The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-03-21
THE NEGRO LAW.

The following is the bill passed BY the Confederate
Congress increase the military forces of the Co1ed
crate States, by the enlistment of negroes
The Congress of the Confederate States of America
do enact That in order to provide additional forces
repel invasion, maintain the rghtf possession of the
Confederate States the independence and
their Institutions the President hereby author
lied TO ask for and accept from the of slaves
the services of such number of abe-boded negro men
he may deem expedient, for and during the war; to
perform military service in whatever capacity he may
direct.
"Section 2. That the Chief be authorized
to organize the said slaves into companies battaons
regiments aud brgades, under such rules and regula-
tons the Secretary of War may prescribe and be
commanded by such officers the President may ap-
point.
"Section 9. That while employed in the service the
said troops shall receive the raons clothing and
compensation are allowed to other troops in the
same branch of the service.
'Section 4. That if, under the previous sections
this act the President shall not be able to raise su
cient number of troops to prosecute the success
fully, and maintain the sovereignty of the States and
the independence of the Confederate States then he is
hereby authorized to call each State, whenever he
thinks it expedient, for her quota of three hundred
thousand troops in addition to those to military
service under existing laws, many thereof the
President may deem to be raised from such
classes of the population Irrespective Of color in each
State, the proper authorities thereof may determine.
Provided that than 25 per of all slaves
between the ages Of Is and of any State shall be
called for under the provisions of this act.
| "Section 5. That nothing in this shall be con-
srued to authorize change in the relation of the said
slaves"
MEXICO AND THE CONFERENCE.-The nous-
| ton Telegraph publishes correspondence between
Col. Person, of the Confederate army, and Gen.
Lopez, Maximilians commander on tho line
The latter, replying to note of the former says
"Being placed in command of this military line,
under his Majesty, The Emperor Maxiuilian, the
sons of the Confederacy rely upon full security
for their possessions and interests; and the Con-
federacy may rest assured that the
of the Empire of Mexico, along the border, freely
and frankly offer their friendship"
There are significant points in this note. It
takes care to the representative character
attaches to the Empire and not the Republic of
Mexico. 1t follows no precedent by which Con-
! tederates and the Confederacy designated as
the so-called; but the assurance it contains, is
given direct to the Confederacy itself And the
| conclusion, in which the representative of the
Mexican Empire make the offer of frank and
free friendship, is about near akin to recognition
| as imagine
The significance of this attitude towards us is
made more impc rtant by the fact, that an exped-
ton, under Yankee auspices, is now fitting out to
ascend the Rio Grande, for the purpose of invading
Southern Texas When, to this is added, the now
we'll ascertaned fact, that three Mexican citizens,
direct from the government of Macmillan, are
now at City Point, and seeking to pass to the Con-
fcderate capital, it gives for the apprehen-
sions which the New York News thus poses :
'fhe policy of the two Emperors in regard to the
struggle between the North and South, was pro-
bably fixed at the very threshold of the enterprise
against Mexican republicanism. The next intel
"lgence may be of collision between the Federal
"and Mexican forces on the Rio Grande; and the
6rst gun there fred, will be the signal for foreign
~"war"
THE COVERT ACT" OF MAxIM1LLIAN-Yau-
keedom, sure of easy victory, proceeded to avenge
the covert act" of the South at Fort Sumter
Subsequently, France, by an "overt act,'' smashed
the, Monroe doctrine into fragments, aud Yankee
dom did nothing, not being so sure Of success
Now Macmillan performs the covert act" and
yet Yankeedom is still. One Of the "Herald's"
New Orleans correspondents confirms previous re-
ports, received by way of Havana, that Maximil-
ians officials at Matamoras have ordered away Mr.
Campbell, United States Consul at that port, be-
cause he was accredited to the Juarez government,
and that clearances for American merchant vessels
are now refused. :
There has been doubtless change of rolicy on
the part of the great nation Of humbugs in the
matter Of "overt acts;" and if the little affair of
Southern suhjugation were in embryo, the incuba-
ton and the Smashing of the shelr' would per-
haps be, to say the least, suspended indefinitely.
R9- We regret to learn that the residence of MIR
James Nj CraigEiles, in this vicinity, was entirely