such corporation or firm, shall be employed or shall act as an officer or agent of the United States for the transaction of business with such corporation or firm; and every such such officer, agent, or member, or person, so interested, who shall so act, shall, upon conviction thereof, by punished by a fine of not more than two thousand dollars nor less than five hundred dollars, and by imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.

SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with or regnant to any of the provisions of this act are hereby repealed, saving, however, and excepting and any all suits or prosecutions now commenced pending, and all rights of suit or prosecution under any prior act of Congress, on account of the doing or committing of any act hereby prohibited; and all rights and claims which The United States, or any person or persons, now have, growing out of such prior act; all which pending suits and prosecutions shall proceed and be determined, and all which righe as valid and effectual as if this present act had not been passed; nor shall this act be so constructed as in any way to impair or affect the obligation, duty, or liability of any person who now is or shall hereafter become the surety of any person contracting with the United States, or any officer or agent thereof; but every such surety shall be liable and answerable for the default of his principal in the same manner as if this act had not been passed, save to the extent to which his principal has performed the contract, or, if damages have been so recovered, to the extent of one-half of the damages so recovered and paid; which last amount may be shown in reduction of damages in any suit brought against the principal and surety, or principals and sureties, on their contract.

Approved March 2, 1863.

V. PUBLIC - Numbers 47.

AN ACT to authorize an increase in the number of major-generals and brigadier-generals for forces in the service of the United States.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, in addition to the four major-generals and nine brigadier-generals for the Regular Army, and the forty major-generals and two hundred brigadier-generals for the volunteer service, authorized by the existing laws, there may be appointed thirty major-generals and seventy-five brigadier-generals for forces in the service of the United States other than the Regular Army: Provided, That the officers to be appointed under this act shall be selected from those who have been conspicuous for gallant or meritorious conduct in the line of duty.

Approved March 2, 1863.

VI. PUBLIC - Numbers 54.

AN ACT for enrolling and calling out the national forces, and for other purposes.

Whereas there now exists in the United States an insurrection and rebellion against the authority thereof, and it is, under the Constitution of the United States, the duty of the Government to suppress insurrection and rebellion, to guarantee to each State a republican form of government, and to preserve the public tranquility; and whereas, for these high purposes a military force is indispensable, to raise and support which all persons ought willingly to contribute; and whereas no service can be more praiseworthy and Honorable that that which is rendered for the maintenance of the Constitution and Union, and the consequent preservation of free government: Therefore,

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all able- bodied male citizens of the United States, and persons of foregoing birth who shall have declared on oath their intention to become citizens under and in pursuance of the laws thereof, between the ages of twenty and forty-five years, except as hereinafter excepted, are hereby declared to constitute the national forces, and shall be liable to perform military duty in the service of the United States when called out by the President for that purpose.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the following persons be, and they are hereby, excepted and exempt from the provisions of this act, and shall not be liable to military duty under the same, to wit: Such as are rejected as physically or mentally unfit for the service; also, first, the Vice-President of the United States, the judges of the various courts of the United States, the heads of the various executive departments of the Government, and the governors