Resolvedby the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

THATthe Solicitor of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized, by and with the approval of the Secretaries of the Treasury and War Departments, to submit the differences between the United States of the one part, and the Catholic congregation of St. Augustine, Florida, and Benedict Madeore, vicar general of the Catholic Church of Florida, of the other part, as to certain property specified in the memorials to Congress of the claimants at this session, to arbitration, and to agree for the United States to such impartial and disinterested citizen learned in the law as said solicitor and said parties may select, to decide said differences on such terms and conditions, and in such mode, manner, and form as may be deemed just and proper by said solicitor and said parties, to be set forth in such submission; and that said solicitor be directed to defend the rights and interests of the United States before such arbitrator, and to obtain from Havana, or elsewhere, such papers as may be necessary therefor; the decision of said arbitrator to be made

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before or during the next session of Congress, and, with the evidence on which the same is founded, to be laid before Congress at its next session, for its approval and ratification thereof, or dissent therefrom, and for its further action thereon.