TWENTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 34. 1840.

383

Chap. XXXIV_ An Act to carry into effect a convention between the United States

and the Mexican Republic.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the UnitedStates of America in Congress assembled, That the President of theUnited States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate , shallappoint two commissioners, who, together with two commissioners to beappointed by the President of the Mexican Republic , shall form a board,whose duty it shall be to receive and examine all claims, which are pro-vided for by the convention between the United States and the MexicanRepublic, concluded at Washington on the eleventh day of April, onethousand eight hundred and thirty-nine, and which may be presented tosaid commissioners under the same, and to decide thereon according tothe provisions of said convention, and the principles of justice, equity,and the law of nations.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the President of the UnitedStates, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate , shall appointa Secretary to said commissioners, in behalf of the United States ,versed in the English and Spanish languages.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That said commissioners on thepart of the United States , in conjunction with the commissioners on thepart of the Mexican Republic , shall be, and they are hereby, authorizedto make all needful rules and regulations for conducting the businessof their said commission, such rules and regulations not contraveningthe Constitution of the United States , the provisions of this act, or theprovisions of said convention.

Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the compensation of therespective 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 Secre-tary, at the rate of two thousand dollars per annum. And the Presi-dent of the United States shall be, and he is hereby, authorized to makesuch provision for the contingent expenses of the said commission onthe part of the United States , as shall to him appear to be reasonableand proper; and the said salaries and expenses, and likewise all thatpart of the salary and expenses of the arbiter under said conventionwhich is required thereby to be defrayed by the United States , shall bepaid out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That all communications to andfrom the Secretary of said commissioners appointed under this act, onthe business of the commission, shall pass by mail free of postage.

Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That so soon as said commissionshall be executed and completed according to the provisions of said con-vention, the commissioners aforesaid shall report to the Secretary ofState a list of all the several awards made by them; and the records,documents, and all other papers, in the possession of the commissionor its officers, or certified copies or duplicates thereof, shall be depositedin the office of the Secretary of State.

Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of State shalltransmit to the Secretary of the Treasury a certified copy of the reportof said commissioners, or of the award of the arbiter or umpire, asprovided by said convention to be made in case of the disagreement ofsaid commissioners; and the Secretary of the Treasury shall causecertificates to be issued, in such form as he may prescribe, showing theamount or proportion of compensation to which each person, in whosefavor award shall have been made by said commissioners or umpire, maybe entitled as against the Mexican Government on account of the claimsprovided for by said convention.

Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the

Statute I.June 12, 1840.[Obsolete.]

Board of Com-missioners todecide in claimsunder Conven-tion with Mex-ico .

Secretary to beappointed.

Commission-ers authorizedto make rules.

Compensation.

Contingent ex-penses.

Salary and ex-penses of thearbiter.

Communica-tions to and fromSecretary to befree of postage.

The awards ofCommissionersto be reported toSec. of State.

Sec. of Stateto transmit toSec. of Treas. acertified copy ofreport of com-missioners.