ACTS OF CONGRESS CREATING A STATISTICAL OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to lay before Congress annually, at the commencement of its session, in a compendious form, all such changes and modifications in the commercial systems of other nations, whether by treaties, duties on imports and exports, or other regulations, as shall have come to the knowledge of the Department. Approved August 16, 1842. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, in addition to the changes and modifications in the commercial systems of other nations now required to be reported by the act approved August 16, 1842, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to lay before Congress annually, within sixty days of the commencement of each ordinary session, as a part of said report, all other commercial information, communicated to the State Department by consular and diplomatic agents of this Government abroad, or contained in the official publications of other governments, which he shall deem sufficiently important. Approved August 18, 1856. |