On the eighteenth of July, 1879, the general court of New Hampshire passed an act, of which the following is a copy:
'An act to protect the rights of citizens of this state, holding claims against other states.
'Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives in general court convened:
'Section 1. Whenever any citizen of the state shall be the owner of any claim against any of the United States of America, arising upon a written obligation to pay money issued by such state, which obligation shall be past due and unpaid, such citizen holding such claim may assign the same to the state of New Hampshire, and deposit the assignment thereof, duly executed and acknowledged in the form and manner provided for the execution and acknowledgment of deeds of real estate by the laws of this state, together with all the evidence necessary to substantiate such claim, with the attorney general of the state.
'Sec. 2. Upon each deposit being made, it shall be the duty of the attorney general to examine such claim and the evidence thereof, and if, in his opinion, there is a valid claim which shall be just and equitable to enforce, vested by such assignment in the state of New Hampshire, he, the attorney general, shall, upon the assignor of such claim depositing with him such sum as he, the said attorney general, shall deem necessary to cover the expenses and disbursements incident to, or which may become incident to, the collection of said claim, bring such suits, actions, or proceedings in the name of the state of New Hampshire, in the supreme court of the United States, as he, the said attorney general, shall deem necessary for the recovery of the money due upon such claim; and it shall be the duty of the said attorney general to prosecute such action or actions to final judgment, and to take such other steps as may be necessary after judgment, for the collection of said claim, and to carry such judgment into effect, or, with the consent of the assignor, to compromise, adjust, and settle such claim before or after judgment.
'Sec. 3. Nothing in this act shall authorize the expenditure of any money belonging to this state, but the expenses of said proceedings shall be paid by the assignor of such claim; and the assignor of such claim may associate with the attorney general in the prosecution thereof, in the name of the state of New Hampshire, such other counsel as the said assignor may deem necessary, but the state shall not be liable for the fees of such counsel or any part thereof.
'Sec. 4. The attorney general shall keep all moneys collected upon such claim, or by reason of any compromise of any such claim, separate and apart from any other moneys of this state which may be in his hands, and shall deposit the same to his own credit, as special trustee under this act, in such bank or banks as he shall select; and the said attorney general shall pay to the assignor of such claims all such sums of money as may be recovered by him in compromise or settlement of such claims, deducting therefrom all expenses incurred by said attorney not before that time paid by the assignor.