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27th Congress,
2d Session. |
Rep. No. 715 |
Ho. of Reps. |
CHARLES W. HINES.
—
May 20, 1842.
Laid upon the table.
—
Mr. Cowen, from the Committee of Claims, made the following
REPORT:
The Committee of Claims, to which was referred the
petition of Charles
W. Hines, report : |
| That this claim
is for compensation for a slave, who, it is alleged, was
drowned while in the service of the United States, in
Florida, in 1840. The following certificate of Capt. D. D.
Tompkins, who was, as his certificate imports, assistant
quartermaster, shows the circumstances of the hire and death
of the slave : |
| Fort White, East
Florida, April 14, 1840. |
| I hereby
certify that Charles W. Hines, of Newnansville, Alachua
county, East Florida, did hire his slave Sam to the
quartermaster of the United States army, at Fort White, East
Florida, as a teamster; and that said slave Sam, while in
the discharge of his duty, in assisting to cross a train of
wagons over the Suwanee river, at Fort Macomb, M. F., was
accidentally thrown from the scow into the river, and
drowned, on the 8th day of April, 1840. |
D. D. TOMPKINS,
Captain and Assistant Quartermaster. |
Some of the
witnesses state that the craft used in conveying the wagons
was not suitable, but greatly defective, and that, by reason
thereof, the slave was drowned.
The committee do not consider this a case for relief. In no case
does this government pay for property lost or injured while
in the public service, unless there is a general law
prividing for payment in such cases. It has not been the
practice to compensate, and no case is known to the
committee of compensation, for the loss of property taken
into the public service for hire, except in cases
specifically provided for by a general act of Congress. He
who permits his property to be used by the United States for
hire, without stipulating for insurance against loss, takes
upon himself the risk of the service. The committee
recommend the adoption of the following resolution:
Resolved, That the petitioner is not entitled to relief. |
Transcribed by MA Schwanke
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