Chapter 60. to provide for celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of the treaty of peace and the recognition of American Independence by holding an international exhibition of arts, manufactures, and the products of the soil and mine, in the city of New York, in the State of New York, in the year eighteen hu
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CHAP. 60.— An Act to provide for celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of the treaty of peace and the recognition of American Independence by holding an international exhibition of arts, manufactures, and the products of the soil and mine, in the city of New York, in the State of New York, in the year eighteen hundred and eighty-three.April 23, 1880. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,One hundredth anniversary of the treaty of peace and recognition of American Independence.United States International Commission.Exhibition a t New York in 1883.
That in celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the treaty of peace and the recognition of American Independence, an international exhibition of arts, manufactures, and products of the soil and mine, be held under the direction of the United States International Commission, a corporation to be created by this act, in the city of New York, in the State of New York, in the year eighteen hundred and eighty-three, to be continued so long as shall be in its judgment advantageous, subject to the provisions hereinafter contained and subject always to the supervision and under the auspices of the Government of the United States.
Sec. 2. That a commission, to consist of two commissioners from eachTwo commissioners from each State and one from each Territory and the District of Columbia.Incorporators. State and one from each Territory of the United States, and one from the District of Columbia, together with the members of the committee of finance, as provided in section ten, and the following named persons, to wit, Hugh J. Jewett, Edwin D, Morgan, William Hoyt, Henry G. Stebbins, Marshall O. Roberts, Hugh McCulloch, James F.
Wenman, William A. Cole, Thomas Barbour, William H. Guion, George J. Forrest, John T. Agnew, Thurlow Weed, Samuel A. Haines, Thomas Mc-Elrath, Frederick A. P. Barnard, John P. Newman, J. Pierpont Morgan, John P. Townsend, Alfred M, Hoyt, Lewis A. Sayre, Charles Lanier, William H. C. Price, William R. Garrison, Frederick L. Talcott, Win-field S. Hancock, Algernon S. Sullivan, Samuel Sloan, Cyrus W. Field, Rosewell G. Rolston, Edward Auchincloss, George W. Dcbevoise, James How, Benjamin A.
Willis, Albert Tilt, Jordan L. Mott, Charles K. Graham, George R. Blanchard, Charles H. Baldwin, Mortimer C. Addoms, Samuel L. M. Barlow, Charles Schlesinger, Edward N. Dickerson, Thomas Rutter, J. Trumbull Smith, Frederick A. Potts, James Talcott, Edwards Pierrepont, Uriah Welch, Asahel N. Brockway, Rufus Hatch, William L. Strong, Henry F. Vail, Charles Wager Hull, Lewis May, John M. Cornell, Cornelius H. Delamater, Franklin Edson, George T. Hope, Joseph J. O’Donohue, Charles Place, John A.
Hardenbergh, Douglass Taylor, Peter Bowe, Stephen Hoe, Edward Cooper, Oswald Otteudorffer, Edward L. Carey, John Bigelow, Patrick O. Reilly, Calvert Vaux, Gustave H. Schwab, John Riley, Thomas J. Carleton, Frederick AV. Whittemore, Charles L. Tiffany, John A. Stewart, Abram S. Hewitt Daniel F. Appleton, David Dows, Orestes Cleveland, Horace Porter, Henry M. Alexander, Fletcher Harper, Charles G. Francklyn, Thomas C. Acton, Richard M. Hoe, Jackson S. Schultz, Edward Clark, Norvin Green, William B.
Dinsmore, Dennis C. Wilcox, Benjamin B. Sherman, Samuel B. II. Vance, Samuel D. Babcock, Henry Hilton, Andrew II. Green, Robert Gordon, Allen Campbell, Samuel B. Parsons, Francis A. Stout, J. Peabody Wetmore, John R. Voorhies, Leighton Williams, George G. Haven, Stephen O’Brien, Charles Solomons, Henry Draper, Philip Collins, is hereby constituted, to be designated asDesignation functions, and duty. the United States International Commission, whose functions shall continue until the close of the exhibition, whose duty it shall be, among other things, to fix the precise date of, and to prepare for and to superintend the bolding of, the exhibition upon a site within the corporate limits of the said city of New York.
Sec. 3. That the said United States International Commission isIncorporation, corporate name, powers, and authority. hereby created a body corporate, and by that name shall have a corporate existence, until the object for which it is formed shall have been accomplished, and as such it shall be competent for it to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, defend and be defended, in all courts of law and equity in the United States, and may make and have a corporate seal, and may purchase, take, have, and hold, and may grant, sell, 78 and at pleasure dispose of all such real and personal estate as may be required in order to carry into effect the provisions of this act.
Sec. 4. Commissioners.Appointment. That said commissioners, two for each State and one from each Territory and the District of Columbia, shall be appointed within sixty days from the passage of this act, by the President of the United States, on the nomination of the governors of the States and Territories respectively, and by the President from the District of Columbia; and in the same manner and within the same time there shall be appointed Alternate commissioners.Duties of.two alternate commissioners from each State and one from each Territory* of the United States and the District of Columbia, as provided in section two, who shall assume and perform the duties of such commissioner or commissioners as may be unable to attend the meetings of the said commission.
Sec. 5. Place of meeting. That the said United States International Commission shall hold its meetings in the city of New York, and that a majority of members present at the first meetings provided for in section nine shall be Quorum.competent for the transaction of business, and the commission shall indicate by bylaw the number requisite thereafter for a quorum. The Rules and officers.commission shall have full power to make all needful rules for its government, and to appoint such officers as in its judgment shall be advisable.
Sec. 6. Submission to Congress a date for opening and closing, and schedule of ceremonies, &c. That the said commission shall submit to Congress for their consideration at the first session after the appointment of commissioners, as herein provided, a suitable date for opening and closing the exhibition; a schedule of appropriate ceremonies for opening and dedicating the same; the requisite customhouse regulations for the introduction into this country of any articles from foreign countries intended for exhibition, and such other matters as in their judgment may be important.
Sec. 7. Provision for buildings. That whenever the President of the United States shall be informed by the governor of the State of New York that provision has been made for the erection of suitable buildings for the purpose, and for the exclusive control of the grounds and buildings by the President to make proclamation and communicate to diplomatic representatives of all nations and commend the exhibition.corporation herein provided for, the President, if after due examination ho shall deem the preparations adequate, shall, through the Department of State, make proclamation of the same, setting forth the time at which the exhibition will open and close, and the place at which it will be held; and he shall communicate to the diplomatic representatives of all nations, copies of the same, together with such regulations as may be adopted by the commission, for publication in their respective countries, and shall in behalf of the government and people commend the exhibition to all foreign nations who may choose to take part therein.
Sec. 8. Capital stock.Amount.Shares.Payment of subscription.Certificates.Transferable.Votes.Proceeds of stock. That the said commission shall have authority and is hereby empowered to receive subscriptions of capital stock to an amount not exceeding twelve millions of dollar’s, to be divided into shares of ten dollars each, and each subscriber shall pay not less than ten per cent of his subscription at the time he subscribes; and said commission shall issue to the subscribers of the stock certificates therefor, under its corporate seal, which certificates shall bear the signature of its president, secretary, and treasurer, and be transferable under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed for the purpose.
All holders of said stock shall be entitled to one vote on each share in the election of a finance committee, to be elected as hereinafter provided. The proceeds of said stock', together with the receipts from any and all other sources, shall be used by said corporation for the erection of suitable buildings, with their appropriate and necessary fixtures and appurtenances, and for all other expenditures required in carrying out the objects of this act. Minutes of proceedings.Accounts and vouchers.Open to inspection.And the said corporation shall keep regular minutes of its proceedings and full accounts with the vouchers thereof, and the same shall always be open to the inspect ion of any member or shareholder in the corporation, or to any committee appointed by such members or shareholders authorized to examine the same. 79 Sec. 9.
Thai the United States International Commission shall beFirst meeting called by Secretary of State. called together by the Secretary of State of the United States in the city of New York as soon as convenient after the appointment of the commissioners job herein directed, and it shall then be their duty to open books for subscription to the capital stock, as herein provided,Subscription to stock. giving public notice of the time and place, and the terms upon which subscriptions may be made, and such books shall be kept open during sixty days, at the end of which time the members of said commission shall be called together by public notice by the president and secretary pro tempore of the same, for the election of permanent officers of saidElection of permanent officers. commission, to consist of a president, secretary, treasurer, and such other officers as said commission may designate, from among the members thereof; said election of officers to take place immediately after the election of the members of the committee of finance herein provided for.
Sec. 10. The first meeting of the shareholders shall be called at theShareholders’ meeting. same time and in the same manner as provided for in the last section, and shall proceed to the election of twenty-live from their number, or from the members of the commission, who, when elected, shall, if not already so appointed, be ex officio members of said commission, and who, together with the executive officers of said commission, shall constitute a committee of finance. In this election each subscriber shall be entitledCommittee of finance. to a vote for each share subscribed for, on which at least ten per centum in cash shall have been previously paid, under such regulations as may be prescribed by said commission.
Upon the organization of said CommitteeOrganization of committee. of finance, said commission shall transfer to it the stock-books and moneys collected, together with all papers and business pertaining to the receiving and collecting of subscriptions of stock, and shall furnish to said committee a full statement of all its financial transactions up to that date; and the commission may require good and sufficient security from all its collecting and disbursing agents, including those of the finance committee.
Sec. 11. It shall be the duty of the committee of finance so elected toCommittee of finance.Depositories.Raising funds.Accounts.Checks and safeguards.Reports.Further subscription to stock. select suitable depositories for the deposit of all moneys received for said commission; to devise methods for raising funds for the commission with which to carry out the provisions of this act; to confer and advise with the commission as to all contracts to be made involving the expenditure of moneys; to carefully audit all accounts; to recommend a system of checks and safeguards, with a view of enforcing economy mid efficiency in the financial administration of the said commission, and to make full reports to the commission at least once every three months.
It shall also be the duty of said committee of finance, from time to time, as occasion may require, to open the books for further subscriptions to the capital stock, and take all measures that are needful to secure a collection of the same, using, if necessary, the name of the commission tor the purpose, but the moneys so collected shall at all times be subject to control of the commission. Sec. 12. That the officers of said commission and the members of saidTerms of office. committee of finance shall hold their respective positions for the term of one year from the day of their election, before the expiration of whichElection. time and for each year during which the commission shall exist a new election shall be held at such time and place as said commission shall designate by due public notice, and in the mode following, to wit: the members of the committee of finance shall first be elected by the shareholders, immediately after which the commission shall proceed to the election of its officers.
Any person elected as a member of said Committee of finance or an officer of said commission shall be eligible to reelection. Said commission shall have power at any time to fill any vacancyVacancies. occurring among the officers, and said shareholders shall have like power to fill any vacancy occurring in the members of said committee of finance, and said commission shall also have the power of removing any officer for cause. Vacancies in the commission may be filled in the same man- 80 ner as provided herein for the original appointment, and vacancies occurring in the place of the commissioners named in this act shall be filled by the said commission.
Sec. 13. Classification of exhibits.Judges, examiners, and subordinate officers; intercourse with foreign nations. That the United States International Commission shall prepare a complete classification of exhibits, and shall appoint all judges and examiners, guards and other subordinate officers of the exhibition, and award all premiums, and generally have charge of all intercourse with the representatives of foreign nations. It may, at any regular meeting, elect an executive committee, which, in the absence of the commission, shall have full power to act in its stead until its next meeting.
Sec. 14. Bonds. That the corporation hereby created shall have authority to issue bonds not in excess of the amount actually paid in upon its capital stock, and secure the payment of the same, principal and interest, by mortgage upon its property, and income, present and prospective. Sec. 15. Preparation o f stock certificates. That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, as soon as practicable, after the passage of this act, to cause to be prepared, at the cost of the said commission, in accordance with a design approved by the United States International Commission and the Secretary of the Treasury, a sufficient number of certificates of stock to meet the requirements of this act; and any person found guilty Counterfeits.of counterfeiting, or attempting to counterfeit or knowingly circulating false certificates of stock, herein authorized, .shall be subject to the same pains and penalties as are or may be provided by law for counterfeiting United States notes; but nothing in this act shall be so construed as to United States not liable.create any liability of the United States, direct or indirect, for any debt or obligation incurred, nor for any claim by the United States international Commission for aid or pecuniary assistance from Congress or the Treasury of the United States in support or liquidation of any debts or *Proviso.*obligations created by said commission: *And provided,* That nothing inState laws. this act shall be so construed as to override or interfere with the laws of any State; and all contracts made in any State for the purposes of the international exhibition shall be subject to the laws thereof: *Proviso.*Personal liability.*And Provided further,* That no member of said corporation, whether shareholder or otherwise, shall be personally liable for any debt or obligation which may be created or incurred by the United States International Commission.
Sec. 16. Close of exhibition. That as soon as practicable after the said exhibition shall have been closed, it shall be the duty of said corporation to convert its property into cash, and, after the payment of all its liabilities, to divide its remaining assets among its stockholders, pro rata, in full satisfaction and discharge of its capital stock. And it shall be the duty then of the *Report.*United States International Commission to submit, in a report to the President of the United States, the financial results of the international exhibition.
Sec. 17. Final report. That it shall be the duty of the United States International Commission to make report, from time to time, to the President of the United States of the progress of the work, and, in a final report, present a full exhibit of the results of the United States International Exhibition. Sec. 18. Corporate term. The corporation hereby authorized shall exist no longer than until the first day of January eighteen hundred and eighty-five. Sec. 19. United States not liable.
That the United States shall not in any manner or under any circumstances be liable for any of the acts, doings, proceedings, or representations of the said commission, its officers, agents, servants, or employees, or any of them, or for the services, salaries, labors, or wages of said officers, agents, servants, or employees, or any of them, or for any subscriptions to the capital stock, or for any certificates of of stock, bonds, mortgages, or obligations of any kind issued by said commission, or for any debts, liabilities, or expenses of any kind whatever attending such commission or exhibition, or accruing by reason of the same.
Sec. 20. Reserved rights by Congress. Congress may at any time alter, amend or repeal this act, as *Proviso.*in its judgment the public good shall require: *Provided,* That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to require the governor of any 81 FORTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 60, 61, 67, 71. 1880. state to appoint the commissioners provided for in section two, nor shall said commissioners or any of them incur any liability for their failure or refusal to accept such position or perform the duties thereof Sec. 21.
Not less than one million of dollars shall be subscribed andCapital stock.Subscription, payment, and withdrawal. not less than ten per centum thereof shall be paid in before said corporation shall do any corporate act other than the acts necessary to its organization. And no part of the capital stock or assets of said corporation shall be withdrawn by, refunded to, or divided among the stockholders or any of them, until all the debts and liabilities of said corporation shall be fully discharged.
Approved, April 23, 1880.