Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/646



approved July sixth, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven, and the act, entituled “,” approved May the tenth, one thousand eight hundred, be, and the same are hereby repealed.

, May 1, 1810.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby empowered to borrow, on the credit of the United States, a sum not exceeding the amount of the principal of the public debt, which will be reimbursed, according to law, during the present year, by the commissioners of the sinking fund, at a rate of interest, payable quarter yearly, not exceeding six per centum per annum, and reimbursable at the pleasure of the United States, or at such period as may be stipulated by contract, not exceeding six years from the first day of January next; to be applied, in addition to the monies now in the treasury, or which may be received therein from other sources during the present year, to defray any of the public expenses which are, or may be authorized by law. The stock thereby created, shall be transferable in the same manner as is provided by law for the transfer of the funded debt. It shall be lawful for the Bank of the United States to lend the said sum, or any part thereof; and it is further hereby declared, that it shall be deemed a good execution of the said power to borrow, for the Secretary of the Treasury, with the approbation of the President of the United States, to cause to be constituted certificates of stock, signed by the register of the treasury, or by a commissioner of loans, for the sum to be borrowed, or for any part thereof, bearing an interest of six per cent. per annum, transferable and reimbursable as aforesaid; and to cause the said certificates of stock to be sold: Provided, that no such stock be sold under par.

. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby authorized, with the approbation of the President of the United States, to give the preference, in the subscriptions which may be made to the loan authorized by this act, to the holders of the exchanged six per cent. stock, created by virtue of the second section of the, for an amount not exceeding, for each such stockholder, the amount of the said exchanged six per cent. stock held by him at the time of subscribing as aforesaid: Provided, that the holders of the said stock, who may be desirous to subscribe to the said loan, shall notify the same in the manner and within the time to be designated by public notice, for that purpose, by the Secretary of the Treasury, with the approbation of the President of the United States: And provided also, that the sum which may be thus borrowed from the holders of the said exchanged six per cent. stock shall be reimbursable at the pleasure of the United States.

. And be it further enacted, That so much of the funds constituting the annual appropriation of eight millions of dollars for the payment of the principal and interest of the public debt of the United States, as may be wanted for that purpose, is hereby pledged and appropriated for the payment of the interest and for the reimbursement of the principal of the stock, which may be created by virtue of this act. It shall accordingly be the duty of the commissioners of the sinking fund, to cause to be applied and paid out of the said fund yearly, and every year, such sum and sums as may be annually wanted to discharge the