Year: 1861

AN ACT relative to Ieleg1apn Lilies LII lne Oon-

 federate States.

 SFcr1oN 1. The Conqress Of the Confederate States of America do enact, That during the existing war; the President be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to take such control of such Of the lines of telepraph in the Confederate States and of such of the offices connected herewith, as Will enable him efiectually to supervise the communications nassing through the same, to the end that no com mnnications shall be conveyed of the military ope- ratons of the government to endangeI the success of such operations, nor any communication calcu- lated to inure the cause of the Confederate States, or to give aid and comfort to their enemies.

 SEC. 9 The President shall appoint trustworthy agents in such offices, and at such points on the various lines as he may think it, whose duty It shall be to supervise all communications sent or pas sing through said lines, and to prevent the trans mission of any communication deemed to be detrl- mental to the public service

 SEC. g. In case the owners and managers of said lines shall refuse to permit such supervision, or shall fail or refuse to keep up and continue the bu- sness on said lines, the President is hereby em powered to take possession of the same for the pur poses aforesaid.

 SEC I. The President shall from time to time issue instructions to the agents so appointed, and 10 the operators of the various lines, to regulate the transmission of communications touching the operations of the government, or calculated to affect the public welfare

 SEC. ,. mat the freSlOenC, at Ills ulSCTcIlOHJ may employ the operators of the Hires the agents of the government, so that in this as in all other respects there may be little interference with the business and management of such lines as may be compatible with the public interest.

 SEC. G. That the compensation of the agents appointed under this act where such agents are not officers of the company, and the expense attending the execution of the provisions of this act shall be paid out of the treasury.

 SEC I. That no communications in cypher, nor enigmatcaf, or other doubtful communication shall be transmitted, unless the person sending the same shall be known to the agent of the government to be trustworthy nor until the real purport of such communication shall be explained to such agent.

 SEC $. That the President is hereby authorized, whenever it may be found necessary advisable for the successful prosecution of the war, to extend existing lines of telegraph, or make connections between the same, the expense of contracting such additional lines to be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

 SEC 9. That all present and future officers of the telegraph lines engaged in receiving and trans hitting intelligence within the Confederate States shall, as soon as practicable after the passage of this act or after their appointment, to take and subscribe before any judicial officer of any of Confederate States, the following oath: I, A. B., do solemnly swear that 1 will support anc maintain the Constitution of the Confederate States of Ame rca, and will not knowingly, directly indirectly, transmit through the telegraph any communication information calculated to in ure the of the Confederate States, or to give aid or comfort to their enemies.''

 SEC. 10. That if any person shall knowingly send or transmit any message or communication touching the military operations the government without the same being first submitted to the in- spection of the agent of the government any message calculated to aid and promote the cause of the enemies of the Confederate States, he shall be subject to indictment in the district court of the Confederate States, and on conviction shall be fined in sum not less than five hundred dollars, and imprisoned for term not less than one year.

 Approved May II, 1861.