and forfeiture, of all such vessels, goods, wares or merchandise, brought in, landed, or unladen in any other manner. And all goods, wares and merchandise brought into the United States by land, contrary to this act, shall be forfeited, together with the carriages, horses, and oxen, that shall be employed in conveying the same.
Approved, July 31, 1789.
Statute Ⅰ.Aug. 5, 1789.
Chap. VI.—An Act for settling the Accounts between the United States and individual States.[1]
Vacancies in the board of commissioners, how to be supplied. Section 1. 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 be, and he hereby is empowered to nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint such person or persons as he may think proper for supplying any vacancy that now is, or may hereafter take place in the Board of Commissioners, established by an ordinance of the late Congress, of the seventh of May, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, to carry into effect the said ordinance and resolutions of Congress, for the settlement of accounts between the United States and individual States.
Clerks to be appointed, Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said Board of Commissioners be, and they hereby are empowered to appoint a chief clerk, and such other clerks as the duties of their office may require; and that the pay their salaries. of the said chief clerk be six hundred dollars per annum, and of each other clerk four hundred dollars per annum.
Approved, August 5, 1789.
Statute Ⅰ.Aug. 7, 1789.
Chap. VII.—An Act to establish an Executive Department, to be denominated the Department of War.[2]
- ↑ See act of August 5, 1790, chap. 38.
- ↑ An Ordinance for ascertaining the Powers and Duties of the Secretary at War. Be it ordained by the United States in Congress assembled, That the powers and duty of the Secretary at War shall be as follows, to wit: To examine into the present state of the war department, the returns and present state of the troops, ordnance, arms, ammunition, clothing and supplies of the troops of these States, and report the same to Congress; to keep exact and regular returns of all the forces of these States, and of all the military stores, equipments and supplies in the magazines of the United States, or in other places for their use; and to receive into his care, from the officers in whose possession they may be, all such as are not in actual service; to form estimates of all such stores, equipments and supplies as may be requisite for the military service, and for keeping up competent magazines, and to report the same to the commissioners of the treasury of the United States, that measures may be taken in due time for procuring the same; to prepare estimates for paying and recruiting the troops of these United States; to carry into effect all ordinances and resolves of Congress for raising and equipping troops for the service of the United States, and for inspecting the said troops; and to direct the arrangement, destination and operation of such troops as are or may be in service, subject to the orders of Congress or of the committee of the States in the recess of Congress; to make out, seal and countersign the commissions of all such military officers as shall be employed in the service of the United States; to take order for the transportation, safe keeping and distributing the necessary supplies for such troops and garrisons as may be kept up by the United States. He shall appoint and remove at pleasure all persons employed under him, and shall be responsible for their conduct in office; all which appointments shall be immediately certified to Congress, and such certificate, or the substance thereof, registered in a book to be kept for that purpose in the office of the secretary of Congress. He shall keep a public and convenient office in the place where Congress shall reside. He shall, at least once a year, visit all the magazines and deposits of public stores, and report the state of them with proper arrangements to Congress; and shall twice a year, or oftener if thereto required, settle the accounts of his department. That as well the Secretary at War as his assistants or clerks, before they shall enter on the duties of their office, shall respectively take and subscribe an oath or affirmation of fidelity to the United States, and for the faithful execution of the trust reposed in them; and which oaths or affirmations shall be administered by the secretary of Congress, and a certificate thereof filed in his office. The oath of fidelity shall be in the words following: “I, A. B. appointed to the office of do acknowledge that
