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Date: 11 February 1794
3d CONGRESS.] |
No. 39. |
[1st SESSION. |
INDEMNITY FOR PROPERTY DESTROYED BY THE ENEMY.
COMMUNICATED TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. FEBRUARY 11, 1794.
Mr. SCOTT, from the committee to whom was referred the petition of William Dewees, made the following report:
That the facts alleged in the said petition are satisfactorily established, whereby it appears that, in the year 1777, contrary to the wishes and remonstrances of the petitioner, the chief part of his buildings were occupied by the public as a deposite for military stores, where they continued until, on the approach of the enemy, a part of the said military stores was removed.
That, on the arrival of the enemy at the Valley Forge, the remainder of the stores, together with the buildings and other property belonging to the petitioner, were either destroyed by fire or carried away; an estimate of which is subjoined to his petition, and appears to have been considered as of the value of £3,404 3s. 4d.
That the destruction of this property is to be ascribed wholly to the circumstance of the military stores being there deposited, as none of the buildings in the vicinity suffered in like manner.
That the claim of the petitioner is not barred by any act of limitation, having been exhibited to the Board of Treasury within the period limited by those acts.
From a review of all which facts, it appears to your committee that it would be consistent with the justice and liberality of the Government to authorize the allowance of a reasonable compensation in this and all other cases similarly circumstanced; but, as a provision of this kind would involve a political consideration heretofore undecided on, and the nature of which cannot always be discriminated so as essentially to obviate all difficulty on the score of precedent, they were unwilling to decide on a principle the object and extent of which cannot well be foreseen; and therefore beg leave to bring the question before Congress by submitting the following resolution:
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to bring in a bill for the relief of William Dewees.
References: none
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