Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-08-19
pvpn,c-No. 127.1

An ACT supplementary to the " Act for the re-
lease Of certain persons held 10 service or
labor in the District of Columbia" approved
April sixteen, eighteen hundred and sixty
two.
Be ii enacted by The Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatiues of tile United States Of America in Con-
qress assembled, That The oath or affirmation
required by the second section of the act entitled
An act for the release of certain persons held
to service or labor in the District Of Columbia,
TO verify the statements or petitions in writing
filed before the commissioners, under the act
aforesaid, of persons holding claim to service or
labor against persons Of African descent freed
and discharged iherefrom, under the act afore-
said, may in all cases in which the persons hold
ing claims, as aforesaid, are infants or minors,
be made by the guardian or by any other person,
whether separately or Jointly, having the Gus
tody, management, OF control by law Of the
person and property OF such infants or minors /;
and that in all cases in which the persons hold
ing claims as aforesaid arc non-resident5 OF the
District of Columbia, or resident absentees, the
oath or affirmation required as aforesaid may be
made by the attorney or agent OF SAID non"resl-
dent or resident absentees and in all cases in
which the statements or petitions, required as
aforesaid, of persons in the military or naval
service of the United States, shall have been or
NAV be hereafter verified before any commander
separate command of any military force in the
field. or before auy captain, commander, or lieu
tenant commanding in the navy, the same shall
be received and deemed valid TO all intents and
purposes, as fully as # the verihtation had been
or weee made before auy officer competent by
law In take and administer oaths and aihrma-
lions, Provided That the commissioners shall be
satisfied that, at the time OF the verlhcatlon
aforesaid, the person making the same was en-
ployed in the military or naval service OF the
United States within the jurisdiction OF q rebel
i. us State or Territory, and unable to make
the oath or affirmation required, as aforesaid
before any officer authorized BY law to take or
administer the same, holding allegiance to the
United States
Sec. 2. And De it further enacted, That if any
person having claim 10 the service or labor OF any
person or persons ia the District of Columbia by
reason Of African descent shall neglect or refuse
10 file with the clerk Of the Circuit Court OF the
District of Columbia the statement in writing or
schedule provided in the ninth section of the act
approved April sixteen, eighteen hundred and
sixty-two, to which this is supplementary, then
il shall be lawful for the person or persons whose
services are claimed as aforesaid to hle such
statement in writing or schedule setting torth
the particular facts mentioned in SAID nlnth SEC
ton; aud the said clerk shall receive and record
the same as provided in said section on recelv-
Ing fifty cents each therefor.
Sec. 8. And be hturther enacted, That when
ever the facts set forth in the said statement or
schedule shall be found by the commissioners to
be true, the taid clerk and his successors in Of
flee shall prepare, sign, and deliver certificates,
US prescribed in the tenth section of the act to
which this is supplementary, 10 sucbperson or
persons as shall file their statements in pursu
ance of the foregoing section, in all respects the
same as if such statements were hltd by the
person having claim to their service OF labor.
Sec. 4. And be il further enacted, That all per.
sons held to service OF labor uuder the laws OF
any State, aud who at any time since the six
teenth day OF April, ammo DOmiui eighteen hun
dred and sixty-two, by the consent of the person
to whom such service or labor is claimed 10 be
owing, have been actually employed within the
District of Columbia, or who shall be hereafter
thus employed, are Hereby declared free, and
forever released from such seryitude, any thing
in the laws Of the United States or OF any State
to the contrary Notwithstanding.
Sec. g. And be il further enacted, That in al
judicial proceedings in the District of CoumbiI
there shall be no exclusion Of any witness OF
account Of color.
Annrovad Jnlv l . 1862