An Act to provide for the better Organization of the Treasury, and for the Collection, Safe keeping, Transfer, and Disbursement of the public Revenue.

Be it enacted . . ., That the rooms prepared and provided in the new treasury building at the seat of government for the use of the treasurer of the United States, his assistants, and clerks, and occupied by them, and also the fireproof vaults and safes erected in said rooms for the keeping of the public moneys in the possession and under the immediate control of said treasurer, and such other apartments as are provided for in this act as places of deposit of the public money, are hereby constituted and declared to be the treasury of the United States. And all moneys paid into the same shall be subject to the draft of the treasurer, drawn agreeably to appropriations made by law.

[Sections 2-4 provide that the mint at Philadelphia, the branch mint at New Orleans, and the places provided for at New York, Boston, Charleston, and St. Louis, under the act of July 4; I840, for the use of receivers general of public money, shall be places of deposit. ]

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the President shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate appoint, four officers to be denominated "assistant treasurers of the United States," which said officers shall hold their respective offices for the term of four years unless sooner removed therefrom; one of which shall be located at the city of New York . .. ; one . .. at the city of Boston . .. ; one . .. at the city of Charleston . .. ; and one other at St. Louis . . .

SEC. 6. And be it further acted, That the treasurer of the United States, the treasurer of the mint of the United States, the treasurers, and those acting as such, of the various branch mints, all collectors of the customs, all surveyors of the customs acting also as collectors, all assistant treasurers, all receivers of public moneys at the several land offices, all postmasters, and all public officers of whatsoever character, be, and they are hereby, required to keep safely, without loaning, using, depositing in bank, or exchanging for other funds than as allowed by this act, all the public money collected by them, or otherwise at any time placed in their possession and custody, till the same is ordered, by the proper department or officer of the government, to be transferred or paid out; and when such orders for transfer or payment are received, faithfully and promptly to make the same as directed, and to do and perform all other duties as fiscal agents of the government which may be imposed by this or any other acts of Congress, or by any regulation of the treasury department made in conformity to law; and also to do and perform all acts and duties required by law, or by direction of any of the Executive departments of the government, as agents for paying pensions, or for making any other disbursements which either of the heads of these departments may be required by law to make, and which are of a character to be made by the depositories hereby constituted, consistently with the other official duties imposed upon them.

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SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That all collectors and, receivers of public money, of every character and description, within the District of Columbia, shall, as frequently as they may be directed by the Secretary of the Treasury, or the Postmaster general so to do, pay over to the treasurer of the United States, at the treasury, all public moneys collected by them, or in their hands; that all such collectors and receivers of public moneys within the cities of Philadelphia and New Orleans shall, upon the same direction, pay over to the treasurers of the mints in their respective cities, at the said mints, all public moneys collected by them, or in their hands; and that all such collectors and receivers of public moneys within the cities of New York, Boston, Charleston, and St. Louis, shall, upon the same direction, pay over to the assistant treasurers in their respective cities, at their offices, respectively, all the public moneys collected by them, or in their hands, to be safely kept by the said respective depositories until otherwise disposed of according to law and it shall be the duty of the said Secretary and Postmaster general respectively to direct such payments by the said collectors and receivers at all the said places, at least as often as once in each week, and as much more frequently, in all cases, as they in their discretion may think proper.

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SEC. I8. Be it further enacted, That on . .. [January 1, I847] . . ., and thereafter, all duties, taxes, sales of public lands, debts, and sums of money accruing or becoming due to the United States, and also all sums due for postages or otherwise, to the general post office department, shall be paid in gold and silver coin only, or in treasury notes issued under the authority of the United States.... SEC. I9. And be it further enacted, That on . .. [April I, I847] . . ., and thereafter, every officer or agent engaged in making disbursements on account of the United States, or of the general post-office, shall make all payments in gold and silver coin, or in treasury notes, if the creditor agree to receive said notes in payment.