Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 31.djvu/1331

 FIFTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 854. 1901.                                              1279

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

COMMISSIONERS OF DEEDS AND NOTARIES PUBLIC.

SEC. 557. COMMISSIONERS OF DEEDS.—The President of the United States is authorized to appoint as many commissioners of deeds throughout the United States as he may deem necessary, with power to take the acknowledgment of deeds for the conveyance of property within the District, administer oaths, and take depositions in cases pending in the courts of said District in the manner prescribed by law; to whose acts, properly attested by their hands and seals of office, full faith and credit shall be given. SEC. 558. NOTARIES.—The President shall also have power to appoint such number of notaries public, residents of said District, as, in his discretion, the business of the District may require. SEC. 559. TENURE OF OFFICE.—Said commissioners of deeds and notaries public shall hold their offices for the period of five years, removable at discretion. SEC. 560. NOTARIES IN STATES.—Notaries public of the several States, Territories, and the District of Columbia are authorized to take depositions and do all other acts in relation to taking testimony to be used in the courts of the District of Columbia, take acknowledgments and affidavits in the same manner and with the same effect as United States commissioners may now lawfully take or do. SEC. 561. OATH AND BOND.—Each notary public, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall take the oath prescribed for civil officers in the District of Columbia, and shall give bond to the United States in the sum of two thousand dollars, with security, to be approved by the supreme court or a justice thereof, for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office. SEC. 562. SEAL.—Each notary public shall provide a notarial seal, with which he shall authenticate all his official acts. SEC. 563. He shall file his signature and deposit an impression of his official seal in the office of the clerk of the supreme court of the District. SEC. 564. EXEMPTION.—A notary’s official seal and his official documents shall be exempt from execution. SEC. 565. FOREIGN BILLS OF EXCHANGE.—Notaries public shall have authority to demand acceptance and payment of foreign bills of exchange and to protest the same for nonacceptance and nonpayment, and to exercise such other powers and duties as by the law of nations and according to commercial usages notaries public may do. SEC. 566. OTHER ACTS.—They may also perform such other acts, for use and effect beyond the jurisdiction of the District, as according to the law of any State or Territory of the United States or any foreign government in amity with the United States may be performed by notaries public. SEC. 567. INLAND BILLS AND NOTES.—Notaries public may also demand acceptance of inland bills of exchange and payment thereof, and of promissory notes and checks, and may protest the same for nonacceptance or nonpayment, as the case may require. And on the original protest thereof he shall state the presentment by him of the same for acceptance or payment, as the case may be, and the nonacceptance or nonpayment thereof, and the service of notice thereof on any of the parties to the same, and the mode of giving such notice, and the reputed place of business or residence of the party to whom the same was given; and such protest shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated. And any notary public failing to comply herewith shall pay a fine of ten dollars to the District of Columbia, to be collected in the police court as are other fines and penalties.