Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 13.djvu/159

 THIRTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 125. 1864. 131 to make all needful and proper regulations for their respective, general, or specific duties, as well as for the government, direction, and control of all persons who may at any time become inmates of the “Home " authorized by this act, and may prescribe for the children and youth committed to their care such rules of discipline as shall be deemed by them necessary. Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That whenever any child who, from Children in the the neglect or inability of its parents or guardian to support it, shall ;;‘£§§t?£I:};;‘ . . y become a charge upon public charity, and shall be surrendered to the be bound mm charge of the association, pursuant to the provisions of this act, by such parent or by its guardian, or by the overseer or superintendent of the poor of said city of Washington, or other officer having the charge of the poor, or whenever any destitute and dependant orphan shall be surrendered to such institution, in the manner herein provided, by an instrument. in writing, duly signed by such parent, guardian, or public officer, the said board of managers may, in their discretion, place such child to service with some proper person under articles of indenture, to, be executed in due form of law, with such provisions for maintenance and education as shall be approved by one of the judges of the supreme court of the District of Columbia; and the said board of managers are hereby authorized or adopted. to permit the adoption of any such child by any respectable and proper person who, under provisions to be approved as aforesaid, shall undertake the maintenance, care, and proper education of such destitute or orphan child. Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That in case of the death or legal Mother may be 'incapacity of the father of any dependent child, or of the imprisonment §;‘“d‘““= “'h°“* of such father for crime, or of his abandoning or neglecting to provide for I his family, the mother, if residing in the District of Columbia, shall be deemed the legal guardian of her children for the purposes of this act, and shall have power to make the surrender aforesaid. But in case the mother also be dead, or a non-resident of said district, or legally incapable of acting in the premises, or be imprisoned for crime, or neglect to provide for such child, and in case there be no guardian or other person legally bound to support such child, or qualified to make the surrender aforesaid, then, and in any such case, the superintendent of the poor, or Who else may the mayor of Washington, or other public officer having charge of the b° g'""d“m‘ poor, shall, for the purposes of this act, be required, as ex-officio guardian of such child, and may make, as such, the surrender of such child to the said corporation by the instrument in writing aforesaid, which surrender shall, in all respects, be as valid and effectual as if made by the father or B. d. t f parent of such child z Provided, That no surrender of any such child shall chihintgnbi °;l;,_° be made under the provisions of this section, unless such surrender shall, proved by a on examination, be approved by one of the judges of the supreme court J“dg€‘ of said district. Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That the board of managers may Oiilcers of the elect from their own number a president, vice-president, and secretary ; “”°°‘“*‘°”· and they may further elect a treasurer. They may, in their discretion, appoint an executive committee, consisting of five members of their board, who may, under the general direction of the board, take charge of the affairs of the corporation during any recess of the board. Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That the treasurer of said corpora- R¤P<>f* *0 <>¤¤· tion shall at any time upon the call of congress report a full and perfect gms' statement of the affairs of such corporation, the location, value, and income of all real estate owned by it, the amount of its receipts, expenditures, investments, and personal estate, and all other information which congress may require. Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That congress may at any time alter, Act may be amend, or repeal this act. ’°P*“]‘°d· Sec. 10. And be it further enacted, That this act shall take effect wimmtaim i immediately. effect-
 * APPROVED, June 15, 1864.