Preamble
Whereas certain moneys were subscribed and paid into the treasury of the Philippine Islands by the Queen of Spain and a great number of other subscribers throughout the Spanish dominions for the relief of those damaged by the earthquake which took place in the Philippine Islands on June third, eighteen hundred and sixty-three; and Whereas a central relief board was appointed by royal order dated October sixth, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, to distribute said fund; and Whereas on the twenty-second day of September, eighteen hundred and sixty-six, said central relief board allotted a large portion of said fund to various sufferers named in a resolution of said board, of said date, and by order of the Governor-General of the Philippine Islands a list of said allotments together with names of those to whom the various amounts were allotted was published in the Gaceta de Manila dated April seventh, eighteen hundred and seventy; and Whereas the amounts so allotted were not paid to the persons to whom they were allotted by said central relief board; and Whereas in the year eighteen hundred and eighty-three, the Spanish Government of the Philippine Islands deposited in the Monte de Piedad of Manila and the latter received the sum of eighty thousand pesos gold belonging to said subscription; and Whereas said central relief board is not in existence and can not carry out the duties for which it was organized; and Whereas said sum of eighty thousand pesos gold is still in the possession and keeping of said Monte de Piedad and was not paid either to the Spanish Government of the Islands or to its successors, or to the beneficiaries of said funds or any of them; and Whereas certain of the persons and the heirs of others to whom said allotments were made now petition the Government of the Philippine Islands for the payment of the allotments made by said central relief board, which are still unpaid; therefore By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Legislature, that: