toms of the United States, or a license to any ship or vessel, for carrying on the coasting trade, or fishery or fisheries of the United States, or a certificate of ownership, pass, passport, sea letter, or clearance, granted for any ship or vessel, under the authority of the United States, or a permit, debenture, or other official document, granted by any collector or other officer of the customs, by virtue of his or their office; or shall falsely alter any abstract, official copy, or certificate of any recording, registering, or enrolling of any ship or vessel in the office of any collector of the customs of the United States, or any license to any ship or vessel for carrying on the coasting trade or fisheries of the United States, or any certificate of ownership, pass, passport, sea letter, or clearance granted for any ship or vessel under the authority of the United States, or any permit, debenture, or other official document granted by any collector, or other officer of the customs, by virtue of his or their office; or shall pass, utter, or publish, or attempt to pass, utter, or publish, as true, any such false, forged, or counterfeited instrument, or any such falsely altered abstract, official copy, certificate, license, pass, passport, sea letter, clearance, permit, debenture, or other official document as aforesaid, knowing the same to be false, forged, or counterfeited, or falsely altered, with an intent to defraud the United States, or any other body politic or corporate, or person, whatsoever; every person, so offending, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding one thousand dollars, and by imprisonment and confinement to hard labour not exceeding three years.
Forging of gold or silver coins.Sec. 20. And be it further enacted, That, if any person or persons, shall falsely make, forge, or counterfeit, or cause or procure to be falsely made, forged, or counterfeited, or willingly aid or assist in falsely making, forging, or counterfiting any coin, in the resemblance or similitude of the gold or silver coin, which has been, or hereafter may be, coined at the mint of the United States; or in the resemblance or similitude of any foreign gold or silver coin which by law now is, or hereafter may be made current in the United States; or shall pass, utter, publish, or sell or attempt to pass, utter, publish, or sell, or bring into the United States; from any foreign place, with intent to pass, utter, publish, or sell, as true, any such false, forged, or counterfeited coin, knowing the same to be false, forged, or counterfeited, with intent to defraud any body politic, or corporate, or any other person or persons, whatsoever; every person, so offending, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding five thousand dollars, and by imprisonment, and confinement to hard labour, not exceeding ten years, according to the aggravation of the offence.[1]
Forgery of copper coin.Sec. 21. And be it further enacted, That, if any person, or persons, shall falsely make, forge, or counterfeit, or cause or procure to be falsely made, forged or counterfeited, or willingly aid or assist in falsely making, forging, or counterfeiting any coin, in the resemblance or similitude of any copper coin which has been, or hereafter may be, coined at the mint of the United States; or shall pass, utter, publish, or sell, or attempt to pass, utter, publish, or sell, or bring into the United States, from any foreign place, with intent to pass, utter, publish, or sell, as true, any such false, forged, or counterfeited coin, with intent to defraud any body politic, or corporate, or any other person, or persons, whatsoever; every person, so offending, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine, not exceeding one thousand dollars, and by imprisonment, and confinement to hard labour, not exceeding three years.
Sec. 22. And be it further enacted, That, if any person or persons,
- ↑ The head pistareen is no part of the Spanish milled dollar. Such pistareen or piece of coin is not a silver coin of Spain made current, by law, in the United States. United States v. Gardner, 10 Peters, 618.
