iv.

LAWS OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND 1867
CHAPTER 189

Passed March 22, 1867

An ACT to provide by law for taking and perpetuating the
evidence of the number of persons held to labor and service in
the State of Maryland and emancipated by the Constitution adopted
in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-four, and by whom such
person were so held.

Preamble

Whereas, by a joint resolution approved April tenth, eighteen
hundred and sixty-two, Congress resolved that the United States
ought to co-operate with any State which may adopt gradual
abolishment of slavery, giving to such State pecuniary aid to be
used by such State in its discretion to compensate for the
inconvenience, public and private, producted by such change of
system; and whereas, by the twenty-fourth day of February
eighteen hundred and sixty four, provision was made for enrolling
all able bodied male colored persons residing in the United States
as a part of the national forces, and for awarding to such loyal
persons to whom a colored volunteer might owe service, a just
compensation not exceeding three hundred dollars for each colored
volunteer, and under said provisions, and previous therein, under
the Military authority of the United States, a large number of
slaves owing service to loyal citizens of Maryland, were induced
to leave their owners and enlist in the military service of the
United States or was received on board of steamers under the
command of the said military and carried away from the service
of said owners by said military, so that their service was
totally lost to said owners, and very few of the said loyal
owners have ever received any compensation for slave volunteers
so enlisted or for service so lost; and whereas, by the that
their service so that their service was totally lost to said
owners, and very few of the said loyal owners have ever received
any compensation for slave volunteers so enlisted or for service
so lost; and whereas, by the twenty-fourth Article of the
Declaration of Rights of the Constitution of this State, which
went into full operation on the first day of November, in the
year eighteen hundred and sixty-four, all persons held to service
or labor as slaves in the State were thereby declared to be free;
and whereas, no compensation for the inconveniences, public and
private, produced by such changes of system had been made by
giving to this State pecuniary aid according to the faith of the
.N