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1.

SECTION I.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all the territory which was ceded by the State of Maryland to the Congress of the United States for the permanent seat of the government of the United States shall continue to be designated as the District of Columbia.

2. Said District and the property and persons that may be therein shall be subject to the following provisions for the government of the same, and also to any existing laws applicable thereto not hereby repealed or inconsistent with the provisions of this act.

3. The District of Columbia shall remain and continue a municipal corporation, as provided in section two of the Revised Statutes relating to said District, and the Commissioners herein provided for shall be deemed and taken as officers of such corporation.

4. And all laws now in force relating to the District of Columbia not inconsistent with the provisions of this act shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION II.

1. That within twenty days after the approval of this act the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, is hereby authorized to appoint two persons, who, with an officer of the Corps of Engineers of the United States army, whose lineal rank shall be above that of captain, shall be Commissioners of the District of Columbia.

2. And who, from and after July first, eighteen hundred and seventy-eight, shall exercise all the powers and authority now vested in the Commissioners of said District, except as are hereinafter limited or provided, and shall be subject to all restrictions and limitations and duties which are now imposed upon said Commissioners.

3. The Commissioner who shall be an officer detailed from time to time from the Corps of Engineers by the President for this duty shall not be required to perform any other, nor shall he receive any other compensation than his regular pay and allowances as an officer of the army.

4. The two persons appointed from civil life shall, at the time of their appointment, be citizens of the United States,

and shall have been actual residents of the District of Columbia for three years next before their appointment, and have, during that period, claimed residence nowhere else.

5. And one of said three Commissioners shall be chosen president of the Board of Commissioners at their first meeting, and annually and whenever a vacancy shall occur thereafter.

6. And said Commissioners shall each of them, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, take an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of the United States and to faithfully discharge the duties imposed upon him by law.

7. And said Commissioners appointed from civil life shall each receive for his services a compensation at the rate of five thousand dollars per annum, and shall, before entering upon the duties of the office, each give bond in the sum of fifty thousand dollars, with surety as is required by existing law.

8. The official term of said Commissioners appointed from civil life shall be three years, and until their successors are appointed and qualified; but the first appointment shall be one Commissioner for one year and one for two years, and at the expiration of their respective terms their successors shall be appointed for three years.

9. Neither of said Commissioners nor any officer whatsoever of the District of Columbia shall be accepted as surety upon any bond required to be given to the District of Columbia.

10. Nor shall any contractor be accepted as surety for any officer or other contractor in said District.

SECTION III.

1. That as soon as the Commissioners appointed and detailed as aforesaid shall have taken and subscribed the oath or affirmation herein before required all the powers, rights, duties and privileges lawfully exercised by and all property, estate and effects now vested by law in the Commissioners appointed under the provisions of the act of Congress approved June twentieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-four, shall be transferred to and vested in and imposed upon said Commissioners; and the functions of the Commissioners so appointed under the act of June twentieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-four, shall cease and determine.

2. And the Commissioners of the District of Columbia shall have power, subject to the limitations and provisions herein con

tained, to apply the taxes or other revenues of said District to the payment of the current expenses thereof, to the support of the public schools, the fire department, and the police, and for that purpose shall take possession and supervision of all the offices, books, papers, records, moneys, credits, securities, assets, and accounts belonging or appertaining to the business or interests of the government of the District of Columbia and exercise the duties, powers and authority aforesaid.

3. But said Commissioners, in the exercise of such duties, powers and authority, shall make no contract, nor incur any obligation other than such contracts and obligations as are hereinafter provided for and shall be approved by Congress.

4. The Commissioners shall have power to locate the places where hacks shall stand and change them as often as the public interests require.

5. Any person violating any orders lawfully made in pursuance of this power shall be subject to a fine of not less than ten nor more than one hundred dollars, to be recovered before any justice of the peace in an action in the name of the Commissioners.

6. All taxes heretofore lawfully assessed and due or to become due shall be collected pursuant to law, except as herein otherwise provided.

7. But said Commissioners shall have no power to anticipate taxes by a sale or hypothecation of any such taxes or evidences thereof.

8. But they may borrow for the first fiscal year after this act takes effect, in anticipation of collection of revenue, not to exceed two hundred thousand dollars, at a rate of interest not exceeding five per centum per annum, which shall be repaid out of the revenues of that year.

9. And said Commissioners are hereby authorized to abolish any office, to consolidate two or more offices, reduce the number of employes, remove from office, and make appointments to any office under them authorized by law.

10. Said Commissioners shall have power to erect, light and maintain lamp-posts, with lamps, outside of the city limits, when, in their judgment, it shall be deemed proper or necessary.

Provided, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to abate in any wise or interfere with any suit pending in favor of or against the District of Columbia or the Commissioners

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