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, Alanson Morehouse,
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 time of the passage of the
said act of Congress, held a claim to service or labor against a female named Mary of the age of
Sixteen Years, also her Brother named Richard Thomas
aged Seventeen Years persons of African
descent of the names as
above written for and during the life of said named Persons and that by said act of Congress said named Persons were discharged and freed of and from
all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said
discharge said named Persons were of the age as above written 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.
- Mary of a copper color
- Richard Thomas Ditto Ditto
That your petitioner acquired his claim to the
aforesaid service or labor of said named persons
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 purchase of their Mother in the State of Mississipy in the year 1839 or 1840. And that Said persons were born in my house in the State of Kentuckey
That your petitioner's claim to the service or labor of said named Persons was, at the time of said discharge
therefrom, of the value as follows
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.
- Richard Thomas one Thousand Dollars
- Mary nine hundred Dollars
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 named Persons
into the District of Columbia since the passage of said
act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said named Persons was held to service or labor therein
under and by virtue of your petitioner's claim to such service or labor.
Your petitioner further states and alleges, that his said claim to the service or labor of said named Persons 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
validity of his said claim to the service or labor
of said named Persons 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) Alanson Morehouse