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cargo shall have been taken on board, any law to the contrary notwithstanding.

. And be it further enacted, That when any goods, wares, or merchandise, shall hereafter be imported from the province of Lower Canada into the United states, in any steamboat on lake Champlain, and the said goods, wares, and merchandise, shall have been duly entered, the duties thereon paid, or secured, at the office of the collector of any district adjoining lake Champlain, it shall be lawful to land such goods, wares, or merchandise, in the same, or any other, district adjoining said lake Champlain, any law to the contrary notwithstanding.

. And be it further enacted, That in any action or prosecution against any person as aforesaid, it shall be lawful for such person to plead the general issue, and give this act, and any special matter in evidence. And if in any suit the plaintiff is non-suit, or judgment pass against him, the defendant shall recover double costs.

. And be it further enacted, That this act shall continue in force for the term of four years, from and after the third day of March next, and no longer.

. And be it further enacted, That every collector of the customs shall have authority, with the approbation of the Secretary of the Treasury, to employ within his district such number of proper persons, as deputy collectors of the customs, as he shall judge necessary, who are hereby declared to be officers of the customs, and the said deputy collectors, before they enter on the duties of their offices, and shall take and subscribe, before the collector appointing them, or before some magistrate within their respective districts, authorized by law to administer oaths, the following oath or affirmation, to wit: “I,, having been appointed deputy collector of the customs, within and for the district of , do solemnly, sincerely, and truly swear (or affirm as the case may be,) that I will diligently and faithfully execute the duties of the said office of deputy collector, and will use my best endeavours to prevent, and detect, frauds and violations against the laws of the United States: I further swear (or affirm) that I will support the constitution of the United States.”

March 3, 1817.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the ninth section of the act, entitled “,” passed on the ninth of April, one thousand eight hundred and sixteen, shall be construed to extend only to houses or other buildings, occupied by an order of an officer or agent of the United States as a place of deposit for military or naval stores, or as barracks for the military forces of the United States; and that, in acting on all claims arising under the aforesaid ninth section, as well those whereon commissions are now returned, and remain undecided, as those on which commissions may be hereafter executed, it shall be the duty of the commissioner, appointed in virtue of the act aforesaid, carefully to examine and investigate the same, and to report the facts in such case to Congress as soon as may be, that such provision may be made for the relief of the respective claimants as shall be deemed just and proper.

. And be it further enacted, That the said commissioner shall, in