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for the restoration of seamen deserting, made in writing, stating that the person therein named has deserted from a vessel of any such government while in any port of the United States, and on proof by the exhibition of the register of the vessel, ship's roll, or other official document, that the person named belonged, at the time of desertion, to the crew of said vessel, it shall be the duty of any court, judge, justice, or other magistrate, having competent power, to issue warrants to cause the said person to be arrested for examination; and if, on examination, the facts stared are found to be true, the person arrested, not being a citizen of the United States, shall be delivered up to the said consul or vice-consul, to be sent back to the domipions of any such government, or, on the request, and at the expense of the said consul or vice-consul, shall be detained until the consul or vice-consul finds an opportunity to send him back to the dominions of any such government: Provided nevertheless, That no person shall be detained more than two months after his arrest; but at the end of that time shall be set at liberty, and shall not be again molested for the same cause: And provided further, That if any such deserter shall be found to have committed any crime or offence, his surrender may be delayed until the tribunal before which the case shall be depending, or may be cognizable, shall have pronounced its sentence, and such sentence shall have been carried into effect.

RUSSIA. CONTRAVENTIONS OF FIFTH ARTICLE OF TREATY.

No. 55.-An act for the punishment of contraventions of the fifth article of the treaty between the United States and Russia.

[Act of May 19, 1828.]

SEC. 1. Be it enacted, That if any one, being a citizen of the United States, or trading under their authority, shall, in contravention of the stipulations entered into by the United States with the emperor of all the Russias, by the fifth article of the treaty, signed at St. Petersburg, on the seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-four, sell, or cause to be sold, to the natives of the on the north-west coast of America, or any of the islands adjacent thereto, country any spirituous liquors, fire-arms, or other arms, powder or munitions of war of any kind, the person so offending shall be fined in a sum not less than fifty, nor more than two hundred dollars, or imprisoned not less than thirty days, nor more than six months.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the superior courts in each of the territorial districts, and the circuit courts and other courts of the United States, of similar jurisdiction in criminal causes, in each district of the United States, in which any offender against this act shall be first apprehended or brought for trial, shall have, and are hereby invested with, full power and authority to hear, try and punish, all crimes, offences and misdemeanors, against this act; such courts proceeding therein in the same manner as if such crimes, offences and misdemeanors, had been committed within the bounds of their respective districts.

No. 34.-An act to provide for the adjustment of claims of persons entitled to indemnification under the convention between the United States and his majesty the King of Denmark, of the twenty-eighth March, eighteen hundred and thirty. and for the distribution among such claimants of the sums to be paid by the Danish Government to that of the United States, according to the stipulation of the said convention.

[Act of February 25, 1831.]

SEC. 1. Be it enacted, &c. That the commissioners who are or may be appointed by the president of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, in pursuance of the third article of the convention between the United States of America and his Majesty the King of Denmark, signed at Copenhagen the twenty-eighth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and thirty, shall meet at Washington City, in the District of Columbia, and. within the space of two years from the time of their first meeting, shall receive, examine, and decide upon the amount and validity of all such claims as may be presented to them, and are provided for by the convention referred to, according to the merits of the several cases, and to justice, equity, and the law of nations, and according to the provisions of said convention.

SEC. 2. That all records, documents, or other papers, which now are in or hereafter, during the continuance of this commission, may come into the possession of the Department of State, in relation to such claims, shall be delivered to the commission aforesaid.

SEC. 3. That the said commissioners, or a majority of them, with their Secretary, whose appointment is hereinafter provided for, shall convene in this city on the first Monday of April next, and shall proceed to execute the duties of their commission; and the Secretary of State shall be, and he is hereby authorized and required forthwith, after the passing of this act, to give notice of the said intended meeting, to be published in one or more public gazettes in the city of Washington, and in such other public papers, published elsewhere in the United States, as he may designate.

SEC. 4. That the said commissioners shall proceed immediately after their meeting in the city of Washington, with all convenient despatch, to arrange and docket the several claims, and to consider the evidence which shall have been, or which may be offered by the respective claimants allowing such further time for the production of such further evidence as may be required, and as they shall think reasonable and just: and they shall thereupon proceed to determine the said claims, and to award distribution of the sums to be received by the United States from the King of Denmark under the stipulations of the convention aforesaid, among the several claimants, according to their respective rights.

SEC. 5. That the said commissioners shall be, and they are hereby authorized and empowered to make all needful rules and regulations, not con

travening the laws of the land, the provisions of this act, or the provisions of the said convention, for carrying their said commission into full and complete effect.

SEC. 6. That the President of the United States be and he is hereby, authorized, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint a Secretary to the said commission.

SEC. 7. That the said commissioners and Secretary shall severally take an oath for the faithful performance of the duties of their respective offices. SEC. 8. That the compensation of the respective officers for whose appointment provision is made by this act shall not exceed the following sums: to each of the said commissioners at the rate of three thousand dollars per annum, and to the Secretary of the Board at the rate of two thousand dollars per annum; and the president of the United States shall be, and he is hereby, authorized to make such provision for the contingent expenses of the said commission as shall appear to him reasonable and proper; and the said salaries and expenses shall be paid out of any money in the Treasury, not otherwise appropriated.

SEC 9. That all moneys to be received from the Danish Government under the convention aforesaid, shall be paid into the Treasury of the United States, and shall constitute a fund for satisfying the awards of the commission provided for by this act.

SEC. 10. That all communications to or from the Secretary of the Board of Commissioners on the business of the commission, shall pass by mail free of postage.

SEC. 11. That as soon as the said commission shall be executed and completed, the records, documents, and all other papers in the possession of the commissiou or its officers shall be disposited in the office of the Secretary of State.

No. 55.-An Act to carry into effect the convention between the United States and his Majesty the King of the French, concluded at Paris on the fourth of July, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one.

[Act of July 13, 1832.]

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, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint three commissioners, who shall form a board, whose duty it shall be to receive and examine all claims which may be presented to them under the convention between the United States and France, of the fourth of July, one thousand eight hundred and thirty one, which are provided for by the said convention, according to the provisions of the same, and the principles of justice, equity, and the law of nations. The said board shall have a secretary, versed in the English, French, and Spanish languages, and a clerk, both to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate; and the commissioners, secretary, and clerk, shall, before they enter on the duties of their offices, take oath well and faithfully to perform the duties thereof.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said commissioners shall be, and they are hereby, authorized to make all needful rules and regulations, not contravening the laws of the land, the provisions of this act, or the provisions of the said convention for carrying their said commission into full and complete effect.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the board so constituted shall meet on the first Monday of August next at the city of Washington; and, within two years from the time of its meeting, shall terminate its duties. And the Secretary of State is required forthwith, after the passing of this act, to give notice of the said meeting; to be published in two newspapers in Washington, and in such other papers as he may think proper.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That all records, documents, or other papers, which now are in, or hereafter, during the continuance of this commission, may come into the possession of the Department of State, in relation to such claims, shall be delivered to the commission aforesaid.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the compensation of the respective officers, for whose appointment provision is made by this act, shall not exceed the following sums, namely: to each of the said commissioners, at 'he rate of three thousand dollars per annum; to the Secretary of the board at the rate of two thousand dollars per annum; and to the clerk at the rate of fifteen hundred dollars per annum. And the President of the United States shall be, and he is hereby authorized, to make such provision for the contingent expenses of the said commission, as shall appear to him reasonable and proper; and the said salaries and expenses shall be paid out of any mos ney in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.