United States Statutes at Large/Volume 3/17th Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 70
Chap. LXX.—An Act supplementary to “An act relating to the ransom of American captives of the late war.”
March 1, 1817, ch. 29.
Provisions of the act of March 1, 1817, respecting the ransom of American captives, extended.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the act, entitled “An act relating to the ransom of American captives of the late war,” passed the first day of March, one thousand eight hundred and seventeen, be so construed as to embrace within its provisions all officers, soldiers, and persons, attached to, and followers of, the army of the United States, who were captured and made prisoners by the enemy, and who were ransomed during the late war with Great Britain; and that the proper accounting officer of the War Department be, and he is hereby, authorized and required to adjust and settle the accounts of any person, his assigns or his legal representatives, who may have purchased and ransomed from captivity any citizen, officer, soldier, or other person aforesaid, upon equitable principles: Provided,Proviso. The evidence produced in support of such accounts shall be the best in the power of the claimant, and sufficient to satisfy the accounting officer of the justice of the claim; Provided also,Proviso. That in no case shall a greater sum than one hundred and fifty dollars be allowed for the ransom of any one person.
Accounting officer authorized to adjust and settle accounts for clothing furnished.
Proviso.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of such accounting officer, and he is hereby authorized and required, to adjust and settle the accounts of any person, his assigns, or his legal representatives, who shall have furnished proper and necessary articles of clothing to, and for the use of, any citizen, officer, soldier, or other person, purchased and ransomed from captivity during the late war with Great Britain, aforesaid: Provided, It shall be satisfactorily proved, and made to appear, to such accounting officer, that the apparel and clothing so furnished were necessary, at the time, to the safety, support, and comfort, of the person ransomed; and that the articles charged were applied to the clothing of such prisoners, and to no other purpose whatever.
Sums to be paid out of the Treasury.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That all sums of money to be audited and allowed under this act, and the act to which this is an amendment, shall be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Approved, March 3, 1823.