Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 12.djvu/406

 Accounts of of the Treasury be, and they hereby are, authorized and directed to settle, <>*’d¤¢¤· &°·· °Y upon the principles of justice and equity, the accounts of the officers, sailors, xlgegzzggis gid marines, and crews of the United States frigate Congress, the sloop Cumbe settled berlaud, and of any other vessel or vesse1s·0f·war, the hooks of which °‘¤““°b‘Y‘ were lost or destroyed in consequence of the naval engagements at P0-vb p- 818- Hampton Roads on the eighth and ninth of March, anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.

Certain sailors, Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Navy &¤·J° *¤°°i*’° be, and he is hereby, authorized to furnish to the sailors, marines, and Qitlggroliqftgh crews of any of the vessels engaged in the naval actions in the foregoing ing, &c. section mentioned, whose bedding, clothing, or other property was lost or destroyed therein, with an amount sufficient to cover their losses, and not exceeding sixty dollars to each man, to be paid in kind or in money, at the discretion of the flag odioer of the North Atlantic Squadron.

Approved, April 2, 1862.

April 2, 186% Can. LIII.-—An Act to prohibit the Albwance or Pea/ment of Pensions to the Children """_;‘ of Officers and Sokliers of the War of the Revolution.

Bc it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United Claimsfor eu- States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the pastaln P°“*'§;’ wt, sage of this act no claim for a pension, or for an increase of pension, shall gg2g`;,,,}},; be allowed in favor of the children or other descendants of any person during t1¤¤_Rpv<>- who served in the war of the Revolution, or of the widow of such person, ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ when such person or his widow died without having established a claim to a pension.

Approved, April 2, 1862.

APH! 16, 1862- Crum. LIV. -An Act jbr the Release ey" certain Persons held to Service or Labor in the 1862, ch. 155. Dzsmct of Columbza. P""- P·53?· Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United D,?:;::?;. ¥;‘°Eh° States of America in Congress assembled, That all persons held to service lumbiu abol— or labor within the District of Columbia by reason of African descent are iSh°d· hereby discharged and freed of and from all claim to such service or labor; and from and after the passage of this act neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except For crime, whereof the party shall he duly convicted, shall liereafter exist in said District.

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all persons loyal to the United gggigligxgrst-0,, States, holding claims to service or labor against persons discharged thereremuneration, from by this act, may, within ninety days from the passage thereof, but &°· not thereafter, present to the commissioners hereinafter mentioned their folgitlggnsmwt respective statements or petitions in writing, verified by oath or affirma- ’ " tion, setting forth the names, ages, and personal description of such pert° b°""d°:°"°h' sons, the manner in which said petitioners acquired such claim, and any ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ facts touching the value thereof, and declaring his allegiance to the Govevgtgzenggf be ernment of the United States, and that he has not borne arms against the United States during the present rebellion, nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto: Provided, That the oath of the party to the petition shall not be evidence of the facts therein stated.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United _ Three commis- States, with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint three com— ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ missioners, residents of the District of Columbia, any two of whom shall ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ have power to act, who shall receive the petitions above mentioned, and md ¢l¤¤i¤¤· who shall investigate and determine the validity and value of the claims therein presented, as aforesaid, and appraise and apportion, under the pro- I viso hereto annexed, the value in money of the several claims by them nodpgzggéggicnt found to be valid: Provided, however, That the entire sum so appraised Wham ‘ and apportioned shall not exceed in the aggregate an amount equal to