Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-05-01
OFFICIAL.
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LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES,
Passed Mt the Second session OF the Thirty
seventh Congress.
| PUBLIC-No. SOL


AN ACT for the release of certain pc
sons held to service or labor in tn
District Of Columbia.
BE Il enacted by the Senate and House Of Repr
sentdtires Of the United States Of .iuericd in 10,
gress assembled, That all persons held to Sc
vice or labor within the District of G,
lumbia by reason of African descen
are hereby discharged and freed q
and from all claim to such service O
labor and from after the passage @
this act neither slavery nor involunta
ry scrvitude, except for crime, where
of the party shall be duly convicted
shall hereafter exist in said District.
Sec. 2. And be IL FURTHER enacted, Tha
all persons loyal to the United States
holding claims to service or labo
against persons discharged thcrcfron
by this act, may, within ninety days
from the passage thereof, but moi
thereafter, present to the commission.
crs hereinafter mentioned their re,
spective statements or petitions in
writing, verified by oath or affirma.
ton, setting forth the names, ages,
aud personal description of such per
sons, the manner in which said petition.
ers acquired such claim, and any facts
touching the value thereof, and de.
claring his allegiance to the Govern.
ment of the United States, and that he
has not borne arms against the Uni
ted States during the present rebel.
lion, nor in any way given aid or COM
fort thereto Proruled, That the oath
of the party to the petition shall not
be evidence of the facts therein stated
Sec. 3. And be Il further enacted, That
the President Of the United States,
with the advice and consent of the
Senate, shall appoint three commits
sioncrs, 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 validity and value of the claims
therein presented, as aforesaid, and
appraisc and apportion, under the
proviso hereto annexed, the value in
money of the several claims by them
found to be valid: Prorided, Aoarerer,
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 SO held by lawful claim !:
And prorided fxrther, That no claim
shall be allowed for any slave or
slaves brought into said District after
the passage of this act, nor for any
slave claimed by any person who has
borne arms against the Government
of the United States in the present
rebellion, or in any way given aid or
comfort thereto, or which originates
in or by virtue of any transfer hereto
fore made, or which shall hereafter be
made 10y any person who has in any
manner aided or sustained the rebel
lion against the Government Of the
United States.
Sec. 4. And be IL further enacted, That
said commissioners shall, within nine
months from the passage of this act,
make full and final report of their
proceedings, findings and appraIsc-
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, except
as hereinafter provided and the Sec
rotary 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 re-
port TO be entitled thereto as afore-
said, and the same shall be received
in full and complete compensation :
Prorided, That in cases where petitions
may be filed presenting conflicting
claims or setting up liens, said COM
missioners shall 50 specify in said re-
port, and payment shall not be made
according to the award Of said CON-
missioners until a period of sixty
days shall have elapsed, during which
time any petitioner claiming an inter
est in the particular amount may file
bill in equity in 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, and praying that
the party to whom payment has been
awarded may be enjoined from re-
ceiving the same and il said cour,
shall grant such provisional order a
copy thereof may, on motion of said
complainant, be served upon the Sec
retary of the Treasury, who shall
thercupon cause the said amount o.
money to be paid into said court, sub
ject to its orders and final decree, whicl
payment shall be in full and complete
compensation, as in other cases.
Sec. 5. And be IL further enacted, Tha
said commissioners shall hold thei
sessions in the city of Washington
at such place and times as the Presi
dent Of the United States may direct
of which they shall give due and pub
lie notice. They shall have power t
subpoena and compel the attendance
of witnesses, and to receive testimon,
and enforce its production, as in civi
cases before courts of justice, withou
the exclusion of any witness on &C
count of color and they may sun
mon before them the persons making
claim to service or labor, and exam
inc them under oath and they ma
also, for purposes Of Identification an
g appraisement, call before them tn
persons SO claimed Said commits
sioners shall appoint a clerk, VIII
I shall keep files and complete recor
2 of all proceedings before them, VIII
shall have power to administer oath
/ and aflirmations in said proceeding
I and who shall issue all lawful process
' by them ordered. The marshal of I'll
II District of Columbia shall PERSONAL
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