or may be mustered out of service, may be retained by the Commissioner, when the same shall be required for the proper execution of the laws, as officers of the bureau, upon such duty and with the same pay, compensation, and all allowances, from the date of their appointment as now provided by law for their respective grades and duties at the dates of their muster-out and discharge; and such officers so retained shall have, respectively, the same authority and jurisdiction as now conferred upon "officers of the bureau" by act of Congress passed on the sixteenth of July, in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-six. SEC 5. And be it further enacted, That the Commissioner is hereby empowered to sell for cash, or by instalments with ample security, school buildings and other buildings constructed for refugees and freedmen by the bureau, to the associations, corporate bodies, or trustees who now use them for purposes of education or relief of want, under suitable guarantees that the purposes for which such buildings were constructed shall be observed: Provided, That all funds derived therefrom shall be returned to the bureau appropriation and accounted for to the treasury of the United States. Endorsed by the President: .་ SCHUYLER COLFAX, Speaker of the House of Representatives. B. F. WADE, President of the Senate pro tempore. [NOTE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. The foregoing act having been presented to the President of the United States for his approval, and not having been returned by him to the house of Congress in which it originated within the time prescribed by the Constitution of the United States, has become a law without his approval.] [PUBLIC-No. 64.] AN ACT prescribing an oath of office to be taken by persons from whom legal disabilities shall have been removed. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That whenever any person who has participated in the late rebellion, and from whom all legal disabilities arising therefrom have been removed by act of Congress by a vote of two-thirds of each house, has been or shall be elected or appointed to any office or place of trust in or under the government of the United States, he shall, before entering upon the duties thereof, instead of the oath prescribed by the act of July two, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation: I, A. B., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and So faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. help me God. Approved, July 11, 1868. [PUBLIC-No. 65.] AN ACT to incorporate the Connecticut Avenue and Park Railway Company, in the District of Columbia. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Augustus B. Stoughton, John Little, John L. Kidwell, George H. Plant, Le Roy Tuttle, G. W. Hopkins, R. M. Hall, and their associates and assigns, be, and they are hereby, created a body corporate, under the name of the "Connecticut Avenue and Park Railway Company," with authority to construct and lay down a single or double track railway, with the necessary switches and turnouts, in the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, through and along the following avenues, streets, and |
