Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-01-30

- 49, - ~
.g s 4 Sss ss sa ai ps s ss s.ss
eiiar cesrsoted with tie deeaeSa OF the Country, ;,
Section Whereas, the efficiency OF the army Is ct all
times greatly enthusiastically the withdrawal from the ranks
soldiers TO perform labor and duties which can as well
The 4arcss Of the Confederate States America do
enact That all free male negroes between the ages OF
eighteen and fifty years, shall be held liable TO perform
amy ss%a or WAY the nSy offences Of the Country
such as working upon Notifications producing aud pre-
pairing materials OF war; building and preparing roads
and bridges and doing other work usually done D engineer
toons and pontoners acting cooks, eamsters stew
ards and walters In military hospitals or other ike iaDof
similar duties whichmay be required or prescribed ~
Trans. Mississippi Department, from time to time And
said free negroes whilst thus Engaged shan receive IA
tons and clothing under such regulations as the Sece
ary Of War may prescribe, and shall receiver pay the
/ rate of eighteen dollars per month";.
| sec Q THAT the Secretary Of War and the General
commanding the Trans Mississippi pepafnen. are easn
i first section of his act many male negro slaves De
tween the sge eighteen and forty-ve years as the
wants of the serfice may require And the SAID slaves
whilst 40 empoyed shall be furnished ratons aud cloth
ing provided in the preceding secuon' anu lhe
paid such hire for them services as may be agreed upon
not TO exceed eighteen dollars per month"; ana IN te
event of the loss OF any slaves whist so employed W the
act of the enemy by escape 10 the enemy or by wounds
or death inflicted by the enemy or by disease
whilst in any service required OF said slaves and D rea
SON of said service then the thereof respectively
shall entitled the full value OIL such slaves
10 be sceained and fixed BY agreement al the lne su
saves are so hired under rules To he prescribed Dy the
see g. That whenever the Secretary of War or the gen
s commanding the Trans Mississippi Department shall
I1htfae r. t!e services OF slaves by hiring them,
m III, . ais. ut numbers, then it shall be
ea ;ry Gf G6lel 10 ortier the lm'
I,.e .f.r. - 49,. ai.,l male slaves within
ng, i.~ri- ~, -'~"i s.'t'1n Of ihs acI anu ioI
io.e ..a ises apUve stated as the wants OF the
mat said impressment shall be made accord.
49, tie rules and regulations provided in the laws OF
the States wherein they are impressed and IN the absence
of sueh law in accordance with such rules and egula
tons Rot inconsistent with the provisions OF this act as
the Secretary OF War shall from time TO time prescribe
Provided That slaves impressed shall, whilst IN the
government employment receive the same clothing and
rations allowed TO slaves hired from their owners and IN
the event OF their loss and death in the manner or from
the causes above stated their value shall be estimated anu
fixed as provided by the first section of act to regulate
pissed the Goth March, 1868 and paid
as in the case Of slaves hired from their owners aud the
value Of the hire of said slaves shall be liked IN IKE nan
4 Sec d. The Secretary Of War and the General com
mandng the Trans Mississippi Department shall in order
ing the mpressmen OF slaves regulate the same as lar W
practicable so that slaves shall be taken IRON each sae
IN proportion 10 the number held or impressed therein IL
der this act whether owned by citizens OF such State or
not but more than one in every five male slaves w
the said ages Of 10 and 10 years shall be taken from
any one owner, where an owner has less thanhye
male slaves within said ages shall said slave be impressed
and all mpressments under this act shall as Tar az fe
tcabe be taken in equal ratio from all owners IN the same
locality city, county district Provided That IN each
case care DE taken 10 allow each owner credit Tor Ill
male slaves bftw6en he ages aeresaA heretofore impress
sed or impressed under this act hired 20 the Govern
ment who are still in service or who may have died or
been lost while in service Provided further That II the
Governor of any State shall certify TO the Secretary OF War
or the commanding General Of the Mississippi De-
partment that slaves cannot be impressed in any locality
county district parish city in such State without great
detriasnl 7, snek qesiis sSaa dissiist parish orsy
city shall be impressed from other portions OF such State
Ser g. If any slave is now held for service who is not
liable thereto under the provisions OF this act such slave
shall be forthwith returned TO the on demand and
proof of thu fact Provided however That nothing here
in contained shall be So censned o. % exempt any state
from furnishing It's fair quota OF slaves for Tie purposes
herein spec and according to the provisions oil TINS
act
See Duplicate rolls shall be prepared of all the slaves
hired or impressed under this act which shall contain
description OF the slaves the nanea and residences Of the
the slaves at the date they hired impressed Of
which rolls SHALL in the States east Of the Mississippi
river be forwarded to the Secretary War and in those
west OF the Mississippi river TO the headquarters Of the
general commanding that department and the other roll
shall be sept the geaeTal commanding the army where
said slaves may Dc e@PO}e a. and the 0GeF Ed having
may be engaged, shall have copy OF said roll,
and shall regularly enter thereon the nature of the
labor or duties in which said slaves are engaged
and any changes which may be made therein and of the
absence, sickness death Of any of said slaves and
make monthly returns thereof to the general command
ing the army where said slaves ore employed who shall
transmit the same the Secretary Of War to the Com
matding General IN the Mississippi Department as
l the case may be.
Sec l. That all laws or parts of laws providing for the
hiring mpessment OF slaves be- and the same are here
b. repealed except far they may provide for fegu-
ating and fixing in case of mpressmen the value Of
| said slaves or the value of their services.
Sec s. No slaves aha hereafter be impressed exceptin
pursuance Of The provisions Of this act and any officer
WHO may violate the provisions thereof shall be cou.mar
| tailed and on conviction cashiered.
| On motion, the House adjourned.