Full text of Coinage Act of 1834

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TWENTY-THIRD CONGRESS.

S e ss .

I.

C h.

95.

1834.

o f the several ports, shall be paid for the year one thousand eight hun­
dred and thirty-three, as if they had been specifically included in the
third section o f the act o f the second o f March, o f said year, entitled
“ An act making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic expenses o f
government, for the year eighteen hundred and th ir ty -th r e e Provided,
however, that in no case shall the compensation o f any other officers
than collectors, naval officers and surveyors, whether by salaries, fees, or
otherwise, exceed the sum o f two thousand dollars each per annum; nor
shall the union o f any two or more o f these officers in one person entitle
him to receive more than the sum o f two thousand five hundred dollars
per annum; and provided, also, that no officer shall receive under this
act a greater annual salary or compensation than was paid to such officer
for the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, provided, however,
that the number o f officers to be employed in any o f the custom-houses
shall not be augmented beyond those now in service; and provided
further, that the said collectors, naval officers and surveyors shall render,
an account quarterly to the treasury, and the other officers herein named
or referred to shall render an account quarterly to the respective collec­
tors o f the customs where they are employed, to be forwarded to the
treasury, o f all the fees and emoluments whatever by them respectively
received, and o f all expenses incident to their respective offices, which
accounts shall be rendered on oath or affirmation, and shall be in such
form, and be supported by such proofs, to be prescribed by the Secretary
of the Treasury, as will in his judgment best enforce the provisions o f
this section, and show its operation and effect.
S e c . 3. And be it fu rth er enacted, That no payment o f the money,
appropriated by this act, or any other act passed at the present session o f
Congress, shall be made in the note or notes o f any bank which shall
not be at par value at the place where such payment may be made, pro­
vided that nothing herein contained shall be construed to make any thing
but gold and silver a tender in payment, o f any debt due from the United
States to individuals.
S e c . 4. And be it fu rth er enacted, That the secretary o f the Senate
be, and he hereby is, directed to pay, out o f the fund appropriated by law
for the pay o f members o f Congress, to Elisha R . Potter, o f the state o f
Rhode Island, such compensation as is allowed by law to members o f
Congress, for hi3 travel from his place o f residence to the city o f Wash­
ington, to claim a seat in the Senate, and for his return and also the per
diem compensation for the days he was in actual attendance at the seat
o f government from the commencement o f the present session o f Con­
gress, until the final decision by the Senate against his right to the seat
so claimed by him.
A p p r o v e d , June 27, 1834.

099

A c t o f M arch
2 , 1833, ch . 64.
P roviso.

Paym ents not
to b e made in
bank notes be­
lo w par at p lace
o f paym ent.

Elisha R . P ot­
ter to b e paid
for m ileage and
attendance.

S t a t u t e I.

C hap. X C V .—

An Act concerning the gold coins of the United States, and/or
other purposes.

B e it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the United
States o f America, in Congress assembled, That the gold coins o f the
United States shall contain the following quantities o f metal, that is to
say: each eagle shall contain twp hundred and thirty-two grains o f pure
gold, and two hundred and fifty-eight grains o f standard gold; each half
eagle one hundred and sixteen grains o f pure gold, and one hundred
and twenty-nine grains o f standard gold; each quarter eagle shall contain
fifty-eight grains o f pure gold, and sixty-four and a halt grains o f stan­
dard g o ld ; every such eagle shall be o f the value o f ten dollars; every
such half eagle shall be o f the value o f five dollars; and every such
quarter eagle shall be o f the value o f two dollars and fifty cents; and the

June 2 8 , 1834.

Standard and
w eigh t o f coin s.
V o l. ii. 6 4.
V o l. ii. 111.

TWENTY-THIRD CONGRESS.

700

Gold and sil­
ver deposited for
coinage to be
paid for within
five days.
Proviso.

K ate at which
gold coin shall
be receivable.

G old coins to
be set apart for
assay.

P roviso.

A c t to b e in
force after July
31, 1834.

Statute

ess.

I.

Ch.

96.

1834.

said gold coins shall be receivable in all payments, when o f full weight,
according to their respective values; and when o f less than full weight,
at less values, proportioned to their respective actual weights.
S e c . % And be it further enacted, That all standard gold or silver de­
posited for coinage after the thirty-first o f July next, shall be paid for in
coin under the direction o f the Secretary o f the Treasury, within five
days from the making o f such deposit, deducting from the amount o f
said deposit o f gold and silver one-half o f one per centum: Provided,
That no deduction shall be made unless said advance be required by such
depositor within forty days.
S e c . 3. And be it fu rth er enacted, That all gold coins o f the United
States, minted anterior to the thirty-first day o f July next, shall be re­
ceivable in all payments at the rate o f ninety-four and eight-tenths o f a
cent per pennyweight.
S e c . 4. And be it fu rth er enacted, That the better to secure a confor­
mity o f the said gold coins to their respective standards as aforesaid,
from every separate mass o f standard gold which shall be made into
coins at the said mint, there shall be taken, set apart by the treasurer and
reserved in hi3 custody, a certain number o f pieces, not less than three,
and that once in every year the pieces so set apart and reserved shall be
assayed under the inspection o f the officers, and at the time, and in the
manner now provided by law, and, if it shall be found that the gold so
assayed, shall not be inferior to the said standard hereinbefore declared,
more than one part in three hundred and eighty-four in fineness, and one
part in five hundred in weight, the officer or officers o f the said mint
whom it may concern, shall be held excusable ; but if any greater inferi­
ority shall appear, it shall be certified to the President of the United
States, and if he shall so decide, the said officer or officers shall be there­
after disqualified to hold their respective offices: Provided, That if, in
making any delivery o f coin at the mint in payment o f a deposit, the
weight thereof shall be found defective, the officer concerned shall be
responsible to the owner for the full weight, if claimed at the time o f
delivery.
S e c . 5. A nd be it fu rth er enacted, That this act shall be in force from
and after the thirty-first day o f July, in the year one thousand eight hun­
dred and thirty-four.
A p p r o v e d , June 28, 1834.

I.

June 28, 1834.

A c t o f June
25, 1834, ch . 71.
Kates at which
gold coins shall
be
receivable
after July 31,
1834.
Coins o f Great
Britain, Portu­
gal , and Brazil.
F rance.
Spain, M ex ico,
and C olom bia.

Annual assays
to b e m ade.

(a )

S

C h ap.

XCYI.—An Act regulating the value of certainforeign gold coins within
the United States, (a)

B e it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the United
States o f America, in Congress assembled, That, from and after the thirtyfirst day o f July next, the following gold coins shall pass as current as
money within the United States, and be receivable in all payments, by
weight, for the payment o f all debts and demands, at the rates following,
that is to say: the gold coins o f Great Britain, Portugal, and Brazil, of
not less than twenty-two carats fine, at the rate o f ninety-four cents and
eight-tenths o f a cent per pennyweight; the gold coins o f France ninetenths fine, at the rate o f ninety-three cents and one-tenth o f a cent per
pennyweight; and the gold coins o f Spain, Mexico, and Colombia, o f
the fineness o f twenty carats three grains and seven-sixteenths o f a grain,
at the rate o f eighty-nine cents and nine-tenths o f a cent per penny­
weight.
S e c . 2. And be it fu rther enacted, That it shall be the duty o f the
Secretary o f the Treasury to cause assays o f the aforesaid gold coins,

N otes o f the acts w hich have been passed relative to foreign co in s, vol. ii. p . 374.

TWENTY-THIRD CONGRESS.

S ess . I . C h .

97,98,99,100. 1834.

701

made current by this act, to be had at the mint o f the United States,
at least once in every year, and to make a report o f the result thereof to
Congress.
A p p r o v e d , June 28, 1834.
S ta tu te I.

C h a p . X C V 11. — J it i

Act to authorize the removal of the customshouse from
Magnolia, to St. Marks in Florida.

B e it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the United
States o f America, in Congress assembled, That, the President o f the
United States be, and he is hereby, authorized to remove the custom­
house, now established at Magnolia on the St. Marks river in Florida, to
the town o f St. Marks or some other point on St. Marks harbour which
may be deemed suitable, when in his judgment the public interests and
convenience may require it, and after the removal aforesaid the office o f
surveyor at St. Marks shall be abolished.
A p p r o v e d , June 28, 1834.

June 2 8, 1834.

P resident to
cause custom ­
house to be rem oved.

Statu te

I.

XCVTO.—An Act to attach the territory of the United States west of the
Mississippi river, and north i f the slate of Missouri, to the territory of Michi­
gan.

June 2 8, 1834.

B e it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the United
States o f America, in Congress assembled, That all that part o f the terri­
tory o f the United States bounded on the east by the Mississippi river,
on the south by the state o f Missouri, and a line drawn due west from
the north-west corner o f said state to the Missouri river; on the south­
west and west by the Missouri river and the White Earth river, falling
into the same; and on the north, by the northern boundary o f the United
States, shall be, and hereby is, for the purpose o f temporary government,
attached to, and made a part of, the territory o f Michigan, and the in­
habitants therein shall be entitled to the same privileges and immunities,
and be subject to the same laws, rules, and regulations, in all respects,
as the other citizens o f Michigan territory.
A p p r o v e d , June 28, 1834.

Territory m ade
part o f M ichi­
gan, and the in­
habitants sub­
je cte d
to its
la w s, & c.

C hap.

St a t u t e

C hap.

XCIX.— An Actfo r the benefit of the city of Washington.

B e it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the United
States o f America, in Congress assembled, That the Secretary o f the Trea­
sury be, and he is hereby, authorized to pay, out o f any unappropriated
money in the treasury, a sum not exceeding seventy thousand dollars, in
quarterly instalments, for one year from the passage o f this act, to the
mayor o f the city o f Washington, to be applied under the direction and
authority o f the boards o f aldermen and common council, to extinguish
so much o f the interest annually accruing on their public debt.
A p p r o v e d , June 28, 1834.

June 2 8, 1834.
A ppropriation
to extinguish in­
terest on public
debt o f W ash­
ington city.

Sta tu te

C h a p . C . —An

Act to enable the President to make an arrangement with the go­
vernment of France in relation to certain French seamen killed or wounded at
Toulon, and their families.
W h e r e a s certain French seamen were unfortunately killed and others
wounded, by firing a salute from the American frigate United States in
the harbour o f Toulon, on the first day o f May last, and whereas it is
3 n 2

I.

I.

June 2 8, 1834.