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No Compensation to be allowed for Persons illegally held in Slavery.
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XLVI. And be it further enacted, That in case it shall appear to the said Commissioners that any Persons in respect of whom Claims for Compensation under the Provisions of this Act shall have been made have been registered and held in Slavery in any of the said Colonies in this Act mentioned contrary to Law, then and in every such Case the said Commissioners shall deduct from the Sum to be appropriated as Compensation to the Proprietors in such Colony such Sums as shall correspond with the estimated Value and Number of the said Persons so illegally registered and held in Slavery; and all such Sum or Sums which may be deducted as herein-before provided shall be applied towards defraying the general Expences of the Commission to be hereby appointed: Provided always, that for the Purpose of ascertaining in what Cases such Deductions shall be made, every Question which shall arise in any such Colony respecting the servile Condition of any Persons therein registered as Slaves shall be inquired of and determined by the Commissioners to be appointed under this Act according to such Rules of legal Presumption and Evidence as are or shall be established by any Law in force or which shall be in force in any such Colony.
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