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 Ouke University Libraries 
 
 An act to perpe 
 
 Conf Pam qilf4 
 
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 o.ni^iuc-'. 
 
AN A( T 
 
 To Perpetuate Testimony in cases of Slaves abducted or harbored by the Enemy, and 
 of other property seized, wasted or destroyed by them. No. 270. 
 
 SiccTliiN 1. Till- Ciwgie.ts of ihi: Cnnfcdcralc Slttlcs ni' Amniat <hi mail, Tlial \vlii"ii ,iii\ sliivc or slaves 
 owned 1)V !i cili/rii of tlir ('i)iifi'dorato States, or an iiilial)iiai)t tlicrcof, shall lie, or iiiav liavc l)ei'ii aluliicliMl 
 or liarborod l)v the ciioiny, or by any person or persons aelini; under tlie autlioritv, or crjlor of an^lioritv 
 of tiie United Stares jjoverninent, or engaged in tlie military or naval service tlioreof, during the existing 
 war, ir sliall be lawful for tlic owner or bis attorney lo appear before any .Judge of tlie Confederate 
 States, or a ( 'oiMUiissioner ot any ('ourl thereof, or anv Notarv I'ublic, or in ease of tlieic beinsr no sucb 
 oilieer witbin the county, city or corporation, where the proccediuirs are institnled, before anv .Justice of 
 the I'eace or Alderman, (■(uisenting to act in tbe preniiser-, and adduce proof, oral oi- writri'u, of the fact of 
 sucb ownership and abdnciion or harboring. If the owner of sucb slave or slaves is laborinu under the 
 legal disability of infancy, insjinily or coverture, the evidence tending to establish such ownership, and 
 al)duction or harboiiug, may be adduced by the proper leg;d i('pn'sentati\(' of tlie owner. In all cases 
 sncb owner, attorney or representative shall make atbdavit oi' the loss. Such .illidavit shall not be taken 
 as evidence of tbe tiict of loss, unless it shall appear to rh<' satisfaction of the oHicer taking tbe same 
 that no otlier and Ix-ttpr evLlenre can be obtained, which fact shall distinctly appear in the certificate of 
 such ortlcer : ,iiid ii shall be i he duty of tbe judicial ofticer t.aking cognizanci- of the case, to reduce to 
 writing tbe oriil evidence, and to retain the written t;vidence in siippoit of ihe alleged owiiershi|) and 
 loss, and witliin thirty days after the li<-aring, to transmit the same to the Secri'taiy of State of tbe Con- 
 federate States, to be filed and preserved among the arcl)ives of the State Departnient, .•icconiitanie<l )i\ ,i 
 certificate from the said judicial oUicei-. anthenticaling llie report so made b\- him. .\iid the said judicial 
 officci' shiill also state in his certificate ot" authenticalion. w hellici. in his opinion, the evidence , so heard 
 and transmitted is, oi- is not, entitled to credii. It shall be ihe duty ol' the Secretary of State to receive 
 Jind file in his I)e])artm<'nt the n pent so transmitted, .ind to furnish t(» Ihe o>,\ ners. altornev or represen- 
 talive a duly certified copy tliereol, wliene\'er ihe same sliall be demiiudiil. 
 
 Sec. -!. And li<: ii furl her cnailal, That whenever any properly, oilier ihan slaves, real or personal, 
 belonging to any cili/en of tbe Confederate States, iw -mw inludiitant thereof, shall be seized, wasted or 
 destroyed by the enemy, during the existing w;ir, or by any |ierMiii oi- persons acting under the antbority, 
 or color of .■iiithority of the I'nited Slates government, or engaged in ilie militarvor naval .service thereof, 
 tbe mode of taking and preserving proof thereof shall coiifbrm in all resp( cts to tli.-it jirescrib. d in the 
 above section, and have like elli'ct. 
 
 Sec. tJ. And hi ti furdicr nmclrd, That the ])ro\isiou-< of ibis act sliall not be i-onsirueil as iniplyiiig 
 that the Confederate States are in any way liable tf»'iiiake conipens.ition for any ol ihe jtroperty to wlii<'li 
 it refers. 
 
 Approveo Ausiust .10, ISlil. 
 
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