The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-06-09
NASHVILLE TENNESSEE. TUESDAY, JUNE 9 1858

The following act Of the Rebel Con.
gress is exciting much attention at pres
cnt 1t reads very friendly at first sight
but a careful perusal of it will detect &
number Of loop-holes for a graceful es.
cape, in case Of difficulty. The law is
nothing but the the threat of a coward
JOINT RESOLUTIONS ON THE SUBJECT OF RE.
TALIATIoN.
Resolced, by tie Congress Of tie Coafele.
rate States Of Ame,fca, in response to the
message of the President, transmitted IA
! Congress at the commencement Of the
present session, that in the opinion OF
Congress the commissioned officers of the
enemy ought not to be delivered to the
authorities of the respective States as
! suggested in the said message; but all
| cRptives taken by the Confederate forces
ought to be dealt wi and disposed OF
by the Confederate government.
Sec.2 That, in the Judgment of Con =
gress, the proclamation of the President
of the United States, dated respectively
September twenty second, eighteen hun
dred and sixty 1.-TWO, and January first,
eighteen hundred and sixty three, and
the other measures of the government of
the United States and of its authorities,
commanders and forces, designed or
tending to emancipate slaves in the Con-
federate States, or TO abduct such slaves,
or to iucite them to insurreclion, or to
employ negroes in war against the Con-
iederate States, or TO overthrow the in
sdtution of African slavery and bring on
a servile war in these States, would, if
successful, produce atrocious consequent
ces, and they arc inconsistent with the
spirit of those usages which in modern
warfare prevail among civilized nations,
they may, therefore, be properly and
lawfully repressed by retaliation.
Sec. 3. That in every case where, dur.
ing the present war, any violation of the
laws or usages of war among civilized
nations shall be, or has been, done and
perpetrated by those acting under the
authority Of the hegovernment of the United
States, on the persons or property of
citizens of the Confederate States, or of
those under the protection or in the land
or naval service of the Confederate States,
or of any State Cf the confederacy, the
President of the Confederate States is
hereby authorized TO cause full and COM
piete retaliation to be made for every
such violation, in such manner and to
such extent as he may think proper.
SEC. 4. That every white person, being
a commissioned officer or acting as such,
who, during the present war, shall COM
mand negroes or mulattoes in arms
against the Confederate States, or who
shall arm, train, organize or prepare ne
groes or mulattoes for military service
against the Confederate States, or who
shall voluntarily aid negroes or mulat-
toes in any military enterprise, attack or
conflict in such service, shall be deemed
as melting servile instruction, and shall
if captured, be put TO death, or be other
wise punished at the discretion of the
court.
Sec. D. Every person being a commits
stoned officer, or acting as such in the
service of the enemy, who shall, during
the present war, excite attempt TO ex-
cite or cause TO be excited seTvile insur-
rection, or who shall incite or cause to
DO luCAt6u SldNc ~ ttutlj snail, II cap
tured, be put to death, or be otherwise
punished at the discretion Of the court.
Sec. 6. Every person charged with an
Oilense punishable under the preceding
resolutions shall, during the present war,
be tried before the military court attach
ed 10 the army or corps by the troops of
which he shall have been captured, or
by such other military courts as the Pres
ident may direct and in such manner
and under such regulations as the Presi.
dent shall prescribe, and, after convic-
tion, the President may commute the
punishment in such manner and on such
terms as he may deem proper.
SEC, Z. all negroes aud mulattoes who
shall be engaged in war or be taken in
arms against the Confederate States, or
shall give aid and comfort to the enc
mics of the Confederate States, shall,
when captured in the Confederate States,
be delivered TO the authorities of the
State or States in which he shall be cap
tured, to be dealt with according to the
present or future laws of such State or
States.
Approved May l. 1868.