The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-08-18
The $50 Called Twenty Negro Law

The opposers of Maj. Barksdale az
NIT that he has been a hard work
ing member of Congress, who has
served the people of his District
diligently and faithfully. Having little
else to complain of, they have circulat
ed story that he was the author of
law, in the Confederate Congress twenty
four years ago, exempting persons VIII,
owned twenty slaves from military ser
vice. 1t is pure fabrication. There
never was such law of the Confederate
States. There was a clause in a gen
eral exemption act embracing ply
sicians, ministers of the gospel aged
and infrm men, and certain number
of blaeksmiths and other mechanics
from military service, which recognized
and enforced State laws in requiring
that some persons, as agent, o1cHer OF
ouerseer on plantations, on which there
was no white male adult liable to do
military duty, should be exempt from
military service, to perform police duty
for the protection of defenceless women
and children. The bill originated with
the Military Committee of WHICH Maj.
Barksdale was not a member. 1t was APP
proved by President Davis. 1t is due to
Mr.. Davis and its authors, to say that
the clause referred to was not designed
to exemp. persons who owned twenty
negroes, but to perform police duty for
helpless women and children, whose nat
ural protectors were in the army. What
ever may have been their me tives, to the
credit of Maj. Barksdale it should be
stated that he introduced bill to repeal
the obnoxious clause within ninety days
after its passage-that is to say, it was
signed by President Davis October IL,
1862, and Maj. Bsrksdale introduced his
repeating bill January IL, 1868.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON CITY, June IA, SO |
SIR: In response to your request |
OF the 18th inst, / have the honor to |
transmit herewith copy, duly athenti
Gated under the sealof this Department, |
of an act of the Confederate Congress
to repeal certain parts of dn 4ct entitled |
An act TO exempt persons from mil |
itary duty" introduced by you in the
Confederate House of Representatives, |
January Is, 1868.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
s. V. BENET.
PW,o af IS nr1
ing Secretary of War.
Hon. E. Barksdale, House of Represent
atives.
AN ACT
To repeal certain parts of Act entitled ian Act TO
exempt persons from Military Duty"
The Congress Of the Confederate States of
America do enact, That the parts of the
first section of an Act entitled ian Act
to exempt certain persons from military
duty" etc, approved October 18th, 1862.
which exempts one person, either as
agent, owner or overseer, on each plan
tation on which one person is required
to be kept by the laws or ordinances OF
any State, and on which there is no
white male adult not liable IN do mill
tary service, and in States having no
L.
overseer on each plantation of twenty
negroes, and on which there are no white
male adult not liable to military service:
ard for additional police for every
twenty negroes on two or more pIanta
lions, within five miles of each other,
and each having less than twenty
on which there is no white male
adult not liable 4, military duty. one
81 IL cxI
,serseers on such plantations, be, and I
he same are hereby REPEALED.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 1
WAR DEPARTMENT, 1,
Washington City, June 10, 1886.
Pursuant to Section Ss2 of the Revised |
hereby certify that it appearsl
rom the records of the Office of the
secretary of War. that the annexed
,opy Of paper, is true copy.
JOHN sTwEkrALE, Chief Clerk
Be Ii known that John Tweedale, Who
igned the foregoing certificate, i the
thief Clerk Of the War Department,
md that to his station Is such full faith {
md credit are and ought TO be given.
In witness thereof. / have here
unto set my hand and !
caused the seal Of the War
Department to be affixed, / {
on this fourteenth day Of
' '::;:: !; !; ;; -; 80 =
Brigadier Gen1 q. s. A., ii
Chief Of Ordnance, Acting !,
Secretary q War.
From the foregoing certified copy Of |
al. BaEksdals's biIl y ~ i ~ - /