Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-01-10
49, ,ola ,iev Of promoting the velfsrs and

sole view Of promoting the welfare and
beat interests Of the Safe,
I hsve the horror 10 be, SIT.
Your Ic.:: ot=dt-nt ssr5aGi,
JAMES Fl. Blsi0a,
Ii. Coi. Of Ordinance.
hey E., I'D, that, :Hi Investigation, LIND
t,nt onnop, ons thifd Of the riHo machinery
ms already bssn forearLsd to Fayetteville.
u. Col. Of Ordnince.
3D.
,RlcHMoHD, June "a, 1851.
gon, Jons r. CnAMBLlss, Chairman, &c.
e. SIR: | have the honor to acknowledge tue
receipt Of your communication accompanied
bya resolution of inquiry, adopted by tile com
mittae Of the CUEvonLion Ut the State Of Flr.
pinia "uhr,her, prior to the oath day ofAprL,
ssny CT tho Confederate States had transferred
70 IN. Confederate Government tbe public
property c cptured oy them from the late Cni-
ted States, and upon wha.terlns also whether
ms such transfers have been made since tAe
said date, aud upon what TERMS" to all Of
which I have 10 reply that, Oh the t2:h Fcbru-
ary 1861, tho Congress Of the Confederate
States of America assumed charge Of the CUES.
tons pending between the several States OF the
Confeteracy md the government! of tie United
States. rel i.irg 10 the occupation OF torts,
navy ySrls, and other public estsb-
li.h,u.u:s, and directed that act 10 BE- conlnu-
nicated 70 the several States; and again, on
the 18th March, 1861, Inc Congress recon-.
mandsd the respective States to ccde the iO.tS,
a~rscnals, dock yards, and other public estab>
iishmenls within their respective limits, to the
Confederate States und, in case o! such ces'
sion. authorized and empowered the Pfeslden;
to take charge Of tie said property. IL was
also provided by acl Of 2S;h February, 1851,
hat the President ie authorized and directed
to assume control Of Mi military Operatives
bstyesn the CJal. d.Iute Stgtes, or any oi
them, and puwecs foreign TO lhein; and he was
authorized 70 receive from lie Several States
the arms add munitions OF war acquired from
the United Sites ..n4 taeu Ia The forts,
arsenals, and n.yy-yArIs If said States, and all
other arms .ad munitions winch they might
d! sire 70 turn over aud make chalgeabie 10 tne
Confederate Government
In rssponea thereto, the State Of Georgia
did, On the Goth March, 1861, by an ordinance
OF her Convention, authorize tie Confederate
States Of America u occupy, use, and hold
possession of all forts, ~nagy-yarGs, a~rscnals,
CUSTOM houses, and other pablo sites, with
their uppur:cnanccs, within the limits OF SAID
State and lately ia POSSESSION Of tue United
States Of America, and ~ repair, rebuild, and
control the same at its discretion, until the
ordinance should be repealed by L convention
{. the people OF said State. By another ordi-
rance Of Same Gaze ard authority, the control
U. all military operations Ill said State having
reErenc5 10, or CONNECTED with, questions be-
tween said Safe or any Of tee Confederate
| Sutes Of America, aud powers foreign to thct;,
WIS transferred To the Government OF the Con,
frtc:r.. STATE i America Ia like manner
wJs translated TIC arFh5 and munitions Of
war acuui:rd lrrm lie Clitel States and then
remaining III thy tcr;s lHd &~rSanalS. IL was
further provided lnLt -: Governor De Sutho.
rizaa 10 transfer IL The Government Of the
Curtederal. States SUCH "rlns, munitions d
war. ar.nrd vessels or steamers belonging to
sad Safe, as il ms Judgment might Dc eXpe-
dent, and upon such terms as should bG agreed
upon. Inc Government 81 the Confederate
States vas to become accountable for all such
arms and muni,ious Of war .s should DO .ra2s.
ferred.
Va Tic . III ItIll., 1SVl, III oil'ah "N-
adopted By S0lin Carolina which, i'll terms Of
similar impo!. 10 hat Of the STATE oi Georgia,
transferred Ia liC Apgcfni.ent Of tbs Conlede-
ratio States ali tia i0r!:, a~rsenals, CUSTOM
houses. nay yards, uad other pubic sites III
her liui.i. InHugt, nGt IN His Ii ne " ar Vi.
fee. 81; recollection is Tia: tie RITES and lnu-
oitiors OF war were III like mlnner transferred.
Ga the 20th March, 1851, tie State Of Texas,
By IN ordinance OF her Convention, N like
manner assigned 10 the GoVeronent Of the
Confederate States al the ioT's sud na7y-yards,
a~rseual5 mud light houses, md their appurIe-
naIlcas within her liIni;a.
On the 9th Nay, 1861, the State OF Arkan-
sas, il: Convention, by ordinance, instructed
and commissioned her delegates 10 the ProVis.
ional Congress Of tho Confederate States TO
cede, convex and transfer to the Government Of
the Ccu!cderat. States CT America the site,
buildings AID .ppur;enances If the arsenal at
L'u!r Rock, ann Tie site, buildings and "p-
pur,cHaucts Of the hospital 1t Napoleon, with
several conditions annexed, mono Of which
probably affect the usc Of The property BY the
Confederate States. This power has hot yet
been exercised by tho delegates Ii ssioneI
~ above stated.
Ga the 9TH June, 1861, North Carolina, By
ordinance CT the State Convention, coded to
the Confederate States Of America Jurisdiction
o5er the arscnl! at Fayetteville, except that
civil process in I'll cases, and sucn crl1nlna!
process as may isste under the authority OF
lbs Stale OF North Carolina, against any per-
son OF persons charged with erlues committed
without said tract vi laid. may be executed
therein, and transferred arseuals, magazines,
&c, tie title and possession OF tho lands de-
scribeG, 10 the Government al tne Confederate
States. haze not been advised Of any dccl-
sion b. tnu Convention Ui North Carolina III
relation 10 tie transfer 81 arms CT ptlred from
the United States, though it is known nat a
part OF lhoso Nru:s have b?en sent to Virginia,
and another portion lasua,; to troops who have
trca mustered into ~s=rg!ce, and are now on
Aa:; within lie Limits Of this State.
In thn removal OF the seat of government! to
the city oi Richmnu6. s box, containing q por.
ten e ths tlc9 81. tia war Oflce, has ucci-
deTtallf p.sa separated, and has not yet ar.
ri-cd; from this. vr other ciu'e have not been
able to ub.ain recrri evidence Of the action Of
the States Of Aii;rtIna, florida, louisiana and
Mississippi. and ;i.71E'n state the action Of
their several Stale Conventions Rbm memory.
Ia regard 70 the frat named, toe course
adopted was similar To that Of Georgia. In
Lnuisisna tie Governor YES authorized, as his
judy r,ent should diTcct, to transfer the Govern.
;ucnL ii tie Confederate States the arms and
other public proyI. cap:uTed from the United
States.
The ftrts ard arsenal .: Baton n,.uge have
bsen occupied By IN Confederate troops, snd
4 portion Of The a;!ns 10 that arsenal have
been transferred.
Tie action Of florida was generally the
emc In Mississippi no arms or munitions Of
var we're captured from tho United States {;
hut those Obtained by purchase before her Sc
nished on requisition for tho Confederate ser
1;ce-say ten Or eleven regiments nov etu.
plvyed beyond Tie limits ofthe State. The only
public property within the limits Of the State,