The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1817-04-11

AN ACT

payment Tor property lost, car tured
or destroyed Ly the enemy while in
the military service 81 the Urited
States, anG Ter other purposes" pass
ed the ninth Of April, enc thouSond
eight bundled and sixteen
BE a cnacted By The Senate and House
Of RcfreSentRttses Of tie Ua;ited STATES
Of Jnlerfca ia Congress aSScr. 6is5 ! hat
TIC ninth section Of the oct, en,il;cc
= an act aathUrizing the pu,nrrt for
property lost captured or destroyed by
the enemy While in The military service
OF the grted States, anu ior Other Eur.
poscs,, passed on the ninth Ct =; ri,
oEc thohstnd eight hundrcd and six
teen, shall be construed 10 extend only
to houses, ,r other buildings Occupied by
en- order ci IN officer or agcnt Of the L
MED States rs place OF deposite for
military or naval stores, or as barracks
Ter the military forces OF the United
States; and that, in acting on all claims
arising under the aiore said ninth sec.
lion, as wells these whe,eon commits
sions are now returned ara remoin un-
decided IS these en- which commissions
may DC hereafter executed, it shall be
The duty OF The OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
IN virtue of the act aforesaid, carefully
to eXaminc and Investigate the same,
and TO report the facts in such case 10
Congress as soon as may be, that such
provision may be made for the relief Of
the respective claimants as shall be
deemed just and proper.
Sc. 9 ind BE az further enacted
hat The said Commissioners shall, in all
cases III which the claim 10 ccmpensa-
Con CT indemnity shall exceed the sum
oi two hundred dol!ors, award COM
mission 10 some one or more discreet
commissioners near the places where
the witnesses reside who shall, before
hey proceed 10 act, take an oath or afiii-
nation before SEINE officer authorized
by law 10 administer The same, THAI they
will faithfully s. impastialiy execute the
duties assigned 10 themin said commits.
sion, to HE best OF their Judgment !;
and the said commissioner shall accom-.
| Pany said commission. with direction
as To examination OF Witnesses, on oath
OF afirnIatioD, v hich The said commits.
sioner or commissioners so acting are
| hereby authorized 10 administer (which
SAID commission, when executed, TO
gether with the examinations taken IT.
pursuance thereof, shall be enclosed,
scaled, AID re'ulned by mail to the Of
lice oi the said commissioner. PrcOid>
ed Ac7UeOef, That i'll acting On exami-
nations taken by virtue @. the act TO
kICh Ic n
commissioner shall be authorised, in
all cases where he shall adjudee the
facts not 10 be sufficiently disclosed to
! allow q just decision between the claim
ants and the United States, TO award a
new commission as aforesaid and. al
so, in all cases in which The said COM
| missioner shall deem it proper 10 an
point an agent 10 act in behalf of the
United STATES, in executing said COM
naissiOns and il shall be The duty OF
the commissioner or commissioners Ia
king evidence n any case, to meke lin
quiry whether any evidence NAV be
had which may be favorable 10 the in.
lerest Of tie United States, and to take
such evidence and transmit The same to
the said commissioner in like manner.
SEC. ). ind be il further enacted
That any person In the late wa: aforc-
SAID, who has sustained damage by the
loss Of any horse, mule, OK, wagon
carr, boat, sleigh or harness, ~ lille such
properly vas in The military service O!
The United States, either by impress
ment or contract, EXCEPT in cases where
The risk to which Tie property would
be exposed was agreed to be incurred
by tho owner, it it shall appear that
such loss was without aEy fault or neg.
.igence on the part Of The owner, shah
be allowed and paid The value thereof.
Sec. / IND be IL further enacted.
That the provisions Of this act, and the
act to which it is an amendment, shall
be, and are hereby extended TO cases
Of property lost, captured or DESTROYED
in the wars with the Indian tribes, sub.
sequeGt to the eighteenth lay of Feb
ruary, and prior TO the FIRST day of Sep.
!ember, one thousand eight hundred
and fifteen, in the same manner as if
lost, captured or destroyed in the late
war with Great Britain.
Sect. s. Ind be il further enacted.
That all claims allowed by said com.
missioner Of two hundred dollars or
upwards, shall be revised by the sccre-
tary o. war, on a statement Of the facts
made TO him by the aforesaid commits.
sioner and may be confirmed or reject.
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