Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 1.djvu/652

 written, or printed, all or any of the several instruments, writings, matters and things herein before enumerated and charged, according to the nature and description of each of the said instruments, writings, matters and things as are herein before specified and described. Which said several marks and stamps shall be notified by a public notification, or advertisement, to be issued by the Secretary of the Treasury, and inserted in at least one newspaper printed in each state, and in the territory north west of the Ohio, and for not less than three months before the said thirty-first day of December next, to the end that all persons may have due notice thereof; and which said marks and stamps, or any of them, shall or may be altered or renewed from time to time, as the said Secretary of the Treasury shall think fit, so as like public notification thereof be made, for a term not less than three months, before such new stamps or marks shall begin to be used.

. And be it further enacted, That the supervisors of the revenue are hereby empowered and required, forthwith upon demand to them or any of them, made by any person or persons, to stamp or mark any quantities or parcels of vellum, parchment or paper (he or they paying to the supervisors of the revenue respectively, the respective duties hereby directed to be paid for the same) to stamp and mark the same accordingly, without any other fee or reward; which stamp or mark shall be a sufficient discharge for the several and respective duties hereby granted upon the said vellum, parchment or paper, which shall be so stamped or marked.

. And be it further enacted, That if any supervisor of the revenue shall fix any such mark or stamp to any vellum, parchment, or paper, upon such request or demand as aforesaid, before the several and respective duties thereupon charged by this act, shall be duly answered and paid, or secured to be paid, he shall for every such offence, forfeit his office together with the sum of five hundred dollars.

. And be it further enacted, That if any person or persons, shall write or print, or cause to be written or printed upon any unstamped vellum, parchment or paper, (with intent fraudulently to evade the duties imposed by this act) any of the matters and things for which the said vellum, parchment or paper is hereby charged to pay any duty, or shall write or print, or cause to be written or printed any matter or thing, upon any vellum, parchment or paper, that shall be marked or stamped for any lower duty than the duty by this act payable, such person so offending, shall for every such offence, forfeit the sum of one hundred dollars; and in case any clerk, officer, or person, who in respect of any public office or employment, is or shall be authorized or instructed to make, write, or print any deeds, instruments or writings, by this act charged to pay a duty, as aforesaid, shall be guilty of any fraud, or practice to defraud or deprive the United States of any duty by this act payable, by making, writing or printing any such deed, instrument or writing, or causing the same to be made, written, or printed upon vellum, parchment or paper, not marked or stamped according to this act (or upon vellum, parchment or paper, marked or stamped with any mark or stamp which he shall know to be counterfeited) or by writing or printing any such deed, instrument or other writing upon vellum, parchment or paper, that shall be marked or stamped for a lower duty as aforesaid, every such clerk, officer or person so guilty, and being thereof lawfully convicted, shall, instead of the penalty aforesaid, forfeit and pay the sum of five hundred dollars; and, if an officer of the United States, shall, in addition thereto, forfeit his office and be disabled to hold or enjoy the same for the future; and if any deed, instrument, or writing whatsoever, by this act charged with the payment of a duty as aforesaid shall, contrary to the true intent and meaning thereof, be written or printed, by any person or persons whomsoever, upon vellum, parchment,