CHAPTER XXVIII. An Act for establishing the temporary and per manent Seat of the Government of the United States. Section 1. E it enacted by the Senate and House of Reprefentatives of the United States of America in Congress affembled, Diftrict on That a diftrict of territory, not exceeding ten the Potow miles fquare, to be located as hereafter di mac ac permanent feat of go and cepted for rected on the River Potomack, at fome place between the mouths of the Eaftern-Branch vernment, and Connogochegue, be, and the fame is hereby accepted for the permanent feat of the government of the United States: Pro-ftate laws, vided nevertheless, That the operation of the laws of the ftate within fuch district shall not be affected by this acceptance, until the time fixed for the removal of the government thereto, and until Congress shall otherwise by law provide. when to cafe there in. Prefident to appoint fioners for fame; Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Prefident of the United States be authorized commif- to appoint, and by fupplying vacancies haplocating the pening from refufals to act or other caufes, to keep in appointment as long as may be neceffary, three commiffioners, who, or any two of whom, fhall, under the direction of the Prefident, furvey, and by proper metes and bounds define and limit a diftrict of territory, under the limitations above mentioned; and the district so defined, limited and located, shall be deemed the district accepted by this act, for the permanent feat of the government of the United States. Sec. 3. And be it enacted, That the faid commiffioners, or any two of them, fhall have accept prior to provide power to purchase or accept fuch quantity who may of land on the eastern fide of the faid river, purchafe or within the said diftrict, as the Prefident fhall grants of deem proper for the ufe of the United States, land, and and according to fuch plans as the Prefident Dec. 1800 fhall approve, the faid commiffioners, or any buildings. two of them, fhall, prior to the first Monday in December, in the year one thousand eight hundred, provide fuitable buildings for the accommodation of Congrefs, and of the Prefident, and for the public offices of the government of the United States. Sec. 4. And be it enacted, That for defray- expence ing the expence of fuch purchases and build- thereof, ings, the Prefident of the United States be au- defrayed. thorized and requested to accept grants of money. how to be feat of go Sec. 5. And be it enacted, That prior to Prior to 1ft the first Monday in December next, all offices Monday in attached to the feat of the government of the Dec. next, United States, shall be removed to, and until vernment the faid first Monday in December, in the ved to Phiyear one thousand eight hundred, fhall remain ladelphia, at the city of Philadelphia, in the ftate of Penn- and fo refylvania, at which place the feffion of Con- the year grefs next ensuing the present shall be held. main until 1800. In Decem to be remo Sec. 6. And be it enacted, That on the faid first Monday in December, in the year ber, one thousand eight hundred, the feat of the feat of gogovernment of the United States, fhall, by verument virtue of this act, be transferred to the district ved to dif and place aforefaid. And all offices attached trict accepted by to the faid feat of government, fhall accord- this act. ingly be removed thereto by their respective holders, and fhall, after the faid day, cease to be exercised elsewhere; and that the neseffary expence of fuch removal fhall be de frayed out of the duties on impofts and ton- FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG, APPROVED, July the fixteenth, 1790: Mafter and the iner vice to exe cute CHAPTER XXIX. An Act for the Government and Regulation of •B Section 1. E it enacted by the Senate and House of Reprefentatives of the marivers in United States of America in Congress affembled, chants for That from and after the firft day of December eate a fhip next, every mafter or commander of any fhip ping agree or veffel bound from a port in the United States to any foreign port, or of any fhip or vellel of the burthen of fifty tons or upwards, bound from a port in one ftate, to a port in any other than an adjoining state, fhall, before he proceed on fuch voyage, make an agreement in writing or in print, with every feaman or mariner on board fuch fhip or veffel (except fuch as fhall be apprentice or fervant to himfelf or owners) declaring the voyage or voyages, term or terms of time, for which fuch feaman or mariner fhall be fhipped. And if ing fo to do, any mafter or commander of fuch fhip or Materfa veffel fhall carry out any feamen or mariner fabject to (except apprentices or fervants as aforefaid) penalty. without fuch contract or agreement being firít made and figned by the feamen and mariners, fuch master or commander fhall pay to every; fuch feaman or mariner the highest price or wages which fhall have been given at the portor place where fuch feaman or mariner fhall. have been shipped, for a fimilar voyage, within three months next before the time of fuch. fhipping: Provided fuch feaman or mariner. fhall perform fuch voyage: or if not, then for fuch time as he fhall continue to do duty on, board fuch fhip or veffel; and shall moreover forfeit twenty dollars for every fuch feaman or. mariner, one half to the ufe of the perfon pro-, fecuting for the fame, the other half to the ufe of the United States: and fuch feaman or mariner, not having figned fuch contract, shall not be bound by the regulations, nor subject to the penalties and forfeitures contained in this act. failing to ty subjected Sec. 2. And be it enacted, That at the foot Mariner of every fuch contract, there fhall be a me- perform the morandum in writing, of the day and the agreement, hour on which fuch feaman or mariner, who wiat pena' fhall fo fhip and fubfcribe, fhall render them- to.. felves on board, to begin the voyage agreed upon. And if any fuch feaman or mariner fhall neglect to render himself on board the fhip or veffel, for which he has fhipped, at the time mentioned in fuch memorandum, and if the mafter, commander, or other officer of the ship or veffel, fhall on the day on which fuch neglect happened, make an entry in the logbook of fuch fhip or veffel, of the name of fuch feaman or mariner, and fhall in like man ner note the time that he fo neglected to render himself (after the time appointed); every fuch feaman or mariner fhall forfeit for every hour which he fhall fo neglect to render himself, one day's pay, according to the rate of wages agreed upon, to be deducted out of his wages. And if any fuch feaman or mariner fhall wholly neglect to render himself on board of fuch fhip or veffel, or having rendered himfelf on board, fhall afterwards defert and escape, so that the fhip or veffel proceed to fea without him, every fuch feaman or mariner fhall forfeit and pay to the mafter, owner or confignee of the faid fhip or veffel, a fum equal to that which fhall have been paid to him by advance at the time of figning the contract, over and besides the fum fo advanced, both which fums fhall be recoverable in any court, or before any juftice or juftices of any ftate, city, town or county within the United States, which, by the laws thereof, have cognizance of debts of equal value, against fuch feaman or mariner, or his furety or fureties, in cafe he fhall have given furety to proceed the voyage. Veffel lea- Sec. 3. And be it enacted, That if the mate ky or unfit or firft officer under the mafter, and a majorito perfor her voyage, ty of the crew of any fhip or veffel, bound on a what pro- voyage to any foreign port, fhall, after the voyage fhall be had is begun (and before the fhip or veffel fhall have for afcer- left the land) discover that the faid fhip or fame. veffel is too leaky, or is otherwife unfit in her ceedings taining the crew, body, tackle, apparel, furniture, provifions or ftores, to proceed on the intended voyage, and shall require fuch unfitness to be enquired into, the mafter or commander fhall upon the request of the faid mate (or other of ficer) and fuch majority, forthwith proceed to or ftop at the neareft or most convenient |