Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-12-26
Slavery.

senator Wilson's Bill for the Abolition of
| Slavery.
The following is the bill introduced by Sena-
tor Wilson for the release of certain persons held
to service or labor in the District of Columbia:
| Be II enacted etc., That all persons held to
service or labor within the District of Columbia
by reason of African decent, are hereby dscharg-
| ed and freed of and from all claim to such SER
vice or labor, and subsection to service and labor
proceeding from such cause, shall not hereafter
exist in the said District.
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That all per-
sons holding claims to service or labor against
persons discharged therefrom by this act may,
| within ninety days from the passage hereof (but
not thereafter), present to the Commissioners,
hereinafter mentioned, their respective state
ments or petitions in writing, ,veriisA by oath
or affirmation, setting forth the names ages and
| personal description of such persons, the man
ner in which said petitioners acquired such
claims and any facts touching the value thereof
| Sec. 3. Be 1t further enacted, That the Presi-
dent of the United States, with the advice and
consent of the Senate, shall appoint three Com
missioners residents of the District of Columbia,
any two of whom shall have power to act, who
shall receive the petitions above mentioned, and
who shall investigate and determine the legal
validity of the claims therein presented, and
who shall appraise and apportion under the
proviso hereto annexed, the value in money of
the several claims by them found to be valid.
| Provided, that the entire sum SO appraised and
apportioned shall not exceed in the aggregate
an amount equal to three hundred dollars for
each person shown to have been held by lawful
claim.
Sec. 4: Be 1t further enacted, That the said
Commissioners shall, within nine months from
| the passage of this act, make full and final
report of their proceedings, finding, and appraise
ment, and shall deliver the same to the Secretary
Of the Treasury, which report shall be deemed
and taken to be conclusive in all respects, ex-
cept as hereinafter provided, and the Secretary
Of the Treasury shall, with ike exception cause
the amounts so apportioned to said claims to be
paid from the Treasury of the United States to
the parties found by said report to be the law
FIJI holders thereof. and the same shall be recev'
ed in full and complete compensation: Prorided,
that in cases where petitions may be filed pre-
senting conflicting claims, or setting up liens,
commissions shall so specify in said report, and
payment shall not be made according to the
| award of the said Commissioners until period
IF sixty days shall have elapsed during which
time any petitioners claiming an interest in the
particular amount may file bill in equity in
the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia.
the said Commissioners, and their action therein,
and praying that the party to whom payment
| has been awarded may be enjoined from receiv-
ing the same; and if the said Court shall grant
such provisional order. copy thereof may,
on motion of the said complainant, be served
upon the Secretary of the Treasury. who shall
thereupon cause the said money to be paid into
the said Court, subject to its orders and final
decree, which payment shall be in full and COM
plete compensation, as in other cases.
Sec. 5. Be 1t further enacted, That the said
Commissioners shall hold their sessions in the
city of Washington at such place and at times
as the President of the United States may direct,
of which they shall give public notice. They
shall have power to subpoena and compel the
attendance of witnesses, and to receive testi-
mony and enforce its production, as 10 civil
cases before courts of Justice, and they may
summon before them the persons making claim
to service of labor, and examine them under
oath; and they may also, for purposes of linden
LITIGATION and apprasement, call before them the
persons so claimed; the said Commissioners shall
appoint clerk, who shall keep the files and
complete record of all proceedings before them,
who shall have power to administer oaths and
affirmations in the said proceedings, and who
shall issue all lawful processes by them ordered.
The Marshal of the District of Columbia shall,
personally, or by deputy, attend upon the ses-
sions of the said Commissioners, and shall exc
cute the process issued by the said clerk.
T Sec. 6. Be 1t further enacted, That the said
Commissioners shall receive in compensation for
their services the sum of two thousand dollars
each, to be paid upon their fling of their report;
that the said clerk shall receive for bis services
the sum of two hundred dollars per month /; that
the said Marshal shall receive such fees allow
ed by law for similar services performed by him
in the Circuit Court of the District Of Columbia;
that the Secretary of the Treasury shall cause
all other reasonable expenses Of the said COM
mission to be audited and allowed, and that the
said compensation, fees and expenses shall be
paid from the"Treasury of the United States
Sec. 7. Be 1t further enacted, That for the
purpose of carrying this act into effect, there is
hereby appropriated from the Treasury of the
United States sum not exceeding one million
/ of dollars.
MARRIED.,
On the 18th instant, by the Rev. J. F. STIDHAM,
Mr. JOHN H. JOHNSON and Miss MARY C..
THOMPSON, all of Charles county.
RELIGIOUS NOTICE.
@s-There will be preaching at the M. E. Church
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