Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1862-04-10

sons troops were reported few days ago to
to have been utterly routed aud demoralized-
We take it for granted. however, that General
Banks has good military reasons for refining in
the impotence of his command
A later dispatch from Woodstock states that
the bridge over Stoney Creek has been repaired,
and that General Banks is again moving for
ward. Ashbys cavalry was retiring slowly
and taking advantage of every position to dis
pute the progress of the troops.
General Sherman and Staff reached Port Roy
al from the neghborhood Of Savannah on the
Sd inst, but they either brought no news or
suffered none to be made public in regard to the
movements of the Federal forces in that quarter.
General Wight, who is stationed at Jackson
Vile, Florida, was expecting an attack from
three Confederate regiments, but was confident
that he could maintain his position.
The Richmond Dispatch of the LIST inst no.
tees the arrival, in that city, Of twenty-five
Federal prisoners, captured in skirmish on the
Rappahannock Among the number were six
the engagement is said to have been consider
able.
By the change in the Departments of Virginia
announced by the Secretary of War on Satur-
day. General McCellan's command now covers
the peninsula between the James and York
Rivers. He retains command of three of the
five corps d'armee, lately belonging to the army
of the Potomac.
| The Mobile Aluertiser of the 4th inst. states
that General Buell. had reached Savannah, on
the Tennessee river, and that active preparations
were making on both sides for the great struggle.
Abolition Of Slavery in the District OF
| Columbia.
The following is the bill which passed the U
S. Senate on Thursday for the adjustment Of
slavery in the District of Columbia:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep.
resentotiues Of the United States OF america IN
Congress assembled That all persons held tt
service or labor within the District of Columbia
by reason of African descent, are hereby dis
| charged and freed of and from all claim to sucl
!, service or labor and from aud after the passag,
Of this act neither slavery nor involuntary SER
vitude, except for crime, whereof the party shall
be duly convicted, shall hereafter exist in sale
j District
4 Sec 2 And be 1t enacted, That all persons
II loyal to the United States holding claims to ser
H vice or labor against persons discharged there
from by this act may, within ninety days from
the passage thereof, but not thereafter, presen
to the commissioners hereinafter mentioned thei
respective statements or positions, in writing
verified by oath or affirmation, setting forth tn
names, ages and personal description of sucl
persons, the manner in which said petitioner
acquired each claim, and any facts touching tn
value thereof: and declaring his allegiance to tn
a Government of the United States in the presen
rebellion, nor in any way given aid and comfor
thereto; provided that the oath of the party t
, the petition shall not be evidence of the fact
( therein stated.
}. Sec. g. And be 1t further enacted, That tn
g President of the United States, with the advic
t and consent of the Senate, shall appoint thre
commissioners, residents of the District of Col
umbia, any two of whom shall have power
;, sact, who shall receive the petitions above men
q toned, and who shall investigate and determin
l. fthe validity and value of the claims therein pre-
sented, as aforesaid, and appraise and apportior
under the -prosisQs hereto annexed the value
be valid. Provided, however, that the entire
sum to be appraised and apportioned shall not
exceed in the aggregate an amount equal to
three hundred dollars for each person shown to
have been SO held by lawful claim and, provid-
ed, further, that no claim shall be allowed for
aany slave or slaves brought into said District
after the passage Of this act, or which originates
in or by virtue of any transfer heretofore made,
Or which shall hereafter be made, by any per-
son who has in any manner aided or sustained
kkn a1,1IJS1 H. 6 /
United States.
z Sec. 4. Aad be 1t further enactea That said
commissioners shall, within nine months from
the passage of this act, make a full and final re-
port of their proceedings findings and appraise-
ments, and shall deliver the same to the Secre-
tMy of the Treasury, which report shall be
deemed and taken to be conclusive in all respects
except as hereinafter provided and the Secre-
tary of the Treasury shall, with like 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
entitled thereto as aforesaid, and the same shall
be received in full and complete compensation
provided that in cases where petitions may be
filed presenting conflicting claims, or setting up
lions, said commissioners shall so specify in said
report and payment shall not be made accord
iug to the award of said commissioners until a
which time any petitioner claiming an interest
in the particular amount may file bill in equity
lin the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
making all other claimants defendants thereto
setting forth the proceedings in such case before
said commissioners and their action therein
praying that the party to whom payment has
been awarded may be enjoined from receiving
The same; and if said court shall grant such
provisional order, a copy thereof may, on mo-
lion of said complainant, be served upon the
Secretary of the Treasury, who shall thereupon
cause the said amount of money to be paid into
said court, subject to its orders and final Decree
which payment shall be in full and complete
compensation, as in other cases.
+ Sec. 5. And be 1t further enacted, That said
commissioners shall hold their sessions in the
ety of Washington, at such places and times as
The President of the United States may direct,
IF which they shall give due public notice.
they shall have power to subpoena and compel
the attendance of witnesses, and to receive testi
s,onv and enforce IFS nroduction as in civil cases