The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1861-05-22
From The correPondeaes Of TIE C1orlssfOa Mercury.
, WAR DECLARED!
The Act of Congress in Full.
Moxrooxruy A., Nav . ,ee,


MoSTooNERY, ALA, May G, 1861.
The following Act has been passed by the
Congress of the Confederate States in secret
session. The injunction of secresy has been re-
moved therefrom:
AN ACT RECOGNIZING THE EXISTENCE or WAR BE-
TWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE coNFED-
ERArE STATES, AND coNcERNING LETTERS OF
MARouE Prizes AND PRIZE GOODS.
! Whereas, The earnest efforts made by this
Government TO establish friendly relations be-
tween the Government Of the United States and
the Confederate States, and to settle all atles-
/ tons of disagreement between the two Govern
ments upon principles of right Justice, equity
and good faith, have proved unavang by rea-
son of the refusal Of the Government Of the u.
States TO hold any intercourse with the Commits
sioncrs appointed by this Government for the
purposes aforesaid or TO listen TO any proposal
they had to make for the peaceful solution of all
causes Of difficulties between the two Govern
ments; and, uhereas the President Of the Uni
ted States of America has issued his Proclama-
ton, making acquisitions upon the States of the
American Union for 75, 900 men, for the purpose
as therein indicated of capturing forts, and 9th
er strongholds within the jurisdiction Of and
belonging to, the Confederate States Of America.
and has detailed naval armaments upon the
coasts of the Confederate States Of America.
and raised, organized and equipped large mill
tary force to execute the purpose aforesaid, and
has issued his other Proclamation, announcing
his purpose 10 set on foot blockade of the ports
of the Confederate States; and, ukereqs the
State of Virginia has sereded from the Federal
Union and entered into a convention of alliance.
offensive and defensive, with the Confederate
States, and has adopted the Provisional Consti-
tution of the said States, and the States Of Ma
ryland, North Carolina, Tennessee Kentucky,
Arkansas, and Missouri have refused and il is
believed that the State Of Delaware and the in
hahitants 0f the Territories of Arizona,and New
Mexico, and the Indian Territory south Of Kan
sas, will refuse to cooperate with the Govern
nient Of the United States in these.acts of hos
tilties and wanton aggression, which are plainly
intended to overawe, oppress, and finally subiu-
gate the people of the Confederate States: and
nhereds by the acts and means aforesaid, war
exists between the Confederate States and the
Government of the United States, and the States
and Territories thereof except the States Of Ma
ryland North Carolina, Tennessee Kentucky
Arkansas, Missouri, and Delaware, and the Ter
rtories of Arizona and New Mexico and the
Indian Territory south of Kansas: Therefore
SECTION |. The Congress 9f tie CoHJtderdte
States Of 1merica do eaact That the President
of the Confederate States is hereby authorized
to use the whole land and naval force of the
J
mcnced, and to Issue to private armed vessels
! commissions, or letters of marque and general
rcnrisal, in such form as he shall think proper
under the seal of the Confederate States, against
the vessels goods and effects of the Government
/ of the United States and of the citizens or in
hahitants Of the States and Territories thereof
except the States and Territories hcreinbelarc
named Pr0rided however, that property Of
the enemy (unless il be contraband Of war; la
den on board a neutral vessel, shall not be sub
iect to seizure under this Act; AHd py0ri1ei
TuPthcr, that vessels of the citizens or inhabit
ants of the United States now in the ports Of
the Confederate States, except such as have been
since the 5th of April last, or may hereafter be,
in the service of the Government Of the United
States, shall be allowed thirty days after the
publication Of this Act to leave said ports and
reach their destination; and such vessels and
| their cargocs, excepting articles contrahand of
| war shall not be subject to capture under this
| Act during said period, Unless they shall have
previously reached the destination for which
| they were bound on leaving said ports.
SEC .. That the President of the Confederate
States shall be, and he is hereby authorized
and empowered to revoke and annul, at pleas
ure. all letters of marque and reprisal which he
may at any time grant pursuant to this Act.
SEC. g. That all persons applying for letters
shall state in writing the name, and a suitable
description of the tonnage and force of the YES
sells. and the name and place of residence o
each owner concerned therein, and the intended
number of the crew; which statement shall bC
signed by the person persons making such
application, and filed with the Secretary of State
or shall be delivered to any other officer or per
son who shall bc employed TO deliver out sucl
commissions, to be 10y him transmitted to thu
Secretary of State.
SEC. 4. That before any commission or letter.
of marque aud rcprisal shall be issued as afore
said. the owner or owners of the ship or vesse
for which the same shall be requested, and tn
commander thereof for the time being, shal
give bond to the Confederate States with at leaS
two responsible suretes, not interested in sucl
vessel, in the penal sum of five thousand dol
lars: or if such vessel be provided with NOR
: than one hundred and fifty men, then in the pc
nal sum of ten thousand dollars; with condi
; ton that the owners, officers and crew, VIII
shall be employed on board such commissione
vessel shall and will observe the laws Of th
: Confederate States, and the instructions whicl
2 shall be given them according to law, for tn
e regulation Of their conduct; and viii satisfy al
7 damages and injuries which shall be done o
7 committed contrary to the tenor thereof b
such vessel, during her commission, and to dc
liver up the same when revoked by the Pres
G dent of the Confederate States.
SEC 8. That all captures and prizes Of vcs
sells and property shall be forfeited and shall a.
q crue to the owners, officers and crews of th
vessels by whom such captures and prizes sha
< be made; and on due condemnation had, sha
r be distributed according to any written agre,
d ment which shall be made between them; an
t if there be no such written agreement then on
moiety to the owners, and the other moiety
u the officers and crew, as nearly as may be a
It cording to the rules prescribed for the distrib
ton of prize money, by the laws Of the Confe'
+ crate States.
SEC 6. That all vessels, goods and effects, Il
property of any citizen of the Confederate State
d or of persons resident within and under the pr
lection of the Confederate States, or Of persor
: permanently within the territories and und
the protection of any foreign prince, governmel
or State in amity with the Confederate State
: which shall have been captured by the Unit
e States, and which shall be re-captured by We
sells commissioned as aforesaid shall be restor'
TO the lawful owners, upon payment by them
lust and reasonable salvage, to be determine
u by the mutual agreement of the parties eoncer
p p ed, or by the decree of any court having juri
le diction, according to the nature Of each cas-
' aereeatiy to the provisions established by la
= And such salvage shall be distributed amoi
', the owners. officers and crews of the vessJ
IL ! I afo and uaalIuU