The Bill For Abolishing Slavery In The District Of Columbia

Below is tho bül, vvhioli passed the Senate ou the 9tli, and tho House on the l'ith, f or tho ubolitiou of slavcry in the District oí Columbia : Be II ENACTKD BY TUK SeXATE AND ïilE House of Reprksentatives of the United States of Ameiuca ix Coivgeess assemblud, That all persons held to service or labor witliin the District of Columbia, by reason of African desoent, are hereby diachaged and freed of and trom all claim to such service or labor ; and froui and aftor the passage of this act aeither slavery nor involuutary servitude, except for crime, whereof the party shall be duly convictcd, shall hereafter exist in said District. Section 2. And it is fuutiier enacted, ïliat all persons loyal to the United States holding claims to the service or labor against persons disehargod theref'rom by this act inay, witliiu uinety days from tho passage thareof, but not thereaftur, present to the Conimiit ionera hereiuaftor mentioned. their respective sta tomento or petitious, iu wñtiug, verified by oath or uffirmatiOD, setting fortli the Dames, ages and personal description of such persons, the nuinuer in which suuh petitioncrS ïccpiired such claim, and any facts touohing tho value thereof, and de clarïng Lis allegiance to the guverniuent of the United States, and tint hchai not borne arnis iguinst the Uni'eJ Stutes iu the present rebullion, orfin uiy way givo l aid or comfort thorcto ; provided that the oath of the party to the petitioa shu.ll not be cvidcncG of the facts thcrein statcd. Sec 3. And be it füf.tiier enacted, That thu President of the United States, with thü adviee and consent of the Bénato, shall appoint three Commissioners, residents of the District of (Jolumbn, any two of whoin shall have power to act, who shall receive the petitions above mentioned, and who shall investígate and determine the validity aud value of the claims therein piesented as aforesaid, and appraise and apportiou, under the proviso hereto annexed, the value in inoney of the several claims by them fouud to be valid. Provided, however, that the entiro suui so appraised and apportiouod shall uot esoeed iu the aggregJto an aiuount equal to threo hundred doJlwa t'or each peisou showu to have been so held by lawful claim ; und provided, furthor, that no claim shall be allowed for any slave or slaves brought into said District after the passage of this aet, or which oiigSttates in or by virtue oí' any transfer heretofbre made, or which shail hereafter bo made, by auy purson who lias in any raaaner aided or sustained the rebel lion against the governmont of the United States. Sec. 4. And nr, it rCBiBER exaoted, 'IMiat said Commissioner-j shall, v.hhin niuo ïnontlis from the passage of this act, Uiiiko a í'ull and final report of their pro oeeding, finding and appraisement, and shall deliver the same to the Secretyry of the Treasury, whii;h report shall be dcemed and taken to be conclusivo in all respeéta as hereinaftcr provided ; and tho Secrctary of tho Trcasury shall, wiih Jike exception, cause the amounts ia ap portioncd to said claims to be paid from the troasury of the United States, to the parties found by said report to bc entitled t hereto as aforesaid, and the same shall bo received in full and complete ! compensation ; provided that in cases where petitions niay be filed presenting confiictiug claims, or aettinf up licns, said Cominissioners símil bo tpecífy in said report, and payment shall not bo niade according lo the afrard of suid CommiüMonors until a pcriod of sixty dayg shaü havo elapsed, during which time any petitiotier claiming au interest in the particular amoutit may file a bilí in. oquity in the Circuit Court of the D. of O., mals ing all other ckimants dofuiidants thereto, setting forth thc proceediiiLrs in such case before uid Comminioeen and their action thcrein, pra)'ing that the party to whom payment has been awarded niay be crjjoined frona receiving the same; and if said court shall grant such provisional order, a copy thereof may, on motiou of said complainant, bo served upou the Secretary of the Troasury, who shall thereupon canse the said amount of mouey to be paid uto said court, subject to its order and final decree, which paymeut shall bo f'ull and complete compensaron, as in other cases. Sec. 5. And be it furtiikii en-acted, That said Commisíioners sh'ill hold their sessions in the city of Washington, at such place and times as tho Preadeut of the United States may direct, of whiob they shall give duo public notice. They shall have power to subpoena and compcl the atteudance of wituesses, and to receive testiniony and enforce its production, as in civil casas before eourts of justice, without exclusión of any witness ou aceount of color ; and they may sumíuon before thein the persons making claim to service or labor and examine them under oath ; and they may also for purposes of identification aud appniiso ment, cali before them the persons M claimed. Said Commissioncrs hall appoint a Clerk, who shall keep tho files and complete record of all proceedi"s before them, who shall have power to admini'ster oaths and affirmatioiis in said proeeediugs, and who shall issue all lawful procesa by thein ordercd. The Marflhal of the District of Columbia shall, pereooally or by deputy, fittend upon the aession of said Comtuiaaiouera, and shall execute the process i.isued by said Clerk. Sec. 6. And nu it further exacïed, That said Commisiiuners shall roeeive in compensation for thoii services the sum of tivo thousand dollars each, to bo paid upon the filing of their repert ; that said Clerk shall receive for his services tho sum of two hundred dollars per montli; that said Marshal shall receive sudi feus as are allowed by law for similar services performed by him in' the Circuit Court of thc District of Columbia ; that the Secretary of the Treasury slmll ca[l all other reasonablo expenses of said eommission to be atfthöriied and allowed, and that said compensation, fecs and expenses! shall be paid froin the treasary of the United States. Sec. 7. A-ND BK T FCKTIIKR ENACTIID, That for the purpose of carrying tbis act into effect, there is hereby appropria. ted, ont of any inoney in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, a sum uot ex coeding one million of dollars. Sec. 8. And be it fuetiikb bsaotbd, That any persou or persons who shall kidnap or in auy ïuanner tramsport or or procuro to be taken out of said District any person or persons discharged and freed by the provisions of this act, I or any free persou or persons, with iutent to re-enslavo or sell such persan or persom into slavery, or shall ro-enslavo any of said froed persous, the person or persons so oöendmg shall be deeaied guilïy of felony, and on coovictiou thereof in any court of competent jurisdiotion fü said District, shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than five or more than twenty years. Sec. 9. And bis it fdrtuur ekacted, That all acts of Oongrcss and all laws of tho State of Maryland in fürce in said District, and all ordinanecs of the cities of Washington aud Georgetown, inconsistent with tho provisions of this a3t, are hereby repealed. Sec. 10. And be it fdrtiier enacted, That the sum of 100,000, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriateJ, seall be expended, under the direction of the President of the United States, to aid in the eolonization aud sett lemen t of all persons liberated undor this act, and sueh free people of African descent now residiug in this District as muy desire to eniigrate to the Kepublics of Hayti or Liberiu, or such other country beyond the limits of tho Uurted States as the President may determine. Providoil that the cost shall uot exceed 8100 for oach person colouized.