Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-07-19

,-.o,,ls and navy Yards OF said States, anu
all other arms and munitions which they
MIGHT desire to turn over and make charseaole
ia the Confederate Government.
Tn RESPONSE thereto. the State OF Georgia ola,
m thr Goth March, 1861, by an Ordinance OF
hrr Convention, authorize the Confederate
| States Of America TO occupy Use and hold pos
session of all forts, navy yards. arsenal'' Gus
Torn houses, and other public sites. with their
anourlenances, within the limits Of seld State
and lately in possession Of the United otates
NJ America, and to repair, rebuild, and controI
| III, same Mt its discretion, until the ordinance
should be repealed bv 4 convention OF the poo.
nlc of said State. By another ordinance OF
said date and authority, the control OF all mill
tary operalions in said State having reference
10. or connected wilh, questions between Saia
States. Of any of the Confederate States Of
| America, and powers foreign to them, was
| transferred To the Government OF the Conlcue'
r,,o States Of America. ia like manner was
transferred the arms and munitions oil war ac'
nu;rrd from the United States and then re-
,rn,irir, in the forts and arscnaIs. 1t was
fnr,brr provided that the Governor be author
;zcd ,o transfer .n rlc Government OF The Con
f.,;crn,c States; sich arms, munitions ol war,
armed vessels, or steamers belonging TO Sald
States. as in his Judgment might br cSpedIcnt'
and ANN srcl, terms as should be agreed upon.
Tim Government Of the Confederate Sales
Vac to become accountable for all such arms
md m,nitIpng of war rs should TIC transferred.
On the Sh April, 1861, an ordinance was
adoptcd by South Carolina wst'ch, IN Terms Oh
similar import 10 that nI the State OF Georgia
transferred to the Government Of the Conied'
crate State; all the forts, n%rscnalH, custom
houses, navy yards, and other public sites III
her limits. Though not on Tile III the war
Office, nv recollection is that TIE arms and
munitions Of war were in like manner trans
frrrch. =
IN ,hn uDtr uf March. 1851, the Stnte OF
Texas. by an ordinances Of her Cnnvcntion, III
like manner assigned Ia the Government OF the
Confederate States all the forts and navy yards,
arsennls AMI lighthouses ami their appurtcnarl-
cog within her limits.
On the eth Nav, 1861, the State of Arkan-
sas in convention. hv ordinance, instructed and
commissioned her delegates to the Provisional
Congress- al the Uanfedcrat" States to cedc,
convey aud transfer to the Government Of the
Confederate States Of America the sito, bniid-
irp and Gppurtcuanccs uf the arsenal at Little
Rock. end the siIr, buildings, and appnrtcnan.
ccs Of the hospital ut NlpolcoI,, with several
conditions nnnr ycI. nonu Of which probably
affect thu usu If the property hy the C0nfcder
ate States. THIS power has n2t yet been rxcr-
ciscd bs the DELEGATES commissioned as above
stated.
On the 5ir Jane, 1861, North Carolina, BY
ordinance of tic Stale Convention, coded tc
the Confederate States Of America, jurisdiction
over the arsenal ut Fayetteville, except that
civil process in MI cases, aud such criminal
process rs may issue nuder the authority oil
The State Of North Carolina, against any per
son or persons charged with crimes committed
without said tract of land, may be executed
therein, and transferred ~arsenals, magazines,
e.. Tic title and possession Of the lands de-
scribcd, 10 the Government of the Confederate
States. have moi been advised Of any de.
cis;on bv the COnvcntion Of North Carolina in
relation to the transfer OF arms captured from
the United States, though it is known that
q part of those arns have been sent to Fir-
cinia, and another portion issued to troops
Who have been mustered into service.
and arc now on Giity within the limits Of this
Stale.
In the removal OF the seat Of government 70
the city ui Richmond, q box. containing a por-
ton Of the flies OF the Var Office, has accident,
ally been separated. and has no: yet arrived
from this or other cause | have not been able
70 obtain record evidence Of the action of
the States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana
and Mississippi, ard therefore state the nc.
ton Of their several State Conventions from
memory
Tn regard Ia The frs; NAMED, the course
adopted vas similar to that Of Georgis. In
Louisiana the Governor was authorized, liz his
Judgment should direct. TO transfer 10 the Gov
eminent of the Confederate States the arms
and other public property captured from the
United States.
The forts and srscnAli at Baton Rouge have
been occupied by the Confederate troops, and
a portion ef the arms in that arsenal have been
transferred.
The action oi Florida VAS generally the
same. In Mississippi no arms Or munitions Of
war were captured from The United States; but
those obtained by purchase, before her seccs
sion, hare been used to supply troops furnish.
cd or requisition for the Confederate service
say ten or cln:cn regiments now employed
beyond the limits of the State. The only pub
lie property within the limits Of the STATE, and
recently held by the Government Of the United
States, WINS an unfinished fort on Ship Island,
and t~o marine hospitals or the Mississippi
river. The first is in possession and the second
ut the disposal Of the Government Of the Con-
~fclcTatc States.
am, most respectfully, yours,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Mr. CuAMpLiSs, from the same Committee,
reported an ordinance, which was laid upon
the table, authorizing the commissioners aP.
pointed By the Governor in March. 1860, 10
contract with Joseph f Anderson l. Co. for
the const, u ction of an armory, to rescind the
contract upon equitable terms.
VIRGINIA ARMS AND MUNITIONS OF WAR.
Mn. BARBOUR, Of Culpcper, from the Com.
mittee On Confederate Relations, presented the
following resolution, which was laid on the
table and ordered to he printed:
Resolved, That this Convention hereby rati.
| fes and confirms the act Of the Governor OF
the Commonwealth. authorizing the use Of all
public property. munitions of war, &C., cap
tured from the United States BY the President,
or those acting under his authority, for the
common defence during the war rescrrIng to
the State of Virginia the right Of property in
the same. and the Governor is directed to
preserve an inventory Of all property thus
turned over. in order that such Of it ns may be
consumed, injured nr destroyed may be the
subject of lust account between the State Of
Virginia and the Confederate States.
Mr.. AMBER called attention to construc-
tion placed upon the ordinance which he
thought in cfTacl y penalty upon patriotism =
in this, that officers Of the militia who entered
in the volunteer service. we're by The authori.
ties considered rs FORGETTING their positions in
tho militia-,his he thought wrong, end would
like to have the erroneous construction correct
ed in the bill just called up.
TIE QUALIFICATIONS OF OFFICERS.
Mr.. KlLnY presented 4 report from the com.
mitlec to regulate the qualifications Of officers,
which was for the present laid upon the table.
The NOMINATION or COL. THOMAS.
Mr.. CoSRAD.-[ am charged with the report
of n Committee in reference 10 Col. Thomas.
Mr.. MosToS.-I would suggest that that
motor ba conSjl.rcd in secret session,