United States Statutes at Large/Volume 3/13th Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 29
Chap. XXIX.—An act to authorize a loan for a sum not exceeding twenty-five millions of dollars.
Act of Dec. 26, 1814, ch. 17.
Loan authorized.
For what purpose.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized to borrow, on the credit of the United States, a sum not exceeding twenty-five millions of dollars, to be applied, in addition to the moneys now in the treasury, or which may be received from other sources, to defray any expenses which have been, or during the present year may be authorized by law, and for which appropriations have been, or during the present year may be made by law: Provided,Proviso. That no engagement or contract shall be entered into which shall preclude the United States from reimbursing any sum or sums thus borrowed at any time after the expiration of twelve years from the last day of December next.
Secretary of the Treasury to cause certificates of stock to be issued for the sum obtained by loan.
An account to be rendered by him of this amount.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treasury, with the approbation of the President of the United States, be, and he is hereby authorized to cause to be constituted certificates of stock, signed by the Register of the Treasury shall lay before Congress, during the first week in the month of February, one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, an account of all the moneys obtained by the sale of certificates of stock in manner aforesaid, together with a statement of the rate at which the same may have been sold.
Secretary of the Treasury to employ agents for procuring subscriptions, &c.
Their commissions.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby authorized, with the approbation of the President of the United States, to employ an agent or agents for the purpose of obtaining subscriptions to the loan authorized by this act, or of selling any part of the stock to be created by virtue thereof. A commission not exceeding one quarter of one per cent. on the amount thus sold, or for which subscriptions shall have been thus obtained, may, by the Secretary of the Treasury, be allowed to such agent or agents; and a sum not Specific appropriations.exceeding sixty-six thousand dollars, to be paid out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, is hereby appropriated for paying the amount of such commission of commissions as may be thus allowed, and also for defraying the expenses of printing and issuing the subscription certificates, and certificates of stock, and other expenses incident fo the completing of the loan authorized by this act.
Funds pledged for the reimbursement of principal and payment of interest.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That so much of the funds constituting the annual appropriation of eight millions of dollars for the payment of the principal and interest of the public debt of the United States, as may be wanted for that purpose, after satisfying the sums necessary for the payment of the interest and such part of the principal of said debt as the United States are now pledged annually to pay or reimburse, is hereby pledged and appropriated for the payment of the interest, and for the reimbursement of the principal of the stock which may be created by virtue of this act. It shall accordingly be the duty of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund to cause to be applied and paid out of the said fund, yearly, such sum and sums as may be annually wanted to discharge the interest accruing on the said stock, and to reimburse the principal as the same become due, and may be discharged in conformity with the terms of the loan; and they are furhter authorized to apply, from time to time, such sum or sums out of the said fund, as they may think proper, towards redeeming, by purchase and at a price not above par, the principal of the said stock, or any part thereof. And the faith of the United States is hereby pledged to establish sufficient revenues for making good any deficiency that may hereafter take place in the funds hereby appropriated for paying the said interest and principal sums, or any of them, in manner aforesaid.
Lawful for banks in Columbia to lend any part of sum required.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for any of the banks in the District of Columbia to lend any part of the sum authorized to be borrowed by virtue of this act, any thing in any of their charters to the contrary notwithstanding.
Approved, March 24, 1814.