United States Statutes at Large/Volume 1/5th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 3
Chap. Ⅲ.—An Act to provide for the further Defence of the Ports and Harbors of the United States.
Appropriation of $115,000 for fortifying ports;
Post, p. 554.Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That for fortifying certain ports and harbors of the United States, there be appropriated a sum not exceeding one hundred and fifteen thousand dollars.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said appropriation shall be paid and discharged out of the surplus of the revenue and income, beyond the appropriations heretofore charged thereon.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby empowered to authorize any of the states which were found indebted to the United States in a settlement of the out of which funds payable debtor states may expend under direction of the President, the sums due from them, provided they cede the lands.accounts between them and the respective states, to expend under his direction the sums respectively due from them in fortifying their ports and harbors; and the sums which may be so expended shall be passed to the credit of the said states, on account of the balances found and reported by the commissioners for settling the accounts between the United States and the individual states, to be due from the said states to the United States. Provided, the said states shall and do cede to the United States the lands or places on which such fortifications shall be so erected, in cases where the lands are the property of such states.
Approved, June 23, 1797.