The Camden confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-29
Claims for Slaves Lost in Public
Service.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
OFFICE OF STATE AUDITOR,

4
b|THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS AND SUGGESTION FOR
the preparation and proof Of claims by citizens of
this state for slaves lost while employed the forti
cations and other military works within the State or
whose loss has been occasioned by the said employ
ment are made public for the infomation of all
cerned:
I. Tho following resolution were adopted by the
General Assembly of this State at the session held in
January, 1868:
Resolved. That in the opinion Of this General AS
sembly, it pr per and just that the State should
compensate the Of slaves taken by the authority
the State for the public SERVICE who have died from
dJeaSeS contracted in said service, and whose death
or loss has been occasoned by of said service
Resolved, That the several claims before the
Legislature as we'll as others that may hereafter arise
be presented to James Tnpper, Esq, State Auditor,
to be audited. Also that said Auditor be authorized
and reqtired to call for any additional proof that he
may deem necessary 10 establish said caims and that
he report to the next session of the Legislature each
claim allowed, with the evidence which his judg-
ment is based
II. All claims now on file in this Office, or which
may be hereafter submitted for audit under the for
golns resolution should be supported by the affidavit
OF the claimant, which affidavit should set forth as
many OF the following facts the said claims make
oath to according TO his knowledge, Information or be-
lief:
l. The name and residence of the owner of the
slaves.
2. The name, age and qualifications of tho slave,
ana ms condition OF health at the time of mpressment
by the authority Of the State.
3. The time when; the agent of the State by whom;
and the period for which the impressment made.
T. The location of the Notifications or other public
works on which the slaves employed; the duration
OF said employment; and the ofthe officer or
other person having the charge of tho slave while in
the public service.
5. The circumstances of the loss il by death, the
nature OF the diseases; when and where contracted
by what physician (if any) it was treated and when
and where it terminated, ifby escape, when and how
the escape was effected and whether to the enemy OF
otherwise.
ILL., The statement of the claimant as to the own.
ershp, impressment and loss of the slave should be
corroboratcd by affidavit, of at least disneresed
person The fact OF the lmpressment should be yer.
ied whenever practicable by the agent of the State
by whom the impressment was made, or by one OF
the Commissioners of Roads for the District Parish
from which the slave was taken, or by the officer
overseer having charge ofthe slave while in the public
service. The circumstances of the loss should be
tabsed in case of DEATH by the attending physician,
fone was employed and his testimony be obtain
ed and in case otescape by the person having charge
OF the slave at the tmeof escape if his evidence
be obtained
Nv. In addition to the foregoing proof tho value
ofthe slave at the time Of mpressment should be as
sessed by two dsnteested citizens of the District
Parish from which the slave was taken, who shall be
frat sworn to Appraiso the said slave fairly and impair
tally.
V. If the owner of the slave is dead is laboring
under any legal disability, the evidence tending to
establish the ownership, impressment and loss may
De auuuceu Dy the proper legal representative OF such
owner who should make affidavit of the facts indicated
in Section H. according to his knowledge information
and belief. The affidavit of the owner or of his rep
resentatve unsupported by other evidence will not
betaken as conclusive of the facts stated therein,
less it shall appear that other and higher evidence
cannot be obtain which fact should be distinctly set
forth in the affidavit of the said party And the officer
taking the affidavit should state in his certificate Of
authorization whether in his opinion the said party
is or is not entitled to credit.
vi. The following form of certificate OF authenti
cation is suggested
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
DISTRICT.
], Clerk of the Court of
Common Pleas and General Sessions Tor other officer
authorized to administer oaths OF said District and
State do hereby certify that the foregoing aidavits
of
and appraisment by q,
were sworn to before me by the said parties whose
said affants and appraisers we'll known to me to
be persons Of veracity and credibity
In testimony Whereof hereunto subscribe my name
and affix the seal ofs said Court
H.. 81 Tor my official seal) at +,
this day of 1863.
[Signaturc and title of oflcer1
VII. No provision has been made by Confederate
Government for compensating owners for slaves lost
in the public service prior to April, 1853 The re-
mpressment of private property for the use Of the ar
my and for other military purposes" applies to the
future, and has no retrospective effect This Act
however. recognize the principle of compensation by
the Government for such losses and it is to be pre-.
sumed that provision will be made by future Congress.
sional legislation for their payment The mode of
proof indicated in the foregoing articles conforms in