738 TITLE xLm.-—PUBLIC CONTRACTS. Depvsit of cen- Sec. 3743. All contracts to be made, by virtue of any law, and requirt'“°“· ing the advance of money, or in any manner connected with the settle- 16 July, 1798, e. ment of public accounts, shall be eposited in the office of the First 85. §· 6A'- L P- 610 Comptrollier of the Treasury of the Lnited States, [the Second Comp- 692Q,1;‘f,b·*I1§,g,· °· troller of the Treasury of the United States, or the Commissioner of ’"’'Customs, respectively, according to the nature thereof,] within ninety days after their respective dates, _ C¤¤!*F¤<‘*¤ te be Sec. 37+1. It shall be the dutv of the Secretary of War, of the Sect" ‘"‘"“g‘ retary of the Navy, and of the Secretary of the Interior, to cause and 2 June, 1862, c. require every contract made by them severally on behalf of the Govern- 9*7·S·]·V·l2»_PjU- ment, or by their officers under them appointed to make such con- Liu4g1e,-,-_1;, s_, tracts, to be reduced to writing, and signed by the contracting parties 4(f.Cls-@59; Bur- with their names at the end thereof; a copy of which shall be filed by $**1 *3},,; Séirgl the officer making] and signing the contract in the Returns Office of the beige, ,,_’U_ Q 5 De rtment of the Interior, as soon after the contract is made as pos- 0, C1!-_, 65; suis- sibliii and within thirty days, together with all bids, offers, and proposals mgm r. S., 19 to him made by persons to obtain the same, and with a copy of anv géll--1§*3(d°‘3;’S advertisement he may have published inviting bids, offers, or proposals {fl" for the same. All the copies and papers in relation to each contract shall be attached together by a ribbon and seal, and marked by numbers in regular order. according to the number of papers composing the whole return. lm ss m—m-1 fr-nhtocontruct. Sec. 3745. It shall be the further duty of the officer, before making I,,,,,?' his return, according to the preceding section, to affix to the same his ` affidavit in the following form, sworn to before some magistrate having authority to administer oaths: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that the copy of contract hereto annexed is an exact copy of a contract made by me personally with ———-; that I made the same fairly without any benefit or advantage to myself, or allowing any such benefit or advantage corruptly to the said ——-———, or any other rson; and that the papers accompanying include all those relating to shin said contract, as required by the statute in such case made and provided." Penaltyfor omit- Sec. 3746. Every officer who makes any contract, and fails or neglects tim! ¤‘t¤r¤S- to make return of the same, according to the provisions of the two pre- ";y,{{;§i""` ceding sections, unless from unavoidable accident or causes not within his control, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall he fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred, and imprisoned not more than six months. Instructions. Sec. 3747. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of War, of the Secre- I,),,,_"é_“;" tary of the Nagy, and of the Secretary of the Interior to furnish every ’ officer appointe by them with authority to make contracts on behalf of the Government with a printed letter of instructions, setting forth the duties of such officer, under the two receding sections, and also to furnish therewith forms, printed in blank, of contracts to be made, and the affidavit of returns required to be affixed thereto, so that all the instruments may be as nearly uniform as possible.
