The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-02-02
GEORGE w MUNFoRp
Z Secretary Ut the Commonwealth

AN ACT, amendatory of the act passed October o.
iooJ entitled an act to authorize the Of de-
serters by the civil authorities Passed Jan 20.
1864.
|. Be 4 enacted by the General .9ssembu FIN, IN.
first, second and thTd sections Of the act passed
October the twenty seventh, eighteen hundred and
sixty three, entitled an act To authorize the arrest oS
G'sesters by the civil authorities, be amended and
re-enacted so as to read as follows That all ma
g>tTates, sherffs, sefgeaHts and Consabies Of the
several counties and towns in this COmmonw ealth
be required to inform the'nearest Confederate off,
Ger OF all deseIters and other delinQu nts Owina
mtitary service TO the Confederate Government,
who may be found In their respective countiea.
c,es, or towns and to arrest and aid in the arrest
OF al such deiinquenfs, whether deserteYs. con-
scripts, or abscntees without leave from the army
or navy OF the ''ontederate statcs And they shall
promptly notify the nearest Confederate officer or
AGJuiant General, or the ~Ccretary of War; of such
arrest, and shall commit such desener or other de-
ihquent TO some secure county corporation jail
until he can be delivered to the Confederate au-
. thorities.
q The said officers may summon so many of tho
people Oh their county or corp ration, require tho
nearest commissioned officer of State forces to
call out such portion OF his command rs NAV be
suiticent for the purpose, aid in arrestinp and
safely guarding such delnquents until they can be
secured in jail as aforesaid. And in making any
arrest herein directed the officers whether civil or
military, shall have the same powers and jurisdic-
ton conttfed III the 24th section, chapter 40, Of
the Code.
3. If any officer shall wIlfully fail or refuse IN
perform any duty herein required of him, and any
citizen who sinai fail or refuse to obey the summons
provided for in the second section, or shall refuse
when called on by any officer authorized to arrest
deserterS and other military dcngueHts, to assist
in making any arrest, or in securing and safely
Keeping any prisoner after his arrest such officer
or citizen shall be deemed guilty of a msdemeanor
and, on conviction thereof, shall be fined by the
jury not less than fifty more than five hundred
dollars, and shall be imprisoned in the county or
corporation jail not less tan two nor more Than
six months hut if any such Jail shall, for anv
= nI cnn6na h..
shall be removed to the nearest county or CORPORA
ton jail that may be deemed safe, upon the order
of the Court, OF presiding Justice OF The Court, in
which he was convicted
BE II further enacted, That TO facilitate the arrest
and return Of dcsertcrs and other delinauents from
the Army and Navy OF the Confederate States, il
shall be the duty of the prcsdug Justice Of any
county, city, or town, whenever thereto requested
by The Governor OF the Stale, tie Secretary Of War
oi the Confederate States, the Commandi6k
General Of the iist:ict or Department, and ais0
when reliable information shall be brought TO him
that there aIe desCrfers or other denauent, as
Aforesaid, lurking about or passing through his
county, city, or town, TO convene immediaely two
otber magistrates 10 act with him, and shall detail
from The body Of the county sufficient PATROL un-
der charge OF an officer to be appointed BY said
Court, who shall be required diligently to patrol
and make search for deserfers and other dejin-
quenis, and ~ arrest. and dispose of the 1ame "a
hcreinbefore prescribed Aud the officer of said
patrol shall have all tbe. power conferred In the
iirsi-and second sections n this act. The Court
herein mentioned may meet at any convenient and
safe point designated by the presiding Justice,
D. Ihe orders OF said Couri shall be certified by
the presiding Justice to the Clerk of the County or
Corporation Court when the same shall not be
held at the Court house thereof, and shall be IL.
sued and executed as other orders of the Court.
q. Any wiiui neglect or refusal to perform tho
duties prescribed in the last two preceding sections
shall be deemed a misdemeanor, and subject the
offender to the pains and penalties mentioned in
The third section OF this act.
7. This act shalt be specially given In charge to
all grand juries, and shall imme4.ateIy after In
passage be published by proclamation OF the Gov.
eruor.
3. This act shall be In force from it, passage.
copy from the rolis-Ttste:
WV. r. Goapos, Jr.,
ia a3-sHa &. II. u. and X. of r.