PETITION.
To the Commissioners under the act of Congress approved the 16th of April, 1862, entitled "An act for the
release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of
Columbia."
Your Petitioner,
Andrew Wylie
of
Washington, D.C.
by this his petition in writing, represents
and states, that he is a person loyal to the
United States, who, at the holds at this date
time of the passage of the said act of Congress, held a claim to
service or labor against
Leanna Diggs a person of African descent of the
name of
Leanna Diggs
for and during the life of said
Leanna
and that by said act of Congress said
Leanna Diggs was discharged and freed of and from
all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said
discharge said
Leanna was of the age of twenty one or thereabouts and of the personal description
following:Here describe the
person, so as to identify him or her; and if there be more than one slave,
describe each one separately.
A tall well formed very dark mulatto—
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said
Leanna Diggs
in manner following:Here
state how the claim was acquired, when, from whom, and for what price or
consideration; and, if held under any written evidence of title, make
exhibit thereof, or refer to the public record where the same may be
found.
by deed of trust executed & dated the 31st day of May 1862 from Judson
Diggs, in trust for the persons therein expressed which deed
has been filed in the Clerks office of the District—Petitioner has
been audibly informed & has no doubt of the fact that said
Judson Diggs of the date of the passage of
sd
said
act was the owner of said Leanna
That your petitioner's grantor's claim to the
service or labor of said
Leanna
was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of $1000 dollars in money.Here state such facts, if any there be, touching
the value of the petitioner's claim to the service or labor of the person,
as may enhance the same, and also such facts, if any, touching the moral,
mental, and bodily infirmities or defects of said person, as impair the
value of the petitioner's claim to such service or labor, and conclude such
statement with an averment that the petitioner knows of no other infirmities
or defects of said person which impair the value of petitioner's claim to
such service or labor, and that he believes none other to exist. If the
petitioner specify no such infirmity or defect, then his statement touching
the value of his claim should conclude with an averment that he has no
knowledge of any such infirmity or defect.
—She being in the prime of life of good size, and
sound in body and mind, and in all respects a first rate competent servant
and is now the employ of Mrs. Kickoffer, of eight
dollars per month wages.
Your petitioner hereby declares that he bears true
and faithful allegiance to the Government of the United States, and that he has not borne arms against the United States in
the present rebellion, nor in any way given aid or comfort thereto.
And your petitioner further states and alleges, that he has not brought said
Leanna Diggs into the District of Columbia since
the passage of said act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage
thereof, said
Leanna Diggs
was held to service or labor therein under and by virtue of your
petitioner's claim to such service or labor.
the said Judson Diggs's claim to
such service or labor
Your petitioner further states and alleges, that his said claim to the service or labor of said
Leanna
does not originate in or by virtue of any transfer heretofore made by any
person who has in any manner aided or sustained the present rebellion against
the Government of the United States.
And your petitioner prays the said Commissioners to investigate and determine the
value of his said claim to the service or labor of
said
Leanna Diggs
herein above set forth; and if the same be found to be valid, that they
appraise and apportion the value of said claim in money, and report the same to
the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, in conformity to the
provisions of said act of Congress.
(Signed by)
Andrew Wylie
Trustee &c