The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-08-22

OFFICE. 1861.
On page IL Of this volume Of Public
Acts we find message from Gov. Har-
ris, which begins thus
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
NASHVILLE, Tenn, June l9, '61(
Gentlemen Of tho Senate and House OF
Representatives Since your adjournment
on the 9th of tset month, the people of
Tennessee, acting in their sovereign
capacity, and in the exercise of an in
alienSble right haze, IN the most solemn
and deliberate manner diSsolved their oonnec-
ton 10ith tie Government of the United States
and BY THE ADOPTION OF THE PROVISIONAL
CONSTITUTION or THE CONFEDERATE
STATES OF AMERICA, HAVE MADE TENNEs-
SEE MEMBER OF THAT GOVERNMENT.
The Military League between Tennes-
see and the Confederate States had been
ratified and fully adopted as far back as
May 9TH, 1861. The reader will please
bear these dates in mind while perus-
ing the following act Of the Confederate
Legislature Of Tennessee, constituting chap
ter "a of this Record. The choice Eaq.
hsh of the act is above criticism
Section 1, Be IL enacted Jg the General
assembly Of the State of tennessee, That
from and after the passage of this act,
the Governor shall be, and 10 is
hereby authorized, at his discretion, TO
RECEIVE INTO THE MILITARY SERVICE OF
THE STATE ALL MALE FREE PERSONS
OF COLOR, between the ages Of fifteen.
and fifty years, or such humber as NAV be
necessary, who may be sound in his
mind and body, and capable of actual
service.
Bel further enacted, That such FREE
PERSONS OF COLOR shall receive, each,
eight dollars per month as pay, for Iuch
person shall be entitled to draw, each,
one ration per day and shall be entitled 10
yearly allowance each for clothing.
Be ii further enacted, That in order to
carry out the provisions of this act, Il
shall be the dWyOf the Ste,11s of the sew
eral counties in this State TO collect ac-
curate information as to the number and
condition, with the names of free persons
Of color subject to the provisions OF this
act, and shall, as soon as practicable,
report The same IN iOrittng 10 the Governor
Be ii further enacted, That failure or
refusal vt the Sheriffs, or any one or
more Of them to perform the duties re-
quired, shall BE- deemed an o9ence, and on
conviction thereof shall be punished for
a misdemeanor.
Be IL further enacted, That in the event
OF sufficient number of FREE PERSONS
or COLOR to meet the wants of the State
shall not tender their services, then ds Gousr-
nor is empowered, through the SherifIs of
the diilereNt counties, TO IMPREss SUCH
PERSONS UNTIL THE REQUISITE NUMBER Is
OBTAINED.
Be IL further enacted, That when any
mess of volunteers shall keep a servant
to wait On the members of the mess,
each servant shall be allowed to draw
one ration.
This act TO take effect from and after
its passage.
w. @. WHITTHoRYE,
Speaker of the House of Representatives
b. l.. STovALL,
Speaker of the Senate.
Passed, June %, 1861.
We waive the prOdigiOus literary merits
of the above act, passed by the flower of
Tennessee rebel Chivalry, as too brilliant
for our criticism, COntentlng ourselves
with the observation that if the rebels of
this State could have murdered the Pre-
sidents Yankees as fearfully as they
did the "King's English" in the law
just quoted, the feet of the Northern in.
vaders would never have walked the
streets of Nashville, and Gov Harris
would have been spared the disgrace Of
an unseemly flight.
But we hold mp to all eanting seoes-
siOnists the fact established by their own
official and State records, that but little
more than two years ago, they called
Justify on the free negroes to help them
in their campaigns against the Union
soldiers, and tried to enlist them regularly
in the rebel army.
They not only did this, but actually
threatened to impress and force the free
negroes into the military service.
They actually threatened to punish
severally all sheriffs who should fail TO
bring up these free negroes.
Fellow citizens of Tennessee, if trait
ors, under the guidance of HARRIS, pas
sed laws in the city of Nashville two
years ago, to enlist free negroes to aid
them in destroying the Union and the
free institutions Of the land, may not
President LINCOLN and Governor JOHN.
SON, use the slaves Of these traitors, TO
aid in furnishing their perjured and infa-
nous masters, and in preserving the
Union, and it's noble institutions
Who but fanatic, or traitor TO his
country will dare to deny IL?
The indianapolis Journal of the 18Th
inst, says a large number Of rebel pris-