The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-12-12

GENERAL: am directed by tho
President to call your attention to the
following subject Persons claimed
to be held to service or labor under the
laws of the State of Virginia, and &C.
tually employed in hostile service
against the Government of the United
States, frequently escape from the lines
of the enemy's force, and are received
within the lines of the army on the
Potomac. This Department under
stands that such persons afterwards
coming into the city of w ashington,
are liable to be arrested by the city
police upon the presumption arising
from color that they are fugitives from
service or labor. BY the fourth section
of the act of Congress, approved Aug.
9th, 1861, entitled an act to confscate
property used for insurrectionary pur-.
poses, such employment is made full
and sufficient answer to any further
claims to service or labor. Persons
thus employed and escaping, are re-
ceived into a military protection of the
U. s., and their arrests as fugitives
from labor or service, should be imme~
diatsly followed by the military arrest
of the parties making the seizure.
Copies of this communication will be
sent to tho Mayor of the City OF w ash
ington, and to the Marshal of the Dis
trict of Columbia, that any collision be-
tween the military and civil authoritIes'
may be avoided,
am General
Your very obedient servant
WILLIAM II. SEWARD.
The Secretary of the Treasury has
Just issued the following general regu-
lations relative to securing and dispos-
ing of the property found and brought
within the territory now or hereafter
occupied by the United States forces
in the disloyal States:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, ~
WASHINGTON, November Both, 1861,
In order to the security and proper
dispositions of the productions of the
soil and all other property found within
the limits of States or parts OF States,
declared to be in insurrection against
the United States, and now occupied
by the troops and authority of the I'm
ion, the following regulations are estab-
lished:
There shall be appointed by the Sec
rotary of the Treasury, with the APP
probation of the President, agents to
reside at such ports or places as are or
may be occupied by the UnitedStates for
ces, whose duty it shall be to secure and
prepare for market the cotton, and such
other products and property as may BIZ
found or brought within tho lines of
the army, or under the control of the
Federal authorities. To enable such
agents to fulfil the duties devolved upon
them, the military and naval authori~
ties, under proper Instructions will
render such military aid and protection
as may BIO required to carry ont the ia
tention of this department. Persons
held to service for life under State laws,
who may be found within such limits,
may be employed by the agent, who
will prepare lists of names, sex, condi-
ton of such persons, and as near as
may be their respective ages, together
with the names Of any persons claim
ing their services, which list sbalg be-
in triplicate, one for the military cons-
mandant, one for the agent, and one to
be Immediately forwarded to the Sec
rotary of the Treasury. The persons
so listed will be organized for systema-
tized labor in securing and preparing
for the market the Gotten, rice and 9TH
er products found within the territory
brought under Federal control. Pay
rolls will be prepared, and strict &C
count of the labor daily performed by
each person entered thereon, for which
a proper compensation shall be allowed
and paid to the ladorers. The amount
of such compensation will be fixed in
proportion to the service rendered by
the agents and approved by the mill
tary Commandment and the Secretary
of the Treasury. An inventory of all
horses, mules and other stock, vehicles
for transportation and other property,
will be carefully made, and a copy
transmitted to the Secretary of the
Treasury, signed by such agent. A
record of all products taken possession
of will be made, and those of each
plantation kept distinct when prepared
for shipment. Packages from the sew
eral plantations will be plainly marked
and numbered so as to be easily distin-
guished. An account of all provisions
of whatever character, found on such
plantations, wifi be taken, and such
provisions will be used as far ais may
be necessary for the sustenanee of the
laborers thereon. Any deficiency of
subsistence will be supplied by Uni
ted States Commissary, upon the requi-
sition of the agent to whom they will
be charged, and for which he will ac-
count. Cotton and other articles, whom
prepared for market, shall be shipped
for New York, and SO far as practical
BILE by the returning Government trans:
ports, and all shipments shall be con.
signed to the designated agents at New
York, unless otherwise specially diredi
ted by the Secretary of the Treasury,
and careful detailed accounts will BE-
Kept by the agent of all supplies fur
nished by the Government and of all
expenditures made. Each agent will
transmit weekly account of his pro-
ceedlngs to the Secretary of the Treas.
ury and render his accounts in dupli.