The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1867-05-04
Chief CLERK House OF Delegates
AUGUSTUS GASSAwAY,
May tit. Sccy II the Senate.

- +@@' AfAi4a' 'AAH+ts SESSION. iNHa.
wM. K. COLE
Chief CLERK House OF Delegates.
AUGUSTUS GASSAwAY,
May tit. Scc'y II the Senate.
An ACT 8" provide by law Tor taking AID per
lotuaiins the evidence oi the number Of per
sons held - labor and service IN the State of
Maryland and cnancpalrd by the Cpnstitu-
ton adopted IN the year eighteen hundred
AMI sixty four. and by whom such persons
were 50 held.
Whereas. BY joint resolution approvcd Aprii
10Th. 1853. Congress resolved that the n.tcd
States ought" cooperate with any State which
may ATOP, gradual abnlishmcnt If slavery,
giving To such state pecIniary Aid to Dc usc.l
by such State IA it, discretion. - compensate
ioF the inconvcnicnce. public and private. pro.
duccd by such change Of system.
And Whereas. by the 3iih section .. the nc,
Of Congress. approved On the 24th February,
1891. provision was made for enrolling all able
bodied male r"lorcd persons residing in the
United states ~ part of the national forces.
and for awarding I" each loyal per.on Ia whom
colored volunteer might owe service. n Jus.
compensation, not exceeding three hundred
dollars for carh culorcd volunteer. and under
said provisions and previous thereto. uEdcr the
military authority 1T tho United States a large
number OF slaves owing service D. loyal citi-
Iens Of Maryland were induced o. leave their
owners and enlist in the military service Of tho
United States. or were received on board of
steamers under the command Of the said mill.
tary, and carried away from the service Of said
owners by said military. 81 that their service
was totally lost b. their said owners. and very
few of the said loyal owners havecvcr received
any compensation for slave volunteers al EN-.
listed or for service 50 lost.
And Whereas, BY the 2ith Article Of the Dee.
laraiion of rights OF the Constitution of this
state. which went into full operation on tho
first day o. November. in the year 1885. all
persons held a. service or labor as slaves in this
State were thereby declared 10 be free
And Whereas, No compensation for the in.
convenience. public aud private. produced by
such changes Of system "has been made. by
giving Ia this State pccuniary aid according
~ the faith Of the Federal Government solemn.
ly pledged by the joint resolutions aforesaid.
And Whereas. The General Assembly Of Ma
ryland By joint resolutions passed ut this pres.
ent session, has resolved " that the state Of
Maryland has gcod, valid and Just claim up.
on the Government Of the Unite,l States Tor
reasonable and adequate compensation for the
said property, and that IL ought not % be-
doubted that the Federal Government, when
the passions excited by tho late unhappy civil
war shall have subsidized. will recognize the Jus.
tice ofthe said claims and faithfully perform
her manifest duty in regard toit." Aud furth.
er. that the General Assembly ought IT, pro.
vide by law for taking and pcrpctuatng the
evidenceof the number and value 81 the pcr.
sons held u labor and service as aforesaid, by
the loyal citizens Of Maryland. and so aforesaid.
discharged from such service and labor
Therefore.
Sec. /. Be IL enacted By the General Assem-.
bly, Of Maryland. That the Governor. by aud
with the advice and consent of tho Senate, and
previous 70 the adjournment of the present ses'
sion, shall appoint one person ofsuitable char.
actor and ability. resident IN each county Of
the state. aud one in Baltimore city. who shall
be styled Comma ssionar Of slave stat.stics."
al lfssr "A IL. ~.
duties, hereinbcioro described, shall give bond
IN Tho sum of i've thousand dollars, a. bc ap-
proved by the Clerk Of Circuit Court Of each
county. and at the Superior Court Of baltimore
clty' Tor The faithful performance Of his duties
az such Commissioner. and subscribe 10 the
following oath before said Clerk, viz:
do solemnly swear or affirm that ! will faith
fully and impartially discharge the duties Of
Commissioned Slave Statistics 10 the best Of
my ludginent and ability, according ta the laws
Of Maryland, 50 help me God.
And any vacancy occurring by the death,
resignation or ether cause Of any Of the Com
missioners 80 appointed after tho adjournment
OF tho Legislature. shall be flled by the Govern
orof tho State.
Sec. ?. And be IL enacted. That the Commits
sioners ~ appointed shall prurure suitable
printed blank fnrins or tabular statements,
which, when properly hlled uP or made &C
cprdlng ~ the provisions OF this act, shall
exhibit the names II the former owners Of
slaves ~ their respective COUNTIES or districts
a. inc time Of the ado ption of the Constitution
~ the year 1884 tlle names. number, age scx
and physical eonditiaa Of such slaves; wheth,
er they we're slaves for life or Gor q torn III
years, and how many years whathaF they
have been enlisted OF drafted into tho military
service OF the United Static, 90 FAR a. h. known
To said owners or others; aud In what regi, |
m"ns. they were placed, and what eoInp.nsa-
ton, II any, has been rercived from tho STATE |
or General Governm-nt BY such owner 90 |
owners Tor such slaves enlisted or drafted |
into the military service ~ the United States.
Sec. ;. And b. u enacted. That the said Com
missioner shall Wait each eleclion district In
their respective counties Of which full notice |
shall be given, both Ia the public nowspapors |
and by printed handbilln, and in BALTIC. city |
shall open an Office aud give notice 81 the same
~ Aforesaid, aud after giving such notice for AZ
least ten days shall proceed ~ tako Enc owl. |
ieneo OF the former ownership of slaves IN this |
state according 10 the intent and provisions Of |
.hi. act, aud the testimony Ia alf eases shall |
DC We sworn statement Of the former owner or |
oesheIs, or his, her or their legal Representa-
W.. eonhrined by the testimony on cath of NJ |
'"sst W" disinlsreslsd witnesses.
nee u Aud be Il enacted, That the original ]