Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 5.djvu/419



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, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint two commissioners, who, together with two commissioners to be appointed by the President of the Mexican Republic, shall form a board, whose duty it shall be to receive and examine all claims, which are provided for by the convention between the United States and the Mexican Republic, concluded at Washington on the eleventh day of April, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine, and which may be presented to said commissioners under the same, and to decide thereon according to the provisions of said convention, and the principles of justice, equity, and the law of nations.

. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint a Secretary to said commissioners, in behalf of the United States, versed in the English and Spanish languages.

. And be it further enacted, That said commissioners on the part of the United States, in conjunction with the commissioners on the part of the Mexican Republic, shall be, and they are hereby, authorized to make all needful rules and regulations for conducting the business of their said commission, such rules and regulations not contravening the Constitution of the United States, the provisions of this act, or the provisions of said convention.

. And be it further enacted, That the compensation of the respective officers, for whose appointment provision is made by this act, shall not exceed the following sums, namely: To said commissioners, at the rate of three thousand dollars per annum for each; to the Secretary, at the rate of two thousand dollars per annum. And the President of the United States shall be, and he is hereby, authorized to make such provision for the contingent expenses of the said commission on the part of the United States, as shall to him appear to be reasonable and proper; and the said salaries and expenses, and likewise all that part of the salary and expenses of the arbiter under said convention which is required thereby to be defrayed by the United States, shall be paid out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

. And be it further enacted, That all communications to and from the Secretary of said commissioners appointed under this act, on the business of the commission, shall pass by mail free of postage.

. And be it further enacted, That so soon as said commission shall be executed and completed according to the provisions of said convention, the commissioners aforesaid shall report to the Secretary of State a list of all the several awards made by them; and the records, documents, and all other papers, in the possession of the commission or its officers, or certified copies or duplicates thereof, shall be deposited in the office of the Secretary of State.

. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of State shall transmit to the Secretary of the Treasury a certified copy of the report of said commissioners, or of the award of the arbiter or umpire, as provided by said convention to be made in case of the disagreement of said commissioners; and the Secretary of the Treasury shall cause certificates to be issued, in such form as he may prescribe, showing the amount or proportion of compensation to which each person, in whose favor award shall have been made by said commissioners or umpire, may be entitled as against the Mexican Government on account of the claims provided for by said convention.

. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the