REPORT.

Mr. Jones, Chairman Committee on Federal Relations;
(the rules being suspended,) submitted the following Resolu-
tions:

WHEREAS: By a Joint Resolution approved April 10th,
1862, Congress resolved that the United States ought to co-
operate with any State which may adopt gradual abolishment
of slavery, giving to such State precuniary aid, to be used by
such State in its discretion, to compensate for the inconveni-
ences, public and private, produced by such change of sys-
tem."

And whereas President Lincoln, in public and private con-
ferences with the Representatives of the Border Slave States,
in the year, 1862, and afterwards urged upon them the im-
mediate or gradual abolishment of slavery within their limits,
as a measure of very great importance in aiding the United
States in bringing to a successful issue the civil war then ex-
isting, and by his Proclamation of 22nd September, 1862,
declared his purpose to again recommend to Congress the
adoption of a practical measure tendering precuniary aid to
the free acceptance or rejection of all Slave States not in re-
bellion, who might adopt immediate or gradual abolishment
of slavery within their limits.

And whereas, by the 24th section of the Act of Congress
approved on the 24th February, in the year 1864, provision
was made for enrolling all able bodied male colored persons
residing in the United States, as part of the National Forces,
and for awarding to each loyal person to whom a colored vol-
unteer might owe service, a just compensation not exceeding
three hundred dollars for each colored volunteer, and under
said provisions and previous thereto, under the Military au-
thority of the United States, a large number of slaves owing
service to loyal citizens of Maryland, were induced to leave
their owners and to enlist in the Military service of the United
States or were received on board of steamers under the com-
mand of the said Military, and carried away from the service
of the said owners, by the said Military, so that their service