SEC. 12. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Interior be and he is hereby authorized to appoint a special agent for the Pension Office, to assist in the detection of frauds against the pension laws, to cause persons committing such frauds to be prosecuted, and to discharge such other duties as said Secretary may require him to perform; which said agent shall receive for his services an annual salary of twelve hundred dollars, and his actual traveling expenses incurred in the discharge of his duties shall be paid by the Government.

SEC. 13. And be it further enacted, That all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act be and the same are hereby repealed.

Approved July 14,1 862.

(III. PUBLIC RESOLUTION-Numbers 61.)

A RESOLUTION to regulate the compensation for paying pensions.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That agents for paying pensions shall receive two per centrum on all disbursement made by them to persons of the United States: Provided, That the aggregate compensation to any one agent, paying both army and navy pensions, shall not exceed two thousand dollars per annum.

Approved July 17, 1862.

(IV. PUBLIC-Numbers 148.)

AN ACT to prevent members of Congress and officers of the Government of the United States from taking consideration for procuring contracts, office, or place, from the United States, and for other purpose.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That any member of Congress or any officer of the Government of the United States who shall, directly or indirectly, take, receive, or agree to receive, any money, property, or other valuable consideration whatsoever, from any person or persons for procuring, or aiding to procure, any contract, office, or place, from the Government of the United States or any Department thereof, or from any officer of the United States, for any person or persons whatsoever, or for giving any such contract, office, or place to any person whomsoever, and the person or persons who shall directly or indirectly offer or agree to give, or give, or bestow any money, property, or other valuable consideration whatsoever, or the procuring or aiding to procure any contract, office, or place, as aforesaid, and any member of Congress who shall directly or indirectly take, receive, or agree to receive, any money, property, or other valuable consideration whatsoever after his election as such member, for his attention to, services, action, vote, or decision on any question, matter, cause, or proceeding which may then be pending, or may by law or under the Constitution of the United States be brought before him in his official capacity, or in his place of trust and profit as such member of Congress, shall, for every such offence, be liable to antimonide as for a misdemeanor in any court of the United States having jurisdiction thereof, and on conviction thereof shall pay a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars, and suffer imprisonment in the penitentiary not exceeding two years, at the discretion of the court trying the same; and any such contract or agreement, as aforesaid, may, at the option of ts, be declared absolutely null and void; and any member of Congress or officer of the any office of honor, profit, or trust under the Government of the United States.

Approved July 16, 1862.

(V. PUBLIC-Numbers 152.)

(Extract.)

Relative rank between officers of the Army and the Navy.

AN ACT to establish and equalize the grades of line officers of the United States Navy.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the active list of line officers of the United States Navy shall be divided into nine grades, taking rank according to the date of their commissions in each grade, as follows, viz:

First, rear-admirals; second, commodores; third, captain; fourth, commanders; fifth, lieutenant-commanders; sixth, lieutenants; seventh, masters; eighth, ensigns; ninth, midshipmen.

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18 R R-SERIES III, VOL II