Natchitoches union. [volume] ([Natchitoches, La.]) 1859-1864, 1862-05-01
The CONSUMPTION Bill.
From the Richmond ENQUIRER 18th !

" AbS IDu
) amendments it received, or which wer
r offered to it. We are unable to sa,
: whether it has or has not yet receive,
the Executive sanction.
At o late hour a copy of the bill. o,
printed after the second reading, wa.
placed in our hands, with the informa
ton, which VIC believe correct, that i
passed its third reading without alter
alton.
we give the entire copy Of this
most important Of all public measures,
as follows:
A Bill to be entitled: can Act to Further
Provide for the Public Defence"
In view Of the exigsnces Of the country, and
the absolute necessity Of keeping in the ser.
vice our gallant army, and placing In the
held o large additional force to meet the nd.
vancing columns Of the enemy now invading
our soil; therefore,
SECTION l. The Congress fthe Confederate
States Of america do enact, That the President
be, aQd he is hereby authorized to call out
land place in the military service of the Con
federate States, for three years unless the
war shall have been sooner ended, all white
men who are residents of the Confederate
States between the ages Of 18 and IS years
at the time the call or calls may be made,
who are not legally exempted from military
service. All OF the persons aforesaid who are
nots.now in the armies Of the Confederacy, and
whose term Of service will expire before the
end of the war, shall be continued in the SER
vice for three years from the date of their
original enlistment unless the war shall have
been sooner ended: Provided, however that all
such companies, battalions and regiments,
whose term Of original enlistment was for
twelve months, shall have the right, within
forty days, on a day to bei xcd by the com.
mandcr OF the brigade, to reorganize said
companies, batalions and regiments, by elect
ing all their officers, which they had i right
heretofore TO elect, who shall be commission
ell by the President: Provided, further, That
furloughs not exceeding sixty days, with
transportatlons home and back, Shall be
granted to all those retained in the service by
the provisions Of this act beyond the period
Of their original enlistment, and who have
heretofore not received furloughs under The
provisions OF an act entitled,a An act proyi-
ding for the granting Of bounty and furloughs
to prlvates and non-commissioned officers in
the Provisional Army" approved 18th De
cembcr, 1861, said furloughs 10 be granted
at such times and in such numbers as the
Secretary of War may deem most compati-
bic with the public interest: and, Provided
further, That in lieu Of q furlo gh the com
mutation value in money Of the Transports
tions herein above granted shall be paid to
private, musician, or non-commissioned
officer who may elect to receive it ut such time
as the furlough would otherwise be gran ed
Provided, further, That all persons under the
the age OF Is years, or over the age of 35
years, who are now enrolled in the military
service OF the Confederate States, in the rcpi-
ments, battallions aud companies hereafter
to be organized, shall be required to remain
In their respective companies, battallions and
regiments for ninety days, unless their places
can sooner be supplied by other recruits not
in the service, who are between the ages
of Is and 80 years and all laws and part of
avs providing for the reenlistment of volun- ,
yeers and the organization thereof into com !
1anies, squadrons, battali0ns or regiments, J
be, and the same are hereby repealed.
SEC. z Be- fugthcr enacted, That such COM !
'anies, squadrons, battalions or regiments,
'fganlzed or IN process of organization, by
authority from the Secretary Of War, as may !
'e within thirty days from the passage of this |
SO far completed as to have the number :
men requisite for organization actually en- :
oiled, not embracing in said organizations /
ny person now in service, shall be mustered J.
service of the Confederate States rs part :
| the land forces of the same, to he received |
that arm Of the service in which they are :
IN orran,gn o,I E1.II a1z.4 ~. ="
ompany, battalion and regimental officers. +
3. Be 4 ftather enacted, That for the Gu :
ollment of all persons comprehended with the
rcEislons OF this act, who are not already in
IN the armies of the Confederate
tates, 1t shall be | wtul for the President,
18th the consent Of the Governors Of the
States, to employ State officers
I'd, on failure sto obtain such consent, he 4
lall employ Confederate officers, charged ]
it'll the duty OF making such enrolment in ia
'cordancc with rules and regulations to be
'cssribed by him. nj
SEC. 4. Re 1t further enacted, That per- re
ms enrolled under the provisions ofthe preced-
& section shall be assigned by the Secretary
War to the different companies now in SER
until each company is filed to its maxim
number, and the persons SO enrolled shall >
assigned to companies from the States ]
om which they respectively come. =
SEC. >. Be At further enacted, That all sea- au
on and ordinary seamen in the land forces L;
the Confederate States, enrolled under the
DIVISIONS of this act may, on application of the M
Of the Navy, be transferred from re-
. land forces to the naval service. IL
SEC. 6. Be u.turther .enaoed, That in all
'es where a State may not have in the army
number OF regiments, battalions, squadrons. -
companies, sufficient to absorb the num-
of persons subjectto military service I'M
this act, belonging to such State, then
remains of excess thereof shill be kept as l.
everse, under such regulations as may be au
abllshed by the Secretary Of War, and that apI
stated periods of not greater than three en-
nths, details, determined by lot, shall be fen
from said reserve. SO that each compa- les
shall, as nearly as practicable, be kept
/. Provided, That the persons held in re- "y'
Sc may remain at home until called into ma
vice by the President. Provided also,
at during their stay at home they shall =
receive pay. Provided, further, That the
sons tomprehended in this act shall not be
ject to the rules and articles of war until
stored into the actual service Of the Con-
crate States except that said persons. l.
en- enrolled and liable to duty, if they shall y
fully refuse to obey said call, each Of them OF :.
IL be held to be q deserter, and punished l
such under said articles: Provided fur con
That whenever, in the opinion Of the the
the eXigencies of the public SER pc
may require it, be shall be authorized to
into actual service the entire reserve, or .