FORTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. CHS. 44, 45, 46. 1884. 21 CHAP. 44,-An act to provide for the appointment of an Acting Secretary of the May 13, 1884. Smithsonian Institution. —·;—;———— Be it enacted by Hee Senate and House of Representatives of the United Stairs of America in Congress assembled, That the Chancellor of the mf{°t‘Q§ S°‘2’°t’{"Y Smithsouism Institution may, by sm instrument in writing filed in the m'{§Q{0H$°;;;EiuI;: oftice of the Secretary thereof, designate and appoint a suitable person ment oi], author- 10 act as Secretary of the Institution when there shall be a vacancy in izeduaid office, and whenever the Secretary shall be unable from illness, absence, or other cause to pertbrm the duties of his office; and in such vase the person so appointed may perform all the duties imposed on the D t. Secretary bylaw until the vacancy shall be filled or such inability shall u I"' cease. The said Chancellor may change such designation and appointment from time to time as the interests of the Institution may in his judgment require. Approved, May 13, 1884. CHA1f. 45.——Au act to release the American Baptist Home Mission Society from the May 13 1884 cpnthtious of the sale of the Marine hospital building aud grounds at Natchez Mis- T; 8lSSlppl. Whereas, the Marine hospital building and grounds at Natchez, Missis- Preamblesippi were sold underand in pursuance of law, at public auction, on the fifteenth of February, eighteen hundred and seventy-six, to the American Baptist Home Mission Society for the sum of five thousand dollars it being the highest bidder at said sale: and Whereas, pursuant to act of Congress approved August fifteenth, 19 Stat., 202. eighteen hundred and seventysix, said sale was authorized and confirmed aud by deed dated January fourth eighteen hundred and seventy- seven, said building and grounds were conveyed by the Secretary of the Treasury to said society, for and in consideration of the sum of live thousand dollars, upon the express condition and covenant nevertheless in said deed contained that the building on said grounds should be reconstructed aud devoted, under responsible auspices, to purposes of instruction for the benefit of the colored people of the United States in accordance with said act authorizing and confirming said conveyance; and Whereas the said society has faithfully fulfilled the conditions and covenants in said deed contained, and now desires to sell said buildings and grounds to the city of Natchez for the purposes of a city hospital, and to devote the proceeds of such sale to the construction of a schoolbuilding at Jackson, Mississippi, to be used for the purposes of educa~ tion for the beneét of the colored people Therefore. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the American Bap- Treasury is hereby authorized and directed to quit-<·.im and release the tisf H<>¤1¤ S<>¤i¤W said Marine-hospital building and grounds to the said American Bap- §§;‘;:d0f}°;gl§°:} tist Home Mission Society, hee aud clear of the aforesaid conditions and Mmm hcspit ,1 covenants in said deed contained. Provided, That by proper covenant, building at Natto be approved by the Secretary of the Treasury, such society secures ch", MM- the appropriation of the proceeds of such sale to the construction of a P'°""°‘ school building at Jackson, Mississippi, to be used for the purposes of education for the benefit of the colored people. Approved, May 13, 1884. SBA?. 46.-Au act amendiu the Revised Statutes of the n' ed States in respect 3 of officigl oaths, and for other purposeg It Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section twelve hundred R. S. 1218, 215. and eighteen of the Revised Statutes of the United States be, and is Amended. hereby, amended so as to read as follows:
