The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-05

a number equal to that of all the y. 8.
soldiers. who he has reason TO oereve
are held to service or labor by the Gon;
fcdcrate forces until he shall pc notiiea
the Confederate authorities has ceased.
Before stating the facts with reference
10 tho particular negroes alluded 10. !, p ~.
the Confederate government toward this
class of persons, when ccapture,hIi by i.s
forces. Al negroes in the :, military : or
by us, who are not identified as the prop
erty OF citizens or residents OF any or tue
Confederate States. are regarded as PITS ar;,
jects of exchange. as recently had the
honor to inform you.
No labor Is eXacted from such prisoners
by tho Confederate authorities.
Negroes who. owe service or labor 70
citizens or residents of the Confederate
States, and who through compulslon, per-
suasion or Of their own accord, leave their
owners and are placed in. the military
or naval service Of the United States,
occupy a different position
negro slaves in the Confedcra te' states is
the same now as when those States were
members of the Federal Union.
The constitutional relations and obliga-
tons OF tho Confederate government 10
the owners of this species OF property are
the same as those so frequently and 50
government OF the United States with re-
ference to the Same class OF persons py
virtue of its organic law.
From the earliest period OF the lndo-
pcndencc Of the American States, it has
been held that one Of the duties incum-
bent upon the several common govern
ments under which they have e. from tune 70
their lawful owners OF slaves recaptured
/ from the public enemy. It has been uni
formly held that the capture, or III an rirSt
of the owner to such slave. but that the
right attached to him immediately upon
recapture. Such was the, practice or tho
Am erican States during their struggle for
Independence.
The government under which they were
then associated restored TO the owners
slaves abducted by the British forces and
subsequently recaptured by the American
arm les.
In the war Of isl2. with Great Britain,
government was the same, and It recoS.
nized the right of the owner, to slaves
recaptured from the enemy. Both the Con-
IN fact denied that the abduction OF
slaves was a belIgerent right. and the
latter power insisted upon, and ultimately
from the British government for slaves
taken by its. forces durisg the war OF
1872, and It Is supposed that II n ne
in which slavery is recognized and
which IS regarded as one of the
United States We're to escape into into the he
abducted BY their armies, the legal right
of the owner to reclaim him would he as
clear now MS in 1872, the Constitution Of
the United States being unchanged In this
particular, and that instrument having
been interpreted in the judicial decisions,
Legislation and diplomatic acts and cor
respondence of the United States, as ini-
posing upon that government the duty OF
protecting in all cases. coming withts tho
scope of its authority. the owners OF slaves
as well as OF any other kind OF property.
recognized as such by the several States.
| The Confederate government, bound by
the same constitutional Obligation consid-
crs, as that of tho United States did,
| tina, the capture or abduction OF a negro
| slave does not preclude the lawful owner
| from rec!aining him when recoptured
| and ] am instructed to say that all such
| Slaves when property Unidentified rs be-
| longing to citizens Of any Of the COnfedc-
| rate states, or to persons enjoying the
| protection OF their laws, VIII be restored
| like o.ner recapturcd property to those
entitled TO them.
| Having endeavored to explain the gene
| raj policy of the Confederate government
with regard to this subject, | beg leave
| to state the facts concerning tho particu-
| lar transaCtlnE referred. TO In the inclosed
| communication.
The negroes recently captured by orr
| forces were sent 10 Richmond with other
| Federal prisoners
| After their arrival Is was discovered that
| Il number OF them were slaves belonging
| to citizens or residents OF some Of the
| Confederate States, and of this class Nifty
| nine, as ] learn. were sent with other
| negroes to work on the fortncatlons
|