Civil War Washington

To the Commissioners under the Act of Congress approved the 16th April 1862, entitled "An Act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia.

Your Petitioner, Emanuel D Etchison of Washington, DC, 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 two persons of African descent of the name of Frank & Joseph Mason, for and during the life of the said Frank, and Joseph Mason; and that, by the said Act of Congress, the said Frank and Joseph Mason are discharged and freed of and from all claim of your petitioner to such service or labor; that at the time of said discharge said Frank and Joseph Mason were respectively the former of the age of seventeen years, and the other of the age of fifteen years; the said Frank being of dark copper color, five feet high, has a high forehead, snow white teeth, full chest, a heavy suit of hair, good open countenance and free and polite in conversation, sound in mind and body and perfectly healthy. The said Joseph Mason is very black, about four feet five inches high and stoutly built for his age, rather grim countenance when spoken to, has a small scar over the left eye lengthwise the brow scarcely perceptible, remarkably healthy and sound in mind and body.

That your petitioner acquired his title to the aforesaid service or labour​ of said Frank by   purchase of J Hill of Baltimore on the 30th day of March 1861, for the price or sum of Seven hundred and fifty dollars; and of the said Joseph Mason by purchase of R H Harrison of Baltimore, on the 9th of April 1861, for the price or sum of Eight hundred and twenty five dollars. That your petitioners claim to the service or labour​ of the said Frank was, at the time of said discharge therefrom, of the value of One thousand dollars in money, he being a valuable and experienced hotel servant without any defect or infirmity: and of the said Joseph Mason, of the value of One thousand dollars in money, he being a trusty and faithful office servant, without any infirmity or defect.

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 he further states and alleges that he has not brought said Frank & Joseph Mason into the District of Columbia since the passage of the said Act of Congress; and that, at the time of the passage thereof, said Frank and Joseph Mason were held to service or labour​ therein under and by virtue of your petitioner's claim to such service or labour​.

Your petitioner further states and alleges that his said claim to the service or labour​ of the said Frank and Joseph Mason, 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 and labor of the said Frank and Joseph Mason herein above set forth; and if the same be found to be valid, that they appraise and apportion the value of the 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.