Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/189



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the second section of the act, intituled “,” shall not be deemed to operate upon unregistered ships or vessels owned by the citizens of the United States, at the time of passing the said act, in those cases where such ship or vessel, at that time, possessed a sea letter, or other regular document issued from a custom-house of the United States, proving such ship or vessel to be American property.

. And be it further enacted, That whenever satisfactory proof shall be made to the Secretary of the Treasury, that any unregistered ship or vessel was, in fact, the property, in whole, of a citizen or citizens of the United States, on the thirteenth day of May, in the year one thousand eight hundred, that the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby authorized and directed to cause to be issued to such ship or vessel, a certificate, which shall entitle such unregistered ship or vessel to the same privileges which are herein before granted to unregistered ships or vessels owned by citizens of the United States, and carrying a sea letter, or other regular document issued from a custom-house of the United States, before the passing of the said act, intituled “”

, April 14, 1802.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That any alien, being a free white person, may be admitted to become a citizen of the United States, or any of them, on the following conditions, and not otherwise:—

First, The he shall have declared, on oath or affirmation, before the supreme, superior, district or circuit court of some one of the states, or of the territorial districts of the United States, or a circuit or district court of the United States, three years at least, before his admission, that it was, bona fide, his intention to become citizen of the United States, and to renounce for ever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty whatever, and particularly, by name, the prince, potentate, state or sovereignty whereof such alien may, at the time, be a citizen or subject.

Secondly, That he shall, at the time of his application to be admitted, declare on oath or affirmation, before some one of the courts aforesaid, that he will support the constitution of the United States, and that he doth absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty whatever, and particularly, by name, the prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty whereof he was before a citizen of subject; which proceedings shall be recorded by the clerk of the court.

Thirdly, That the court admitting such alien shall be satisfied that he has resided within the United States five years at least, and within the state or territory where such court is at the time held, one year at