Chapter CLXXII. *to provide Ways and Means for the Support of the Government, and for other Purposes.* June 30, 1864.1865, ch. 22. *Be it enacted in the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, *Post*, p. 425.1865, ch. 77.*Post*, p. 468
3,556 words·~16 min read·
/statutes-at-large/vol-13/chapter-clxxii-972287·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Chap. CLXXII.— An Act *to provide Ways and Means for the Support of the Government, and for other Purposes.* June 30, 1864.1865, ch. 22. *Be it enacted in the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, *Post*, p. 425.1865, ch. 77.*Post*, p. 468. That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized to borrow, from time to time, on the credit of the United States, four hundred millions of dollars, and to issue Secretary of Treasury may borrow $400,000,000, and issue bonds, &c.When redeemable.therefor coupon or registered bonds of the United States, redeemable at the pleasure of the government, after any period not less than five, nor more than thirty, years, or, if deemed expedient, made payable at any period not more than forty years from date.
And said bonds shall be of Denominations.such denominations as the Secretary of the Treasury shall direct, not less than fifty dollars, and bear an annual interest not exceeding six per centum, payable semi-annually in coin. And the Secretary of the Treasury Interest semi-annual in coin.How bonds may be disposed of.may dispose of such bonds, or any part thereof, and of any bonds commonly known as five-twenties remaining unsold, in the United States, or if he shall find it expedient, in Europe, at any .time, on such terms as he may deem most advisable, for lawful money of the United States, or, All obligations of the United States to be exempt from taxation.at his discretion, for treasury notes, certificates of indebtedness, or certificates of deposit issued under any act of congress.
And all bonds, treasury notes, and other obligations of the United States shall be exempt from taxation by or under state or municipal authority. Sec. 2. Secretary may issue, in lieu of part of loan, $200,000,000, treasury notes.*And be it further enacted*, That the Secretary of the Treasury may issue on the credit of the United States, and in lieu of an equal amount of bonds authorized by the preceding section, and as a part of said loan, not exceeding two hundred millions of dollars, in treasury notes of Denomination and when payable.any denomination not less than ten dollars, payable at any time not exceeding three years from date, or, if thought more expedient, redeemable at any time after three years from date, and bearing interest not exceeding Interest payable in lawful money.How may be disposed of.How far to be legal tender.the rate of seven and three tenths per centum, payable in lawful money at maturity, or, at the discretion of the secretary, semi-annually.
And the said treasury notes may be disposed of by the Secretary of the Treasury, on the best terms that can be obtained, for lawful money; and such of them as shall be made payable, principal and interest, at maturity, shall be a legal tender to the same extent as United States notes for their face value, excluding interest, and may be paid to any creditor of the219 United States at their face value, excluding interest, or to any creditor willing to receive them at par, including interest; and any treasury notes issued under the authority of this act may be made convertible, at theTreasury notes to be convertible into bonds. discretion of the Secretary of the Treasury, into any bonds issued under the authority of this act.
And the Secretary of the Treasury may redeem and cause to be cancelled and destroyed any treasury notes or United States notes heretofore issued under authority of previous acts of congress, and substitute, in lieu thereof, an equal amount of treasuryMay be substituted for notes of previous issues.Amount of bonds and notes not to exceed $400,000,000;of notes not to exceed, &c. notes such as are authorized by this act, or of other United States notes: *Provided*, That the total amount of bonds and treasury notes authorized by the first and second sections of this act shall not exceed four hundred millions of dollars, in addition to the amounts heretofore issued; nor shall the total amount of United States notes, issued or to be issued, ever exceed tour hundred millions of dollars, and such additional sum, not exceeding fifty millions of dollars, as maybe temporarily required for the redemption of temporary loan; nor shall any treasury note bearing interest, issuedInterest-bearing notes not to be tender for redemption of circulation of banks. under this act, be a legal tender in payment or redemption of any notes issued by any bank, banking association, or banker, calculated or intended to circulate as money.
Sec. 3. *And be it further enacted*, That the interest on all bonds heretoforeInterest of bonds heretofore issued may be paid semi-annually. issued, payable annually, may be paid semi-annually; and in lieu of such bonds authorized to be issued, the Secretary of the Treasury may issue bonds bearing interest, payable semi-annually. And he may also issue in exchange for treasury notes heretofore issued bearing seven andBonds may be issued in exchange for seven and three-tenths notes. three tenths per centum interest, besides the six per centum bonds heretofore authorized, like bonds of all the denominations in which such treasury notes have been issued; and the interest on such treasury notes after maturity shall be paid in lawful money, and they may be exchanged for such bonds at any time within three months from the dale of notice of redemption by the Secretary of the Treasury, after which the interest on such treasury notes shall cease.
And so much of the law approved MarchRepeal of part of 1864, ch. 17. § 1. *Ante*, p. 13. third, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, as limits the loan authorized therein to the current fiscal year, is hereby repealed; and the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to borrow money and issue therefor bonds or notes conferred by the first section of the act of March third, eighteenof 1863, ch. 73, § 1.Vol. xii. p. 709. hundred and sixty-three, entitled “An act to provide ways and means for the support of the government,” shall cease on and after the passage of this act, except so far as it may effect seventy-five millions of bonds already advertised.
Sec. 4. *And be it further enacted*, That the Secretary of the TreasurySecretary of Treasury may receive temporary loans. may authorize the receipt, as a temporary loan, of United Slates noies or the notes of national banking associations on deposit for not less than thirty days, in sums of not less than fifty dollars, by any of the assistant treasurers of the United States, or depositories designated for that purpose, other than national banking associations, who shall issue certificates of depositCertificates of deposit to be issued therefor.When payable, and interest. in such form as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, bearing interest not exceeding six per centum annually, and payable at any time after the term of deposit, and after ten days’ subsequent notice, unless time and notice be waived by the Secretary of the Treasury; and the Secretary of the Treasury may increase the interest on deposits at less than six per centum to that rate or on ten days’ notice to depositors, may dimmish lire rate of interest as the public interest may require; but the aggregate ofAggregate not to exceed, &c. such deposits shall not exceed one hundred and fifty millions of dollars; and the Secretary of the Treasury may issue, and shall hold in reserve forReserve for their payment. payment of such deposits, United States notes not exceeding fifty millions of dollars, including the amount already applied in such payment; and the United States notes, so held in reserve, shall be used only when needed, in his judgment, for the prompt payment of such deposits on demand, and shall be withdrawn and placed again in reserve as the amount of deposits shall again increase. 220 Sec. 5.
Fractional currency may be issued to an amount not over $50,000,000.*And be it further enacted*, That the Secretary of the Treasury may issue notes of the fractions of a dollar as now used for currency, in such form, with such inscriptions, and with such safeguards against counterfeiting, as be may judge best, and provide for the engraving and preparation, and for the issue of the same, as well as of all other notes and bonds, and other obligations, and shall make such regulations for the redemption of said fractional notes and other notes when mutilated or defaced, and for the receipt of said fractional notes in payment of debts to the United States, except for customs, in such sums, not over five dollars, as may appear to him expedient; and it is hereby declared that all laws and parts of laws applicable to the fractional notes engraved and issued as herein authorized, apply equally and with like force to all the fractional notes heretofore authorized, whether known as postage currency, or otherwise, and to post age-stamps issued as currency; but the whole amount of all descriptions of notes or stamps less than one dollar issued as currency, shall not exceed fifty millions of dollars.
Sec. 6. Coupon and registered bonds, to be of what form and how signed.*And be it further enacted*, That the coupon and registered bounds shall be in such form and bear such inscriptions as the Secretary of the Treasury may direct, and shall be signed by the register of the treasury, or for the register, by such person or persons as may be specially designated for that purpose by the Secretary of the Treasury, and Seal.shall bear, as evidence of lawful issue, the imprint of the seal of the Treasury Department, to be made under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, in a room set apart especially and exclusively for that purpose, Where to be made.under the care of some person appointed directly by him.
And the coupons attached to such bonds shall bear the engraved signature of the Coupons.register of the treasury, and such other device or safeguard against counterfeiting as the secretary may approve; and it is hereby declared that all bonds hereto[fore issued, bearing the signature of the register, Former bonds made valid.shall have the same force, effect, and validity as if signed also by the treasurer, and ail bonds bearing the signature of the register, erroneously described as treasurer of the United States, shall have the same force, effect, and validity, as if his official designation had been correctly stated; and all coupons bearing the engraved signature of the register of the treasury in office at the time when such signatures were authorized and engraved, shall have full force, validity, and effect, notwithstanding such register may have subsequently ceased to hold office as such, when issued in connection with bonds duly authorized and signed by or for the successor or successors of said register.
And the treasury notes and United States notes authorized by this act shall be in such form as the Secretary Form, &c., of treasury notes.of the Treasury shall direct, and shall bear the written or engraved signatures of the treasurer of the United States and the register of the treasury, and shall have printed upon them such statements, showing the amount of accrued or accruing interest and the character of the notes, as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe; and shall bear, as a further evidence of lawful issue, the imprint of the seal of the Treasury Department, to be made under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, as before directed.
Sec. 7. Registered, bonds may be issued for coupon.*And be it further enacted*, That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized to issue, upon such terms and under such regulations as be may from time to time prescribe, registered bonds in exchange for, and in Hen of, any coupon bonds which have been or may hereafter be lawfully issued; such registered bonds to be similar in all respects to the registered bonds issued under the acts authorizing the issue of the coupon Mutilated, defaced, &c. bonds.bonds offered for exchange.
And for all mutilated, defaced, or indorsed coupon or other bonds presented to the department, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to issue, upon terms and under regulations as aforesaid, and in substitution therefor, other bonds of like or equivalent issues. 221 Sec. 8. *And be it further enacted*, That the Secretary of the TreasuryInstructions, &c., to public officers receiving or preparing U. S. notes, &c. is hereby authorized and required to make and issue, from time to time, such instructions, rules, and regulations, to the several collectors, receivers, depositaries, officers, and others, who may receive treasury notes, United States notes, or other securities in behalf of the United States, or who may be in any way engaged or employed in the preparation and issue of the same, as he shall deem best calculated to promote the public convenience and security, and to protect the United States, as well as individuals, from fraud and loss.
Sec. 9. *And be it further enacted*, That the necessary expenses of engraving,Expenses of preparing and issuing bonds, notes, &c., how borne; printing, preparing, and issuing the United States notes, treasury notes, fractional notes, and bonds, hereby authorized, and of disposing of the same to subscribers and purchasers, shall be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated; but the whole amount thereof shall not exceed one per centum on the amount of notes andnot to exceed one per cent. bonds issued.
Sec. 10. *And be it further enacted*, That if any person or personsPenalty for counterfeiting or altering U. S. securities; shall falsely make, forge, counterfeit, or alter, or cause or procure to be falsely made, forged, counterfeited, or altered, any obligation or security of the United States, or shall pass, utter, publish, or sell, or attempt to pass, utter, publish, or sell, or shall bring into the United States from any foreign place with intent to pass, utter, publish, or sell, or shall have orfor uttering, &c., counterfeit, &c., notes; keep in possession, or conceal, with intent to utter, publish, or sell, any such false, forged, counterfeited, or altered obligation, or other security, with intent to deceive or defraud, or shall knowingly aid or assist in any of the acts aforesaid, every person so offending shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, and by imprisonment and confinement at hard labor not exceeding fifteen years, according to the aggravation of the offence.
Sec. 11. *And be it further enacted*, That if any person having control,for using plates to print notes without authority; custody, or possession of any plate or plates from which any obligation or other security, or any part thereof, shall have been printed, or which may have been prepared by direction from the Secretary of the Treasury, for the purpose of printing any such obligation or other security,’ or any part thereof, shall use such plate or plates, or knowingly suffer the same to be used for the purpose of printing any such or similar obligation, or other security, or any part thereof, except such sis shall be printed for the use of the United States, by order of the proper officer thereof; or if any person shall engrave, or cause or procurefor engraving plates, &c. to be engraved, or shall aid or assist in engraving any plate or plates in the likeness or similitude of any plate or plates designed for the printing of any such obligation or other security, or any part thereof, or shall vend or sell any such plate or plates, or shall bring into the United States from any foreign place any such plate or plates, except under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury or other proper officer, or with any other intent, or for any other purpose, in either case, than that such plate or plates shall be used for the printing of such notes, bonds, coupons, or other obligations or securities, or some part or parts thereof, for the use of the United States, or shall have in his control, custody, or possession, any metallic plate engraved after the similitude of any plate from which any such obligation or other security, or any part or parts thereof, shall have been printed, with intent to use such plate or plates, or cause or suffer the same to be used in forging or counterfeiting any such obligation or other security, or any part or parts thereof, or shall have in his custody or possession, except under authority from the Secretary of the Treasury, or other proper officer, any obligation or other security, engraved and printed after the similitude of any obligation or other security issued under the authority of the United States, with in-222tent to sell or otherwise use the same; or-if any person shall print, photograph, Penalty for printing or photographing notes, &c.;or in any other manner make or execute, or cause to be printed, photographed, or in any manner made or executed, or shall aid in printing, photographing, making, or executing any engraving, photograph, or other print or impression in the likeness or similitude of any obligation or other security, or any part or parts thereof, or shall vend or sell any such engraving, photograph, print, or other impression, except to the United for bringing into the United States such photographed, &c., notes;States, or shall bring into the United States from any foreign place any such engraving, photograph, print, or other impression, except by the direction of some proper officer of the United States, or shall have or retain in his custody or possession, after a distinctive paper shall have been adopted by the Secretary of the Treasury for obligations and other securities of the United States, any similar paper adapted to the making of any such obligation or other security, except under authority of the Secretary of the Treasury, or some other proper officer of the United States, every person so offending shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, or by imprisonment and confinement at hard labor, not exceeding fifteen years, or by both, in the discretion of the court.
Sec. 12. *And be it further enacted*, That if any person shall have orfor retaining plates, &c., without authority; retain in his or her custody, possession, or control, without the written authority or warrant of the Secretary of the Treasury, or of the comptroller of the currency, approved by the Secretary of the Treasury, any engraved or transferred plate, block, or electrotype, or any die, roll, or other original work used in making or preparing any plate, block, or electrotype, or any plate, block, or electrotype prepared or made after the similitude of any plate, block, or electrotype, from which any obligation or other security authorized to be issued by any act of for using plates, &c., in counter-feiting notes.congress, or any part thereof, has been, or may hereafter be, printed, or shall use, or cause, or knowingly suffer, the same to be used, in forging or counterfeiting any such obligation or other security, or shall print, or cause to be printed, any bronzed or gilt letters or devices, or shall print, or cause to be printed, any letters, figures, or devices with green ink, or any green color or pigment, upon any note, bond, or other representative of value, intended or adapted to be used as a currency or a circulating medium, every such person, being thereof convicted by due course of law, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall be imprisoned and kept at hard labor for a term not more than ten years, and fined in a Pending prosecutions under former act not affected.Proviso.sum not more than ten thousand dollars: *Provided*, That nothing in this act shall affect any prosecution pending, or any civil or criminal liabilities incurred under any former act: *Provided, further*, That the foregoing provisions of this section shall not be held or construed to deprive any person of the right to retain in his custody and possession and use for any lawful purpose, any engraved or transferred plate, block, or electrotype, or my die, roll, or other original work as aforesaid, which had been used by him in printings or engraving bank-notes or other obligations, before being used in printing any obligation or other security authorized to be issued by any act of congress; nor shall any of said foregoing provisions be held or construed to prohibit or restrain the lawful use by any person of any ink, color, or pigment, the exclusive right to which has been secured to any such person by letters-patent which are still in force.
Sec. 13. *And be it further enacted*, That the words “obligation or Words “obligation or other security, &c.;” to include what.other security of the United States,” used in this act, shall be held to include and mean all bonds, coupons, national currency, United States notes, treasury notes, fractional notes, checks for money of authorized officers of the United States, certificates of indebtedness, certificates of deposit, stamps, and other representatives of value of whatever denomination, which have been or may be issued under any act of congress.
Approved, June 30, 1864.