The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-05-17
An Act

An Act
Recognizing the Existence of War 5et,ceez The
United States and the Confederate States
and concerning Letters Of Margue Prizes,
and Prize Goods
WREREAs, The earnest efforts made by
this Government to establish friendly re-
latlons between the Government OF the
United States and the Confederate States.
and to settle all questions of disagree
ment between the two Governments upon
principles of right, justice, equity and
good faith, have proved unavailing by
reason of the refusal of the Government
of the United States to hold any inter
course with the Commissioners appointed
by this Government for the purpose afore-
said, or to listen to any proposal they had
to make for the peaceful solution of all
causes of difficulty between the two Gov
ernments and, whereas. the President
of the United States of America has is
sued his Proclamation making requisi-
ton upon the States of the American
Union for $4,000 men, for the purpose as
therein indicated, of capturing forts and
other strongholds within the Jurisdiction
OF and belonging to the Confederate
States OF America, and has detailed naval
armaments upon the coast of the Con-
tederate States of America, and raised,
organized and equipped large military
force to execute the purpose aforesaid,
and has issued his other Proclamation an
nouncing his purpose to set on foot a
blockade OF the ports of the Confederate
States ; and, whereas, the State of Vir-
glnia has seeded from the Federal Union
and entered into a convention Of allf
ance, offensive and defensive. with the
Confederate States, and has adopted the
Provisional Constitution of the said States,
and the States of Maryland, North Caro-
lima, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas and
Missouri have refused, and it is believed
that the State Of Delaware, and the in
habitants of the Territories of Arizona
and New Mexico and the Indian Terri
tory South of Kansas, will refuse to Co
operate with the Government of the Uni
ted States in these acts of hostilities and
wantOn aggression, which are plainly in
tended to overawe, cypress, and finally
subJugate the people of the Confederate
States and, whereas, 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
Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee,
| AAChthIhgs AIhdAlbftSs AliSsOuI1 uAiQ DCla-
ware, and the Territories of Arizona and
New Mexico. and the Indian Territory
South of Kansas therefore,
SEC. l. The Congress of the Confederate
States of america do enact, That the
President of the Confederate States is
hereby authorized to use the whole land
and naval force of the Confederate States
to meet the war thus commenced, and to
| tn orpnaH xyaceolc mis-
sions or letters of marque and general re-
prisal in such forms 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 inhabitants
of the States and Territories thereof, ex-
cept the States and Territories herein be-
fore named Provided however, that pro-
perty of the enemy unless it be contra
band of war; laden on board a neutral
vessel shall not be subject to seisure un-
der this act and PROVIDED further, that
vessels of the citizens or inhabitsnts OF
} the United States now in the Confederate
} States, except such as have been since
the 5th of April last, or may hereafter be
in the service of fhe Government of the
, United States, shall be allowed thirty
, days after the publication of this act, tC
4 leave said ports and reach their desEna
= ton and such vessels and their cargoes
s excepting articles contraband of war
o shall not be subject to capture under thl
+ act during said period, unless they shall
o have previously reached the destination
, for which they were bound on leavln
h said ports.
n SEC. Q That the President of the Con
i; federate States shall be and he is hereh
n authorized and empowered TO revok
IT and annul, at pleasure, all letters
v marque and reprisal which he may at an
Of time grant pursuant to this act.
T. SIC. 3. That all persons applying fc
b. letters of marque and reprisal, pursuaI
to this act, shall state in writing the nam
and . saAiealle description OF the tonnas
% and force of the vessel. and the name an
place of residence of each owner col
"a cerned therein, and the intended nun
- Der of the crew which statement sha
q be signed by the person or persons mai
= ing such application, and filed with th
Secretaty of State, or shall be deliYere
g to any other officer or person who sha
: be employed to deliver out such comml
:, sions, TO be by him transmitted to th
y Secretary of State.
SEC. 4. That before any commission {
! issued as aforesaid, the owner or owner
; of the ship or vessels for which the sam
- shall be requested, and the commando
= therefore for the time being, shall Civ
~ bond to the Confederate States, with {
least two responsible sureties, not interes
4 ed in such vessel, in the penal sum
10 five thousand dollars; or if such vess
= be provided with more than one hundre
D and fifty men, then in the penal sum
"A ten thousand dollars; with condition thi
"a the owners, officers and crew, who sha
% be employedon board such commisione
n vessel, shall and will observe the law of Il
~ Confederate States, and the instruction
of which shall be given them according
n law, for the regulation of their conduct
of and will satisfy damages and injuri
n which shall be done or committed CO
D. trary to the tenor thereof, by such vess,
N during her commission, and to deliver
N the same when revoked by the Preside
10 of the Confederate States.
he SEC. 5. That all captures and prizes
g. vessels and property shall be forfeited al
or shall accrue to the owners, officers al
in crews of the vessels by whom such ca
he lures and prizes shall be made and
If, due condemnation had, shall be distrihl
q ed according to any written agreeme
nt. which shall be made between them; al
N if there be no such written agreemel
di- then one moiety to the owners and {
his other moiety to the officers and crew,
is. nearly as may be according to the ru
I, prescribed for the distribution of pr
les money, by the laws Of the Confeder,
or States.
de SIC. 6. That all vessels, goods .
ly. effects, the property of any citizen Of |
,er, Confederate States, or Of persons resid,
ex- within and under the protection Of
'ur- Confederate States, or Of persons perI
i've nently within the territories, and un
hat the protection Of any foreign priu
itu- Government, or State in amity with
of Confederate States, which shall have b
be captured by the United States and VII
shall be recaptured BY vessels CONT
ed. | sioned as aforesaid. shall be restored