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i.Mlill < niHiULL OVTHi. IMJ'iil! .' Vi.Vlt.
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peac ! to me two or three times in Parlkime?
ro retor to tire tonic now before you, it is ...
w'tn a little ftdtaraci'.on I observe in tk Di m
I ers wr.o tut ; rr.:t to-mgfct »»td in the sr,it
ttc-y evince some anbury fr the ultimate ador,
tion and the final c ’Aere oplni ns 1
have entloavore<l t< —v:* Mr. Spence, "n
«ler whose order* r- ' '-.‘-•gtlotis I have tl
hoeer to Address yot i- • jt*iido sly explain ■
to me that to-night it was not necessary to ir.
dulge in argumentative harangues, because tie
greater part of u‘- were of one opinion. At <-r
the long and Sssiduou- dim -uzsioas which in.
topic ha- reived in tiie press, in Baritone rat
and rn pul ric meetings, it i no wonder t ,
nearly all men should agree on certain propo
■ittons We do * certain propositi-.: -
a retn.tr k .Me agreement. F. w deny that th j
-... i,i tie civ."! war n qno-tion canon j
|y take place when neutral powers have
Knowledge ] tin- imminent*. Few deny Iha
ti nt ack/ewlediemeirl ought not to be anti
paled, in the prereui state of I.urope and thi
world, irrit i Gre it Britain im- hown a certain I
-iirp sition to inilni.l> ' - 1 . 1-' t- 1 . it. few -in;, j
■
■•trongly urge- > and decid: <Jly imcourugf it
'l hi.-t srilli- iently iilu.:troU' the political and
practical utility of a m-. -to. . (Re th i-'-. - at.
(ierAh im :i. if in cr agitation ,va-0.-.uijlial on
thiii subject it i . at the pn -.oiit moment, when
certain danger.) have arrived and certain cir
larnr- tan. i-s have disclos.-n tin-rn-clvc- which
might. unlc:-.:> properly ei-amiuod, lead ro in
spire doubt and dtelru»t in the event of South
• iir independence. Those tl Angers and those
circumstances ought not Vo he, nor indeed need
they be. connived at.
The Southern President lias not set tie tiro
example, of ignoring or Coat . aling them. lb
has not hesitated to fix tire attention of th-
world upon the fact that in the past year mi
foreseen reverses have been suffered. He ha.-
not scrupled to advert to the events of Vicks
burg and Port Hudson. The whole world, in
common with lire Cons derm y, deplores the
lon-, of Stonewall .Jackson. All those wli, ar
interested in the fate of the Confederacy nrus:
have heard with regret Hint with anxiety that
the Democratic party, which some months ago
seemed to augur well for the cans of peace
mid separation, lias grown more idle it, more
subdued und less effective than it used to be.
These are undoubtedly circumstan. e-, of dis
couragemcnt, but , a I tbink, grounds for agita
tion and activity. There is this grand reason,
gentlemen, why these circumstances of dis- j
oouriigement ought, not to l.e considered mo j
fives of despondency amongst us they have :
not shaken the Confederacy; they have not I
quenched the spirit which upholds it; they lravi ;
jrot chilled the hopes which it iodiogcs; on tiie .
cont ary, wo have good reason to b. li vr that j
in spite of Ure darker picture J have pointed
to there never Was a moment when their dis
cipline was of a higher character, their armies j
mor e mature, their generals more skillful, their
it ratty /’ more perfect, their le-olulion mote un- j
daunt' J, or tlrelr readiness, if necessary, to
take new r< grids more t oniplele.
When tlrey themselves are thus undaunted
hy rea ities it Would ill become their friends Jff
Europe to be affected by a shudowuiul a rctlex.
1 have therefore ventured to allude to those un
favorable circumstances, ami also to : how why
they ought ndfto lead to a diminished hope or
a discouraged-spirit upon your part, Gtmtie
iiitui, if that ho so, If tho ends of thi associa
tion are legitimate, which I have not ventured j
t.i ei-tahlish. knowing Hurl such is not a qut3-
tion in this room, if at the present moment
those ends ought to he pursued with morn seal
* und more activity than ever, it is not irrele
vant or idle to consider what is the mo -.t impor
tant an ! formidable obstacle opposing you.—
(b'lilleinen, I cannot helji thinking tout She
most formidable obstacle, looking to pub
lie mind, looking to all that has been said and
IS said daily on these quostWiia, is summed up
in the well known term, -‘slavery." I cannot
h.-lp thinking that ii'Ti first opinion were cstab
lihlteil on that subject and it is your mission
t o establish and dessiminate it —no lurtbcr ob
stacles could very long delay the triumph of your
principles. And if you would allow rue. I
would venture -having given some consideia
lion and reflection to that point in reference to
Rarliamentary pvocecili gs—to suggest a modi
by w inch, s it appears to me, wlmt you hold to
l,j. the truth might be brought home to the
convict iocs in all classes ot society, it it were
only thoroughly explained by ibis organk.i
tjon Urat the Btitlslr public lias to look merely
to one rprestlon, 'namely, whetlrer, ot the two
issues in which this war must terminate—for
there arc but 'wo the separation of the bellig
erent!; or the conquest- of the South by the
North will tend most to the advantage of tbe<
negro race * If that were steadily contempla
ted. if Halt issue were relieved ami dissemble
rii-seil of all tie rival issues th.t* c, rifn.se it, I
do not think Hit-re would lt-mnin a difference
of opinion in this Country. No doubt there will
always be, us there litis been tip to this moment
both here nml on the other side ofthe Atlantic,
a difference of opinion as to how the war origi
nated, as t > the motives lor which it w as under
taken? as to the obj-i'fs ofthe Smith in assert
ii, - independence. cud ot tin- Hnion itt waging
war against sec-.-.-si- <>. TANARUS: questions are
more or less ilitli. it to settle. But if w.-liv
our- minds upon Ute only point it - mater.el t< j
weigh, tunnel v. wll.lh- t t e imiepi tidenci-, or j
the subjugation of the South will really tend
most to tlut which.ln th s iretn.ti'y nil itnve at
heart the 'iiiti i't ol t ■ - to- little !
.litUniliy, a-tn ai>|ii-.;i • to me. will be found hi '
Morlilo .. much to s-i.'.ge i; n l . .It ino gener f
ully been found tin.: v; en in .my eoui.try two r
v.i 'tlv tin* s-'mj• •.iior in ioivt*, til viiror iiud ititoj
li:..» iu e s st>nu» known ivltaion e\i.;is I*o
tw err tlr.W two t. ees. the weaker it- i \
termiirlted. vpw shotlid tin* * utrl.-.h-i.*ey lie
tuilrdut-d, and shotliii recc-tuptost be isUablgdnsl
over all the great tenitury that lies between
the rtult ol Mexico nriil tit. I'otomac, two tacos
would be louu.l, so unequal, :-,i incompatible,
so bereft of the original rtdalioti by which
tln-v had lict'u previously cemented, as at least
to auy,u>' lire extonnination and tile disappea:
•mice of the weaker one. But we are not left
to speculations of this character. It happens
that this very day. not many hours ago. a letter
ill U leading l.mulou has reached
Manchester fix in the other m lo ot the Atlantic,
which gives the best-amt tie latest information
on this question. In that letter it i- pointed
out in what mtmuer the invasion by the North
has inti noticed the prospects and position ot the
negro. M .
vs far as 1 remeruoer. speaPtng
fron: what has fallen, and that* ne ntly. under
h s ev. snnd bis experience, gives a four-fold
di vision of that unhappy class, lie points to
those who are the victims of a forcible enlist
ment compelled to take arms, exposed to the
brunt okb.ittie in a cause which they dote t
and for a people who despise them. He points
to aiiot*. r Class who have gone to the No. th
westeru .‘dates in qn.“st ot employment, and
who have not found it. He points to a third
class who. 'it consequenceot'an tnleeltous dis
order which attacks them, are miserably dytn ;
in t e wipital at Washington. He potnts to
another class who are coerced to labor upon
the soil which has been oeetipi.d ami upon i..e
•vtates which have been conttM-iteu hy Norili
«,rll oluuderers. and whose conuittoti, -< he
t>oln»0 tto HS. i> ioflnitoly worso taan that
trout winch they have bem wrested: for, ot
freed..n,they have gained nothing except the
fact that they are no longe- undet sheliot ,
that tlrev me no longer caved lor that they
are introduced to the uouole evils of nvpousi
ljilitv <uui aer\ita 10. llusU iko latest e>e
uessw'.to addresses lo the public of Great Brit
ain tbe facta he !»• observed. but supposing
him to be mistaken, suppos r„ that ltupfove
uientis attainable, ami astmmmg that great
measures ought not to be despauast ot tor the
welfare of the negro—this.at least, gentlemen,
1 think may be liai-.arde 1 with salety by lore
'v audience who look to- the great priucti les
i e which human nature U* i ontrolied and by
whiv’.' the world Is go. erneii, vu that those
M- of improvement tniri 1-e loyal, must
lUeasttrCs M , UL ,.p must be d.-figtieu fm the
be weil lutOi- „: 1 d n t for the destruction
good ot tue negis , o ften been remarked
the planter, it , .uleagues are not
that Mr. Lincoln and hi- , {v . bu , if thov
nun of power, genius or i.tpa ■ K q tv tirey 1
were men of power, genius and v-M- • . |
would not b-- able to overrule those |
inherent in the very nature ot ahatrs, bvJV UC V‘
the mind of a Nap deou would be limited . it
u oald not K possible to them, any more than
it was possible to im. I- make right the puli
of wrong, philanthropy the instrument ol .etc
fieuno, the liberty of one taco the iotge and
shackles for another. Snell, however is. t‘ e (
course on which the Oo\ erumeut of Mashing ■
ton have recently embarks* witu v.nat : -c i
, wiii-. i i'.rve advert.-1 I tiie ret e citr;-
belP ihinVd: g gentlemen, that «f this que-tir-n !
a by an assoc tall-lit such as your=.
oould '-n-. - ( . , . tht , Ml#ce , v Mam
ferhftertuatl© v "™* * h : c ' '!
v ' Jl. ~,,,1 so gradually \ invading me com ,
round U. -mi - S ~^l biaUt!lS, if rid j
Whether LU.lcj.ende..c.'is. or s no- J
it in this way. Soppose the question o! slavery
I i:a*l altogether Ceas-d to agnate or t>- divide
.L-; suppose there wasi:os:.h thing as.-.avery
t. th; .*• »r*!.em or in ti.Sootliem Mate* , no
•i .iiif a civil v ir such n that which rageb'-e
--tw> .-.a two federations, in which the prod :e
--j,,uo of the earth w ‘-re aito-gi tber the result,
I they an. iiappiiy in K trope, ot free anJ :n
--i luper.deut lat* r—put that case, aud *hen
.vculd ;uere t.c any ciierencs r.f oyrJcn
..« to wfcether i: was right, or policy,
or wisdom to reestablish tie vest, the ov«r
--: vl.eio»ii.g, fcid'tbe agg-e=-:ve Power on the
- her side of the AtlanU--, by which the p »
1 Europe mc-t be seriouHy threatened, and of
1 .vuich trie daily language is a menace to the
j world. Conld there be two opinions on that
! j u -tion to which Lord tV harnclirfe btu? refer
,ni. that it is not for the tranquility of Europe
mat it is not for the Itenefit oi any independent
state on this side-of the ocean oi th- other.
;h A a Poser so huge, so arrogant and to avow
uly rapacious—which decade by decode mis.
_ >on augmenting and accumulating should
-restore Ito its original integri' -'■ There
wo aid be no difference of opinion y-pon tnat
point. ...
Could a class of men be (ourid. it t)it topic
if slavery was altogether purged torm the
disc ication, who won and Bcriousiy maintain,
oi-: -,'e i: , that it was just or proper to create
’ol.: el irt America' j;--r to eti a Poiund in
Atni-v-.-t is the objfet lor which Mr. Lineolti
■end ids coll- -uptus are -onteniling. If his poli
cy t.,i .cecdc-d. if his armies triumphed, if his
vi ;-toys were established, its they hope to be.
trom the Half of Mexico to the, i’otoruire, the
elo.im of Warsaw v.oukl exi-t, not i.i one city,
but in Mobile, Cliailestun, Wilmington, .Savan
nah, in Montgomery, Richmond in every . api
tor of every State which Northern armies bad
1*.,;. - -.1 un.l Northern q.irrison,-. had occupied.
Ami what is tiie gloom of Warsaw, which there
armies arc designed to lix on the Confederacy ?
1 can speak of that -loom from late and per
sonal experience. It i-t riot like the gloom
which sometimes may hang over this city,
arising partly from the climate, partly from
distress and from a temporary wart in some
material of industry. It is a gloom which no
breeze of spring can waft away, which no rays
of sunshine can dir perse ; which no-reviving
commerce, or accelerated industry, or new sup
plyad' capital can alter. It is a gloom which
must befall a population conscious of their
rights, and mindful of their origin, lint held
down by a foreign occupation of 20, 0ut) men ;
a gloom of which no man can walk abroad
without observing dark and melancholy bices;
• where no citizen can leave his home without
meeting a patrol, entitled, according to its
orders, or perhaps its caprices, to arrest him ;
and where, when be returns to that home which
ought to be a sanctuary, lie has to look for -
waul to the probability of midnight visitation,
more destructive than tiie miar.y by which his
footsteps had been haunted.
Such, gentlemen, is the gloom of Warsaw,
and such is the gloom which Northern armies
have aspired to perpetuate in a territory more
wide than half a dozen Polands. I. thi reforc,
come buck to the position to which I Imve veil
tured to allude—that, it once you contend suc
cessfully with your adversaries upon slavery,
no further question can exist; and all cla;.-
in Great Britain will unite iu a common wish
tor Northern peace and Southern independence
—a wish that, finding echoes botli iu Europe
and the world, will tend to realize the noble
objects it aspires to. There is yet another
observation I would make. Success cannot, on
a subject so complicated and so extensive, lie
tiie Object of prediction. A man would justly
lose bis character for moderation and for judg
ment if lie ventmed to predict with confidence
the issue of tire struggle, ft seems to me,
however, that, whatever that issue may l.e, this
association will not be wholly unrewarded.
Should the issue be that for which you are
contending, the reward is evident and ample :
but should it not be the destiny of those who
arc assembled here to sec what they desire, this
retie, tion may console them. They will have
done something to assist the Southern President
in the labors and the cures by which lie is en
compassed ; and, gentlemen, no man of reflec
tion can, iu my opinion, glance at the daily life'
of Mr. Davis without a sentiment which even
passes admiration. If an independent aud des
potic power hud been granted to him, such as
great men are apt tc claim undewsuch circum
stances—still, to |.-;cp the mind engaged upon
every part ot' an almost interminable frontier,
to divine the phv s oi a Government whose
movement it is difficult to calculate, to ; repine
for every possible . v«nt, to picture each Imag
inable difficulty, toplau c inq .aigas upon a terri
tory so ex tensive and under circumstances so un
precedented, would tax the very highest reach
oNuilitary geriius. But this is not the whole
of the bun lien that devolves upon Mr. Davis,
i bis tusifcffie is culled upon to perform, while
lit the same time he is accountable to a repre
sentative assembly, to a senafe. and to a cabi
net. Bui even that is not the limit of bis tri
als. lie has to lace these 'difficulties, to aim at
these results, with a free criticise, to
oontrol, to reprimand him; sometimes to be
Luted by success, sometimes to be depressed
unduly by iv verves, aud sometime * to reveal to
distant armies much which in Lis opinion it
would be more judicious to equeea! from them.
The liberty of -that press InMas not once at
tempted to control or wished to override. And
jet to uu-ei this three;old trial might weil ex-
Im.st the wisdom of a ruler, the resources of a
gel e> il, and the temper Os au angel. Cmnc
what may, gentlemen, you cannot lie deprived
i ; die reflection, that in your day, according to
y til' power, although divided horn him by the
a . ..li rn , imve done something to iq hold on *
<4 the bravest and the noblest minds which
Providence inis formed,in one of the loftiest
a .1 biivdc.-i enterprises with which the i'm
-11!: i-s ofthe world have ever been identified.
1 Thr R serve Coal's Called (b;r. * Adit. Gen.
i Vopet Ims published general orders No. 92,
for tho onioivemeiit-of the military bill, to
wi-.i.-h ..II ihlert red lue.dd give immediate ut
tvelic... The order* are da led March 1. AH
in-;sons between seventeen and eighteen, and
forty-live and filly, are to t o at once enrolled.
Camps of instruction are to be established at
suitable points, under Ibe charge of “comman
ders and enrolling officers und drill-musters.”'
Applii ntiqjis for exemption are to be made in
general lo the enrolling officer of the county
a.-d. 11 irl and .hall !«■ supported by the affi
davit of Illegal ly, aud oilier testimony under'
oath. If the enrolling officer approve the ap
plication, be may grunt an exemption of sixty
days provided it is not countermanded by the
commandant of the Conscripts, to whom the
certificate of exemption uui to be forwarded.
In ease both the enrolling officer and the com
mandant of conscripts reject lire application
for exemption or detail, there is an appeal
to the bureau of conscription and the Secretary
of War.
Applications of farmer's, overseers, etc., for
detail, are to be made to the local enrolling
officer in writing, with the affidavits ofthe
party, and other corroborating evidence. If
the division of the enrolling officer be favor
able to the application, it is forwarded to the
commandant of conscripts, who may, if he ap
prove, grant a detail for sixty days. It is then
sent to the bureau of conscription.
Applications ot persons between lotly five
kii.j Lv, "because justice. <• piity or me., ire
requite Ihe detail or because their employm itt
is uei essary to the public.'' are made ai the
same way ns in the ease ot tanners.
Applications for exemption by clergymen,
new spa per employees, apotkecsu ies. physicians,
professors, teachers, etc., arc iu.u,e to the' lovat
enrolling officer, aud his ciTiifuate must in*
approved by tho Congressional enrolling offi
cer.
Officers and agents of ra'lroads may make
application directly to the commandant ot con
scripts for the State.
The duties of pro vest guards and clerks, of
clerks, guards, agents, and employees in com
missary and quartermaster departments, in the
Oidnance department, etc., are to lie discliarg <1
by persons between eighteen and forty live who
are unfit for field doty. Should the invalids
between these ages b > not sufficiently nuuier
ous then persons are to be assigned to such un
ties from the reserved military class.
The bureau ot conscription is directed te
proceed toemoll "at once all ot the cievks.
agents, guards, employees, etc , just mention
ed in the departments referred to.
• 'ous. ripts unfit for duty in the field, and
capable of discharging the duties in question,
will be recommended by the board of examin
ers for such positions as they seem best suited
for.
Exemptions are e i anted tb hi ges or justices
of any supreme, superior, or criminal court, to
clerks, and to sheriffs.
* j vetoes ot riL peace, deput y sheriffs, com-,
missioners P* iiie revenue. ..re not exempted
A gentleman who w** recently returned from
a trip to the United State*, ascertain-:.!, from
; ■ v.,f aiilL. ' ;v . fit the re'.! ".Iff J the Yankee ,
~.m ;Mt : be in .■ t 1 - re -
hbt there at all—A ■ . tarv Ur .tv
since thrown the bulk ot i: upon L.e market
! rial >:-! nt lv. ;.t different time;, to keep down
v 'remit. His anxiety .c. in; in.-.-. . e i
the bill lwri»ng : Tbe'Md* Os the gold was Ao
' i g’ ...i’'box'sled bv such trickery, and we
J re-tore 10. k for a sharp react -a soon.
Ii i-pairs on the va-'r ac-in - ' j
j a M< idi .n .tee rapidly proc^.-'sir.c*.
V. I- 5 3 l-LSOIA iioaa
f. i A - •‘Wy of £xtra
y 6 ;. : . March lOtft, 15t>4.
ACTS.
• i , to Act to reduce the bonds ot toe
i\i_ Returns and Tax Collectors
■ . :: - tat- and to n peal <*o much of the 1 Kith
-■ non of the code dr limits the securities or
...; i bond.- to the number of five.
\ _.»An Act to amend the iota section of
ar- Acl entitled an Act to reorganize the militia
r.f Georg: Did for ether purposes, appro red
14-t'l DcC jJi'ji. v , .
No 3 An Act to amend the 16- th section ot
the cod- of Georsia. ,
, 4 An Act to admit copies oi deeds and
other instruments on evidence, when the ortgi
are in the United States.
No. :> An Act to repeal an Act entitled an
Act to change the time of holding the Superior
,ji;it (for county purposes) of Washington
county. Georgia, from rbe Ist Tuesday to the
i, * Wednesday in each month. Assented to
April 17, 1863.
No. 0 An Act for the relief of the Tax Re
ceivers and Collectors of the counties of Rich
mond. Chatham, Muscogee, Bibb, Decatnr, and
"niton for the year 1863.
Ni. 7 An Act to appropriate the sum of
four hundred and eighteen dollars for the com
mon school fund in tne county of Wilcox, for
'he year 1863.
No. 8 An Act io incorporate the Columbia
ar.d Augusta Railroad Company.
No. 9 An Act to authorize the Governor to
impress, in certain cases, the rolling stock of
Railroads, either of this State, or to be found
in this State, not being in use at the time of said
impre- ;>u nt, or other conveyances for the pnr
pim-j of transporting supplies anil provisions
purchased or ordered to be purchased under
any law of this State for the indigent families
oi soldiers, on paying just compensation..
No. 10 An Act to exempt certain persons
from service in the militia of the State of
Georgia.
No. 11 An Act to amend an Act to.incorpo
rate the town of Fort Gaines.
No. 12 An Act to require the-Reporter of the
supreme Couit, to publish the decisions of the
Supremo Court in pamphlet form.
No. 13 An Act to allow persons to adminis
ter upon property in the county to which it has
becu moved, for security from the enemy.
No. 14 An Act to amend an Act to amend
the Charter of the Madbn and Western Railroad
Company. Assented to Dec. 14,1863.
No. 16 An Act supplemental to an Act as
sented to Dec. 14, 1803, for raising a revenue
for the political year 1864, and to.appropriate
money for the support of the Government dur
ing said year, and to make certain special ap
propriations and for other purposes.
No. 16 An Act to amend an Act entiled “an
Act to further provide for the suppression of
unlawful ilist ilation of grain and other copirno
dities in the State.” Assented to I>ec. 3d. 1863.
No. 17 An Act to require Railroad Companies
of this State as well as the Western and Atlanta
Railroad, to keep water and lights, in the cars
for passengers, on their respective trains. ’
RESOLUTION'S.
No. i. Resolution requestiug our Senators
and Representatives in Congress, to use their
influence to have a tri-weekly mail .run between
Jefferson, in Jackson county, and Gainesville,
in Hall county. ,
No. 1 .Resolution prescribing the form of.the
issue of State Treasury Notes, under the act of
lJ'.h December, 186 j.
No. 3. Resolution .requesting the establish
ment of a daily mai’ route (Sunday excepted)
between Grautvilta and Greenville in this State.
No. 4. Resolution to have cert-aim books sent
to the officers aud members of the General
Assembly.
No. 5. Resolution to re-establish a mail route
between Dublin, irr Laurens county and Mount
Vernon in Montgomery county.
No. 6. Resolutions authorizing citizens to
purchase com in certain cases, and uuder cer-
tain circumstances.
No. 7. Resolution authorizing His Excellen
cy, the Governor of this State, to fund in Con
federate bonds all Confederate States Treasury
Notes, in tire State. Treasury.
No. 8, Resolution in'relation tojilie Military
Act of Congress.
No. 9. Resolution declaring the ground on
which the tion federate States .stand in this war,
and the terms on which peace ought to be offer
ed to the enemy.
No. 10. Resolutions on tho suspension of the
Habeas Corpus.
No. 11. R .reiutirtn for settles;~f Tax fi.
fa. vs. 11. I’. Livingston, of the county of
Clinch, and B. 11. llcCroskjr, of ’■ county oi
Fulton.
No. 12. Resolution in relation to - ;.
licalion and distribution .-of the \ -of me
General Areembly.
' No. 13. Resolution approving tl a ion o
tho Governor in purchasing wag -r aud i.-r-ni.
for tiie transportatiort of corn from the intlroa s
to indigent soldiers’ families.
No. 11. Resolution requesting The Governor
to entpl-.y counsel and pay them such tees as
in may think proper, in the prosecution of per
son-! for unlawful distillatioii.
No. ly. Resolution in reference to certain
Battle Flags.
No. 16. Resolution in reference to the ilis
triburfen cf the relief fund for eoli’iers’ fam
lies. •
No. 17, Resolution expressive of the confi
dence of this General Assembly in the integ
rity aud patriotism of President Davis.
No. 18. Resolution in reference to the re
enlistment of all tire Georgia regiments.
ACTS SIGNED SINCE OPENING FIRST TIME.
No 18. An Act for the relief of Habersham
county, and all other counties in this State
alike destitute, and for other purposes.
No 19. An Act authorizing Administrators,
Executors, Guardians and Trustees to invest
in four per cent Confederate State bonds.
The above Act No. 19 has the following in
dorsement:
While I do not approve the policy of invest
ing the estates oi orphans and persons repre
sented by Trustees in the present depreciated
currency, I assent to this Act t,o avoid injustice
to Trustees and other fiduciary Agents who
have, in good faith, received Confederate notes
before the passage of the late Act of Congress.
Joseph E. Brown,
March 21st, 1804. Governor.
No. 20 An Act extending the lime for coun
ty officers tiling their bonds, and taking out
Commissions.
No. 21 An Act to exempt from taxation, cot
ton and other property owned by the Conlede
rate St iles Government, in this State.
No. 22 Au Act to encourage the organiza
tion of a Nav.
A Decision on the Anti-Substitute Law
Judge J. T. Clarke of the Georgia Pataula Cir
cuit Court, has rendered a lengthy decision in
the case of D. R. Crawford against Hie Assistant
Enrolling Officer of Randolph couuty. The
opinion is published in the Columbus Sun.-'-
The Judge says:
This involves no dispute as to facts.’ The
Petitioner, aged between 18 and 45, has been
arrested and is detained by the Respondent, as
a conscript owing-military service to the Con
federate States, lie claims his discharge on
the ground, that he lias now in the army a sub
stitute, betivgen 48 arid 50years of age, who
w - regularly received in his stead on the 13tlf
of Sept'.. 1862. the Respondent vindicates his
detention of Petitioner by the Act of Congress
.at its late session, which declares "that no per
son shall bo exempted from military service by
reason of his having furnished a substitute.”
Counsel for Petitioner insist, that he put in his
substitute under the authority of the "Act of
Congress "To further provide for the public de
u Uce,” approved Apiil 16th, 1862; that the
substitution having been expressly authorized
by Congress, and in all respects regular, be
re'une a contract executed, to which the Confed
erate States is a party, and which cannot be an
nulled or impaired Gy subsequent legislation.
After an elaborate review of all the points
in :ke case, the Judge held that the Petitioner
is liable to service as a conscript, that he can’-
not be discharged, but must be remanded to
the custody of the Enrolling officer.
Ga*la>tky to bf. Rewarded. —The following
is one of the acts of the late Congress. Its pro
vis* li; will stimulate our troops, of all gradesa
to still greater deeds ot daring:
\ra act io authorize the promotion of officers,
r li-oommissioaed officers and privates, tor
iU-tinguished skrtiar.d valor.
Ti c Congress of the Confederate States of
America do enact. That the President is here
to authorized, upon the recommendation of a
General comtnanoiug a department, or a sepa
tate armv iu the fietl. to fill any vacancy in the
commissi aed officers of regiment or battal -
ion bv the promotion to the same, by and with
the advice and consent of the Seuatc, ul any
nieers. u m-:-mmissioned officer or private,
who i rev h ti - distinguished h.mseli by exhib
it-., - . j. ; ,;,, q skiil on the battle field;
t-rovided that the officer, non-commissioned
Ctficor or private, so recommended and norar
i; , io-i p. m-uion, shall belong, to theregi
or bit :,-.ilea in which the vacancy may
h m - c "re-1.
~ .re All acts aud parts af acts, in ’con
t! • v .U tire above provisions, are hereby re
p creed.
1’ -iiifreq-reaia has vassed a law enabling Ijei
tolflierg to rote,
Ik i tt-L oi- tfi.hhßi’te ov.V
WI'!JV.« HSPOftT.
The- official report of Gm. Joseph E.lohnst oii
of military operations in Mississippi liking last
year, up to the fall ol Vicksburg, p.a ■ - e.t
that quickly followed thatdis.i t-?:,
given to the public at la-t.
The greater portion of the doentneri • ,
up with orders and their dates given y John- j
ston to Pemberton, the replies ot Penbeiica.
dispatches to the War Department, r i frem
that Department to Gen. Johnston, ar.irh em
braces and repeats familiar history t< the pub
lic.
The following will give the react?t ; a correct
idea of the whole report :
The time to strike the enemy, wiry the best
hope of saving Vicksburg, was whin he was
landing near Brunswick, lVtdo tbif with any
prospect of success, a rapid coac-'itra.ion of
all the forces should have been male, and an
attack. Under this conviction, 1 te.e i-..phed
to Gen. Pemberton on Ist. from TUlaUonn :
■‘lt Grant's aimy lands on this side ot" the river,
the safety of Mississippi depend cn beating
him. For that object you should ’tni:e yonr
whole force.” And again, on Mayrid “If
Grant crosses, unite Iko whole forces to beat
him; success will give back what war abandon
ed to win it.”
These instructions were neglected} and time
was given to Grant to gain a foothold in the
State. At Port Gibson and Raymond, detach
ments of our troops were defeated and driven
back by overwhelming numbers of the enemy
On the 13tli, when 1 learned that there were
four divisions of the enemy at Oiinlfen, distant
twenty miles from the main body of Gen. Pem
berton's forces, 1 -gave him order* to attack
them, and notifieu him that we wouWoo-.yier
ate. This order General T'emUctutedi-Obeyed,
and so reported to me in his letter 03 tthe 17th.
It directed him to move twenty miles to the
east, to co-operate with me in atVrCe.jiiiig Sher
man. He moved to the South, ao-- made our
co-operation and junction imp,- .1 bio. Tie
claims that this order compeiledJii.u-tj utak
the advance beyond Big Black, ahioh proved
so ‘disastrous. - Before I had reached Jackson,
and before the order wag given, Gen. Pember
ton made his first advance beyond ye.ist, of) the
Big Black, to Edward’s depot; after the receipt
of the order, in violation of it, he made his
second and last advance from thaieapoint to the
field of Baker's Creek, lie further claims that
this order caused the subversion of his ‘ matur
ed plans.” Ido not know what those plans
were, but am startled to find matured plans
given up for a movement in violation of my
orders, rejected by a majority of his council oi
war, and disapproved (as he states ', by himself.
On the 12th he wrote to me that if tie coulii col
lect force enough, Edward’s depot would be
the battle field. The battle of Baker’s Creek
was fought three or four miles from Edward’s
depot. 'The presence of tire enemy was repot t
ed to him the night before. There Was no ap
parent obstacle to prevent his ri-itming his
original position, and carrying out his “matured
plans.’’
It is anew military principle that when art
officer disobeys a positive order of his superior<
that superior becomes responsible for any-meas
ure his subordinate may choose to substitute
for that ordered.
But had the buttle of Baker's creek not been
fought, Gen. Pemberton's belief that Vicksburg
was itis base rendered his ruin inev.tabic, tie
would still have been besieged, and therefore
captured. The larger force he would have'ear
ned into the lines would have added to and
hastened the catastrophe. His disasters were
dui not merely to bis entangling himself with
the advancing columns of a superior and un
observed enemy, hut to his evident determina
tion to be besieged in Vicksburg, instead of
mano aveiing to prevent a siege.
Convinced of the impossibility of collecting
a sufficient force to break the investment of
Vicksburg, should it be 'complete 1— apprecia
ting the difficulty of extricating the garrison,
and convinced that Vicksburg and Port Hudson
had lost most of their value by the repeated
passage of armed veesels and transports, I or
dered the evocuation of both places. General
Gardner did not receive this order before the
investment of Port Hudson, if at y.ll. General
Pemberton set aside this order, under the ad -
vice of a council of war; and though he had in
Vicksburg eight thousand fresh troops, not de
moralized by defeat, decided that it -wns im
possible to withdraw' the army from this posi
tion. with such morale and jnaiork.l as re be of
further use ti he Confederacy ■ ■ i I to hold
Vicksburg as io,.e as postil i * <h flu
hope that tii“ G «,-ermoi-ut ;■ v •> b.
assist me ii. keep ■ ■>" ''•'•■■■ ■'•' -
etuy’s fr. i rt‘-' giit-i.i:; o »e hiisw..*"p,.. j.’-ei
- 0.-ksbr u greatly tutperO' -d when
iurU'inf j-, ■:■■■ m 'j’ailaiiouirf > ■ coie't.nlr
we -1 n toil. Jt was U)‘*' ” ord '
. I J -(t] . ; 'O4 -H «'J it).
, n,' eff hrix" "ons and
eertaiii capture or a galtant army, wm-u my Or
ders tor its retreat were sc taiiie.
In this report I have been compelled to en
ter into many details, and make pom-' an
imadversions upon the conduct of General
Pemberton. The one was no pleasant ferric—'
the otbSr a most painful duty ; both have b««n
forced upon me by the official report of Gene
ral Pemberton made to the War I mparfmont,
instead of to me, to whom it was du
General Pemberton, by direct, to - rtion and
by implication, puts upon me Hie responsibility
of the movement which led his array to defeat
at Baker’s Greek and Big Black bridge—defeats
which produced the loss of Vicksburg und his
army.
This statement has been orculated by the
pness, in more or less detail, and with more or
'less marks of an official character, until my
silence would be almost au acknowledgment
of the justice of the charge.
A proper regard for the good opinions of my
Government lias compelled me, therefore, to
throw aside that delicacy whi; li I would gladly
have observed towards a brother officer, suffer
ing much mules erved obloquy, and to show
that in his short campaign. General Pemberton
made not a single movement in obedience to
my orders aud r egarded none of my instruc
tions, and, finally, did not embrace the only
opportunity to save bis army, that given by my
Older to abandon Vicksburg.
Most respectfully,
Your obd't servant.
,T. E. .liuixston, General.
Enrollment opConsCrivi's —Gen. Coo)>er ban
issued the following order in regard to the cn
rollment of persons between tiie age ot 17 and
18, and 45 nnd 50. We publish it jor tiie infor
mation of the public:
1. The Bureau of Conscription will proceed
to enroll all persons between the arcs of 17
and 18 years, and between the ages of 45 and
50 years, under the sth section of the ;ict of
Congress to organize forces to serve during tne
war.
2. Persons liable to enrollment will present
themselves to the enrolling officer in the Tates
east ofthe Mississippi river within thirty '..lays
from the day when the notice shall ‘lie given in
the district or county by the. enrbUing officer
for persons of this class to|appearfdrenvoUmeiit.
The failure to comply with this npt ce will nub
ject the defaulter to a liability to Ro called, into
the general service with the class of .persons
between 18 and 45 unless he shall have a. va
IM excuseiherefot, tojuyudged oi bv the Bu
reau of Conscription.
3. Any person liable to enrollmeiA under this
act may join any company for local defence
which has been formed under General Orders
No. 86, issued 26th Julie, 1803, for the war. or
any other company for local defence which,
has been accepted into the service, and which,
by the terms of its enlistment, is liable to’.
£erve anywhere within the State; or persons
of this class may form new companies for local
defence and special service, under General Or
ders No 86. (1863,) for the war. and select
their own officers.
Resumption of the Exchange.— lt seems
that the Yankees have hacked down from their
effort to force Beast Butler upon us as agent
tor the exchange ol' prisoners. A late number
of the New Y’ork Herald contains the follow
ing announcement :
„ ' r ?® f «ends of the Union prisoners in the
bouth will be gratified to learn that arrange
ments have been effected bv which regular ex
changes of prisoners' will be made hereafter.
The Government has gracefully receded from
its determination to force Geneal Butler upon
the Confederates as the only agent of exchmn-e
and have delegated that authority to Maj’.r
Muiford, whose associations with Mr. Quid, the
Confederate commissioner, have heretofore
been pleasant as well as dignified. The first
exchange under the new regulation has el
ready taken place.
The Currency. The Richmond- Examiner
in i-peaking of the currency, remarks thus:
Tne note bureau is now issuing no other notes
than these of the denomination of«fiye dollars
and these to an amount that will but Utile ex
ceed half a million per day. None of the small
er notes, onte and twos, are now being signed,
but the hoarders of inis description of curren
cy need not felicitate themselves ou th re Ure.
inasmuch as an immense amount o: the fifty
cent change notes are now in course of prepar
ation, and will, soon be issued; a timolv mea
sure, which will have tire effect of at once sup.
plying the public with change, and prevent
them from Iraing victimized by purchasing t.-,-
c»es and two?, at apruninm. from the hoarder*
. 4 .. . o\.!?.x. t . ;?,i. i. .5 -r v IV:
urcoUfiiA Tfi(jlSUTtBE-.-CAUJB SES
slO\.
lItLEDGEviu.E. March 18 ; P. M.
9EXATE.
Iff the Senate this afternoon, the question of
the suspension of the habeas corpus was un
.-jt' consideration. Mr. Walker spoke in support
ot resolutions offered by him declaring tbs
ac: uncun-titutionai, and requesting Congress
t r repeal it.
Mr. McCieiky replied ia defence Os the action
of Congress.
rke discussion occ tpied the cr'.tre afternoon
session, and no vote was taken.
Horsß.
m ti e House this afternoon, consideration of
the resolutions on the hab.-as corpus was re
sumed. The subject was debated by Messrs.
E iv- on of Putnam. Baines of Richmond. Hill
of Dougherty, Moore of Thomas, and Dußose.
No vote was taken, aud the House adjourned
c - 7V o'cl >ek P. M.
Ni tirr Session’.—The House concurred in
some Senate amendments to the general ap
propriation bill and other measures of no
genehtl importance.
A resolution for a tri-weekly mail between
Elberton and Hartwell.
Mr. Barnes offered a resolution authorizing
the Governor to issue a commission to William
A. Walton, Esq., Agent lor the collection of
claims for deceased soldiers.
The following message was received from
the Governor :
THE EXEMPTION' OF METHODIST I,OCAX PBEACUEBS.
Executive Department, i_
MtLLi'JiitEVit.i.R, Marcii IS, 1864.-)'
To tiie House of Representatives :
In compliance with your resolutions I here
with transmit a letter of the Adjutant and lu
sji'eetor General U!>on the subject of rite exemp
tion of the .minister's ol the Methodist Episco
pal Church from military service, together with
the order issued by him upon the subject.
1 also transmit copies of letters addressed by
Col. M. C. Fulton, lay Aid-de-C'amp, by r.ty di
rection, to persons who have submitted inqui
ries whether local ministers of that church aro
ex mpt under the statute.
While the language of the statute does net
embrace ordaincdlocal ministers, not in charge
of a church or synagogue, I was of opinion
they came within the spirit of the act, as many
of them spend a considerable portion of their
time in ministerial service, and 1 therefore so
construed the statute to exempt them.
It will be seen by the letter of Gen. Wayne,
that his order to Ctrl. Pottle was never sub
mitted to me for approval. I will add that I
never heard of this order till the complaint was
made to me about it, on the night ol the loth
inst., aud on next, morning I directed the Ad
jutant and Inspector General to issue tire Gene
ral orders, of which I enclose u copy, which
had been done before I hud any notice of your
resolutions, which were passed the day after
tin? ovdtr had been issued. So far from having
any intention to place a construction upon the
Statute, which would subject the ministers
known as circuit preachers aud Eiders of the
Methodist Church, to military duty, I had on
all occasions, when the subject was mentioned
tome, stated that they were exempt. And I
nny h.-re st .tv. that I have constantly express
ed iny opposition to the passage of any act of
Congress, or the State Legislature which sub
jects the ordained Ministers of t ftv protestant
denomination to military service. Their avo
cation is one of peace, and not of war, and 1
think that no Legislature should forget the com
mand—‘ touch not mine anointed.”
Jos ueu E. Brown.
The House then resumed the consideration
of the resolutions upon the suspension of the
writ of habeas corpus.
Mr. Hardeman addressed the House in favor
of Mr. Moore's substitute. •
Judge Stephens followed in conclusion, in a
searching review of the positions of the differ
ent speakers, and closed with some very p ur
gent ridicule of Mr. Moore, whom he declared
to be a cat in the meal-tub, ingeniously ex
pressing an opinion in defence of the act, while
they pretended not to do so.
At the close of his speech Mr. Brock called
the previous question, and the vote wag taken
on the substitute of Mr. Moore. The ayes and
nays were called, and were yeas 05, nays 71.
“u> it was lost. The vote was then taken on the
mutations of Judge Stephens, aind on taking
the ayes and nays; they were ayes 71, nays 09.
So tire resolutions were aiirmted.
V March 18. A. M.
re- re * if •' t solutions in re
i • ) tire-i;.Hit a ‘ were under'
■ ’ owi jsSnsiderabie diecus
* .. iptiy adopted which
• •-..post' .tow S in the way of eu
-1 •
'fi qoiii ire eucoimii dunteer navy was
iif • «.
a:• -'.sgo was received trom the Governor
in ji-: .'.L...t0 adjournment and the questions
for wlicli ho had convened the General As
--nibly. jlc desires an expression of opinion
on the enrollment of the militia, the habeas
corpus act, mid the way to nvalce peace, and
notifies the lardy that he shall foci constrained
Cos convene them on Monday if they adjourn
without taking action.
Tin- special order —the habeas corpus ques
tion- wn; taken up, and Mr, Lottie opened the
•debate in support of a series of resolution;! of
fered l-a him. At the conclusion of his speech
the Senate adjourned to 3 P. M.
Iu the afternoon the habeas corpus question
being under discussion, Col. Lloyd offered rts
olutione expressive of no opinion of the consti
tutionality of Hie act, and expressive of ednti
deuce that it would lie exercised wisely.
Col. GSulden then spoke in behalf of resolu
tions submitted by him, declaring the action of
Congress unconstitutional and unwise. • The
vote wan taken on the substitute of Mr. Lloyd,
which was lost—ayes 13, nays 23, _
Col. Ramsey moved to postpone indefinitely,
all further consideration of the question, whicn
was .lost—ayes. 18,. nays 23. -
•The question was then on Mr. Walker's reso
lution, pronouncing the act unconstitutional,
Ac. Mr. Walker spoke briefly in their support
Col Rinrsey responded in support of the ad
ministration and the act, and against adverse
legislation and a fault finding' spirit.
U the conclusion of his speech, the Senate
adjourned until half past seven.
Nrtiur Session. —The Senate met at half past
seven, and alter laying on the table the propo
sition of Mr. Walker, an effort was made to take
up the House resolutions on the habeas corpus
act. After protracted discussion they were,
brought up, aud adopted, ayes by a large ma
jority.
The Senate passed the following bills : A
bill to amend tiie net amending the charter of
the Macon ,fc Western Rrihoad—provides that
they uuiy charge the same rates as the Central
road ; lo exempt cotton belonging to the Con -
federate States trom taxat.on ; for the relief of
Habersham Cos.
After passing the usual complimentary res
olutions to the officers, the President pronoun -
ced the Senate adjourned, pine die.
HOUSE.
In the House this morning. Mr. Gartrell mov
ed to reconsider the resolutions on the writ ol
habeas corpus. IJe sustained the motion in
an able speech, mid was followed by Mr.
"Mathews, of Oglethorpe, in support of the mo
tion. Mr. Mathews spoke with much earnest
ness and-force, os Jic 'always does. Judge Ste
phens replied briefly, and called- Hie previous
question. On taking the ayes%n<l nays there
was a tie, ayes 74, nays 74, and the Speaker
voted yua. So the motion to reconsider pre
vailed. _ .
Thu following were passed : A bill to change
the time of holding the Inferior Court of Vi ash
ington couuty to the first Tuesday in each
month; Senate bill to amend tho distillation
act—provides for the seizure of stills run in
violation of law ; Senate bill authorizing the
impressment of railroads to transport supplies
under the relief acts of the State : resolution
oi thanks to our soldiers who have re-enlisted ;
resolutions explanatory of the act to charter
the Ocmulgee Railroad.
A message was received from the Governor,
asking that the General Assembly take some
definite action in reference to the militia of
the -late, and notifying them that if tlrey ad
journed without directing him how to act in
view of the enrollment of the same, he felt it
his dufy to convene them on Monday. lie re
newed iha expression of his opinion that the
withdrawal ofthe militia from producing avo
cations, would be fatal to our means of subsis
tence.
A Senate resolution to adjourn at 11 o'clock
at night was adopted.
Jhe Senate resolution in reference to the re
cent military law of Congress was taken up
and dißcusfei. A substitute was offered in
structing the Governor to detain the mriitia as
organized. A motion lor the indefinite post
ponement of the substitute was lost.
In the afternoon the unfinished business —
the resolutions on the militia was taken up.
Messrs. Mathews and Wallace sustained the
- rmte ref lation, which yielded to the action
of Congref.-. Mr. Stephens sustained his sub-
Mr. Devor from the Military Committee offer
ed a substitute to the substitute off. red by Mr.
Stephens. Messrs- Oarswf U, Hill, Rambo and
Wood sustained the substitute of the Military
Committee. Messrs Dubose,and StephensspcKe
briefly in opposition to it. The previous ques
1i,,;-. .• i,;, - ’! i.. vetetoen
v, ■., .J 1 ... Iv;CC Hi, sllbai llito Horn too Miii
ury C'cuii.iuee. and w ;s not sustained.
Ti;e l'esifuiious from the senate were then
adopted. They are as follow*:
Resolved by the General Assembly ol Geor
gi Tim ih . iiiiing to express any opinion as
to the wisdom ot the act passed by Congress
enrolling rail per tons as had been carollet
mult j the Btai. law, we recommend that his
Exccileivy th • Governor, interpose no obstacle
to its eulcrc incut, and the Governor is re
quested to .u a correspondence with the Se
cretary of W.-.r. and request him to exonerate
Lera the ? ■ ; ,;j act. such persons be
tween ... .. - ,'v< uteen and eighteen, and
forty five uu.i ;;.;r, wim did not volunteer or
enr.-l within : c time peciaed, supposing their j
enrolment under lire Stale law to bo legal.
1 hoc insidered resohitions on the suspension |
of the habeas corpus were taken up. Mr. Rus
sell of lluse.-geij moved his resolutions as a
sulistliutc K-r the . -eail: >n< of Judge Stephens,
and taking the ayes and nays tiie vote was 68
io 71, a.id was lost.
Tire question was then on Judge Stephens'
resolutions as am-.-nde.;. The vote was7l lo 68.
J’- unos offered ihe following resolutions,
whi.b was adopted unanimously :
P' ,-dve.l. TUt noiiii!]:-.:a;,,;ir,g tlie diii'er
enee oi .i,ion entertained by m. mbers of this
Legislature e- refer.-tic«* (o the wisdom and
eoßsiKutionahty ot the recent act of Congress
suspending the writ of habeas corpus, the
General Assembly of Georgia hereby express
uudimiiuslii'.i confide..cv in the integrity and
patriotism ot Jefferson Davis, Ohio; Magistrate
of Ibe Confederate Slates.
Nkuit Session.—Tho House mot at lialt past
seven, and continued in session for the signing
of bills, aid awaiting aftion of the Senate.
The resolutions of tbriii',3 to the Spanker were
adopted. Also resolutions complimentary to
the troops.
Tho Governor war* notified that both Honsqs
were ready to adjourn, and at o’clock the
Speaker pronounced tire House adjourned
sine i lie.
Employment of Ntitito Labor in the Army.
—The last Congress passed the following law
“to increase the efficiency of the army by the
employment of free negroes and slaves in cer
tain cases:”
Whereas, the efficiency of the army is greatly
diminished by the withdrawal from the ranks
of able bodied soldiers t o act as teamsters, and
in various other capacities in which free ne
groes and slaves might be advantageously em
ployed; therefore,
The Congress of the Confederate States of
America do enact, Teat all male free negroes
and i,ther free persons of color, not including
those who are free under the treaty of Paris of
1303, or under the treaty of Spain of 1819,
resident in the Confederate States, between the
ages of 18 and 50 years, shall be held liable to
perform such dmi ■ with the army, or in con
nection v. i'ii the military defences of the coun
irj , in the way of work upon fortifications or
in Government works for the production or pre
paration-oi materials of war, or in military
hospitals, iho .Secretary of War or the com
manding General of the Trans-Mississippi De
partment may. tioni t'.ffii) to time, prescribe;
un i while engaged in the performance of such
duties shall r; rive rations and clothing and
com pens alien at the rate of eleven dollars a
mon'-h, under aucll rules and regulations as the
said Secretary may establish: Provided, That
the Secretary of W ar or tho commanding Gen
eral of the 'i fans• j.lisrissippi Department, with
the approval of the President, may exempt
from the operations of ibis act such free ne
groes ns the interests of the country may re
quire should be exempted, or such as he may
think proper to exempt on grounds of justice,
equity, or wee shy.
That the Svcietaiy of War is hereby author
ized to employ for duties similar to those in
dW.lt,.l in lbt- piecouiug section of this act, as
many malls negro slaves, not to exceed twenty
thousand, as in his judgment, tiie wants of tiie
service may require, turuisldng them, while so
.employed, with proper rations amt clothing,
under rule.-' aud regulations to be established
by Idm, and paying to tire owners of said
slave such vv,v‘; ■' as may he agreed upon with
s’.'nl owners' tor lh(-:i' use nnd w-rvice, and in
tho event of the, joss of any slaves while so
employed, by the act of 'tiie ‘enemy, or by
••• 3 ipe to the. enemy, or by death inflicted by
the enemy or by di. i .ire contracted while in
any mu vice required of said slaves, then the
owners of the same shall bo entitled to. receive
the full value of such slaves, to be ascertained
by agreement or by appraisements, under the
jaw regulating impressments, to be paid under
ewoii : » ; ■•' d'i , ■ a.I the Secretary of
War rnuv * ■ abii-.n.
That when the Secretary-of War shill bo un
able to procure the services of slaves in any
military department in sufficient numbers for
the necc; Mu- a -of the department, upon the
forms and conditions set forth in the preceding
sec!ion then ho \ hereby mil irorizod io impress
the services of a ; many male slaves, not exceed
twenty thousand, as rnajf he required from
time to time, to discharge the duties indicated
in tho first reelioi. or this act, according to the
laws regulating the impressment of slaves in
other cases: Provided That slaves soiropressed
sin'll while employed,' r#ee ve the same rations
nr, J clothing, in kind and quantity, as slaves re
gularlyfitiirod from their owners ; and in the
event of iheiVh- s, sirdl be paid for inthesume
manner, nnd under Um same rules established
by the said impressment iaiv: Provided, That
if the owner ! ive but one main slave between
the age of * .1,'.! 70 !m shall not be impressed
against will if said owner. Provided, Lu -
ther, That liN *’ iv-wi'i-s shall be first impressed,
and if there should bo i deficiency it shall he
supplied by to j imyiessihcnt ol’slaves accord
ing to tile loregclii:; provisions: Provided fill' -
liter. Thai in in sing iffqjmpressmeut not more
Uian one ofeveiy. five male slaves between the
age,, of IS and 45 -shall be taken from any
owner, care. Ircirc taken to allow in each
case a credit' Ibr all slaves who may have
been already imp!c-- si under tins act aud
who are still in service, or have died, or been
lost while in service And ajl iin pressmen Is
under this act shall be taken in equal ratio
from all owners in tho same locality, city,
county or district.
Gen. Cooper lias issued the annexed order in
regard to the above law :
The Bureau of ( 'onrei iplion will direct the
enrollment, of all the persons described in the
first section of tiie act afore aid, east of the
Mississippi .river, who live not unfit for the ser
vice required li them, by reason’of physical
or mental incapacity or imbecility, and shall as
sign them to the petformancc of the duties
mentioned in tb j act, or similar duties in any
of tiie military bureaux, or with troops in the
field, as there may beany call for such service.
Applications for an exemption on the grounds
that the intereats ofthe country require it, or
because it is demanded by justice, equity or .ne
cessity, will be made to the eisrolling officer in
writing, and will be .1..-posed ol by him accord
ing to the general da ■ lions contained in the
regulations published in .ji'ilers_ No. 26,;inder
the “act to organize forces to serve during tiro
war.”
I.’.;r the execution of ilia sections in the fore
going act, reared v-a to Ihe employ incut and im
pressment of slaves, the provisions ot orders
No. 138, of tiie 24th October, 1863, will afford
the requitiitoruhre for’the guidance of the mili
tary tiuree.it ami tho commanding Generate,
witii t■ 1 1 ■ tti ;s. is ieaft'.r mentioned. Ist.
T;>at slaves G -L hot, he impressed when the
services of free negroes can be obtained. 2d.
Slaves under the ago of 18 and above the age of
5o are exemni. • 3d. Tito hire tar slaves im
pressed shall • ..- accor.fing to the rates fixed by
the appraisers; under the'act to regulate im
pressments. 4 th. The limitation as to tiie term
for which .- shall be impressed for service
shall be for twelve months instead of the term
fixed by said ..orders', if the exigency shall re
quire it.
All impre;smi'iii-: for service in’the various
military bureaux under this act sh'alibe by spe
cial order upon application to tho *War Depart
ment, disclosing have been made
to provide other labor specified in tiro act, the
necessity for the impressment, the plan pro
posed to secure it.
The General commanding the Trans-Missis
sippi Department will superintend the execu
tion of the law for that Department.
Ant Fi.i a pf.:: erst, Certtficaj ::s and Bonds
TitAx-FERABUi.—This question has been asked
a thousand times, aud for the information of
the public, we copy fr.-m the Regulations of
the Treasury Department, us follows:
‘•I. All transfers of stocks other than cou
pon bonds must he made era the books of tire
Treasury i'i the K ■ . cut's office, and none can
be made within thirty days before the first
days of January and July.
..y, qhe certira'ates to 4* transferred, or of
wiiic'o any p,re Ii to be transferred, must lie
produced at the office of the Register of the
Treasury, in order tlrnt ti.i same may be can
celled, tui'l that such new certificates may be
Vsued as the cat:- may require'’ .
Pa answer to another enquiry frequently
made, we copy the following extract from Re
gulations concerning funding,&c .: •
“16. Breads under the Act of February 17th,
1804, will be i".,av.i ia denominations of SIOO
SSOO SI,OOO. §3,000 ar,d 35,000.”
Three mote river gunboats will boon- be com
pleted at Cincinnati.
fat liu-araaottyr Law —The following ib tho
act passed by the lato Congress to amend tho
impressment law passed by them a the pre
vious session:
'The Congress of the Confederate States of
America do*enact, That in all cases where prop
erty is impressed for tire use of tire army and
navy, or for other public use, uuder said act.
the same'shall lie paid for at the time of taid
impressment unless an appeal shall be taken
from said valuatiou, as hereinafter provided,
according to the valuation agreed upon be
tween the parties, or ascertained by loyal and
disinterested cit izens of the city, county or par
ish ia which the impressment may be made,
ii tiie manner and according to the regulations
provided in the first, second aud third sections
ot tiie above recited act, or ia tho eighth sec
tion thereof, where it is applicable,
Section 2. Whenever the officer making the
impressment of property under the act_ hereby
amended shall believe that the appraisement
is fair and just he shall endorse his approval
upon tho appraisement aud make payment ac
c irdingly; but if he shall belli vo that it is not
fair and just’ then he shall refuse to approve
and endorse the reasons of his refusal on the
certificate and shall have the right to appeal
from the decision of the appraisers by report
ing the case to the commissioners appointed
under said act to which this is an amendment
for their decision, whose judgment shall b<
final, and in tiie meantime the property shall
be held and appropriated by the officer impress
ing jhotame who shall give ajreceiptjtlitrefor to
Ihe owner, who shall also have the right of ap
peal as herein provided.
Section 3. the said commissioners shall
have power to summon aud examine witnesses
to enable them to fix the value of property Im
pressed, which shall be a just compensation for
the property so impressed, at the time and place
of impressment, and when the commissioners
- hall hays fixed the value of proper ty ia cases
of appeal, they shall furnish the owner and im
pressing officer with a statement of such value,
which valuation by the commissioners shall be
within three months from the time of impress
merit.
Section 4. That said commissioners shall bo
sworn faithfully to discharge all their duties
under this act and the act to which this is an
amendment.
Section 5. That the tenth section of the act
of which this is au amendment bo stricken out
and tl.e following inserted instead thereof: No
slave laboring on a farm or plantation exclus
ively devoted to the production of grain or
piovisions shall be taken for public use with
out the consent ot the owner, except in case of
urgent necessity aud upon the order of the
General commanding the department in which
said farm or plantation is situated.
Section 6. That the act amendatory of the
above-recited act, approved April twenty-sev
enth, eighteen hundred and sixty three, and so
much of the first section of said act as requiies
an affidavit to be' made by the owner, or his
agent, t hat such property was grown raised or
produced by said owner, or held or has been
purchased by him not for sale ro speculation,
but for his own use or consumption, bo aud the
same is hereby repealed.
Section 7. That on impressment shall bo
made nu.ler this act, or the act to which this
is amendatory, for tlie'use or benefit of con
tractors with the Government.
Section 8. Nothing in this act shall be con
strued to authorize the impressing officer to
enter an appesl from any decision of the local
appraisers under the seventh suction of the act
to which tiiis is amendatory.
Approved Feb maty 16. 1864.
J. Impressments accordingato-this act, and
the act to which this is an amendment, may
be made for necessary supplies for the Confed
erate armies in the field, and tor their accumu
lation in magazines and at ports anil depots,
and to ettny.on Ute various operations ot the
Military Bureaux connected with the War De
partment, whenever the Eame cannot be ob
. tained by contract. *.
11 They may be made under orders from
the Generals commanding armies, departments
corps, divisions, and by commanders of detach
ed parties-v,'ben a necessity arises tlierelor.—■
These others may be executed by appropriate
officers ofthe staff belonging to the army. The
chiefs of the various bureaux shall designate
the officers and Reisons who shall be compe
tent to make impressment s under the autho
rity conferred upon them.
ILL Before any impressment shall be made,
the impressment officer, or his agents, will
make an offer to the owner, his bailee or agent,
in writing, for the purchase of the property,
describing the property ho wishes to purchase,
the price he is willing to pay, aud the mode of
■real: amt, and stating that upon a refusal to ac
cept the same, compensation ivtii be mtitle ac
cording to the acts of Congress for the regula
tion of impressments. This notice w ill be con
sidered as binding the property until the com
pletion of.the negotiation sos the sale aud trans
fer of die same to the impressing officer. The
property will remain in tiie custody ofthe own
er and at h s risk during tiie pending of these
proceedings, Unless a delivery of the same be
thereupon made to the impressing officer, with
bis consent. 1 n ease of a change of possession
under these circumstances, the Confederate
States will be regarded as the owner, aud the
property held for its use and at its risk.
JV. In all cases in which the offer of an im
pressing officer is refused, he will proceed lo
adjust the price according to the first section
of the act above-recited; that, is, by the judg
ment of two loyal and disinterested persons
of the city, county or parish in which the irn
pre-u-ment may be made—one to be selected by
the owner, his bailee or agent, and one by the
impressing officer. In the event of their disa
greement, those two will select an umpire
of like qualification. The persons thus selected
will proceed to assess just compensation for the
property so impressed,, whether the absolute
ownership or the temporary use thereof be re
quited.—ls the impressing officer believe that
the appraisement is fair and just, he will en
dorse his approval and pay for the property;
and the right in tho object impressed will be
come the property of the Confederate States.
But if lie does not approve of the appraisement
.he will decline to approve it' and endorse the
reasons for his refusal oil the certificate and
forthwith report the case to the commissioners
appointed uuder the fifth section of the act to
which the act above-recited is an amendment,
and in the meantime, the property will be
taken and a receipt describing tire property
and tire proceedings for adjustment of tiie
price and the appeal given to the owner. The
impressing oflictr will immediately report the
case to the appraisers, with a statement of the
luality and condition of the property and his
opinion upon the subject.
V. No officer or agent will impress the nec
essary supplies which any person may have for
the consumption of himself, his family, em
ployees, slaves, or to carry on his ordinary
mechanical, manufacturing or agricultural en.-
plyoments.
If any question arise as to the fact whether
the supplies are necessary, or whether there
be a surplus, it wiil be determined by apprais
ers mutually selected according to the preced
ing section,‘anil in this case the decision of the
apm'aisers will be binding on the officer, who
will not be allowed an appeal therefrom.
Till-: Tax in Kind on Real and.Peusonai, Es
tate.—The Macon Telegraph says the annexed
letter on ‘‘The 'f ax iu Kind on Real and Per
sonal Estate,” was sent to the Secretary ofthe
Treasury for his decision in the matter :
As there is much anxiety and difference of
opinion as to the proper construction ot the
first and sixth sections of the recent Tax Act
passed by Congress, I will thank you, for the
public information, to give me your construc
tion of these two sections. Will the (ive per
cent, tax “on tho value of property employed
in agriculture” be required to he paid “on the
first day of June next, ” and if so, in what man
ner will a credit be allowed on such taxes for
"the value of the tax in kind delivered there
from'” It will occur to you that no portion
of “the tax in kind” from the products of the
present year can I>Q* delivered by the first of
June and the tax payers are at a loss to know
what'arrangements to make to meet this appa
rent conflict in the Tax Act. An early answer
w ill be an accommodation to the public.
the letter was referred to the Commissioner
of Taxes. From the annexed reply i( w-’jj tj U
seen that he is in just as much of a fog as his
interrogator : *
The questions yoit present as to whether the
v.vue ofthe tithe of 186 i or 1864 is to be de
ducted from the. property of 1864 is surround
ed with so much uncertainty and so many dif
ficulties, that the Secretary has determined to
liSive it open and let Congress settle it in May.
Arraigned bv his Friesdh.—The Louisville
Journal, once a very strong supporter of Lin
coln, now taik arbout Lira in the annexed
btyie.
Thus the Republican party, with Mr. Lin" j
coin at its head, has repudiated alike the Crit- •
tenden resolution, Hie Chicago platform, and j
the constitution of the Union. It lias made a j
dean kv.-i- p of all its solemn engagements to j
the people. It has forsworn itself and betray- :
ed tire nation. In order to get into power,
the Republican party pledged itself to maintain
inviolate the constitutional rights of the States,
and, in order to collect a might".' army, it re
newed the pledge; but, now that it has got into
power aud collected a mighty army, it teat s
its pledge to shreds, and tramples the coneti
t tional right sos the States ia the dust, i
■""" * 1 1 - ili ~ Ri UifeN.’.O i’aiSUNEuJ.
-.CEU H;-Y!:,ii,kvc Dayml—When the targe
ciow or re limit'd soldiers and citizens had
reached the Capital Square, era Tuesday last, a
halt \.,.s made at the Washington Monument.
President Davis then made his appearance
among the returned soldiers, and w*us received
b.y them with rapturous cheers and waving of
hats. i u response to the general wish, the
1 resident, took a position on the Washington
Monument, and addressed the returned soldiers
as follows :
I r,ends and fellow-soldiers : I welcome vou
to your ua:ive land. Win n I have heard of
t ie sufferings you have endured, and the in
diguitn-s to which you have been subjected
wo.le helpless prisoners of cruel captors, my
iieart has yearned tor yen with a father's deep*
sympathy and affectionate solicitude; it lias
burned with indi nation at your wrongs ; but
it has also pulsated with an unspeakable pride
and exultation at :he fortitude \ ..u have evin
ced under the severest trials, the integrity vou
have preserved amid the luost insiduous temp
tations, and the calm tn.it you have neter
ceased to repeso i u the righteousness of vour
country s cause. _
A color-bearer among you. when captured,
secreted ins , at:!e li.ig iu his bosom, and pos
stssou it throug a long captivity, imtil the
proud moment arrived, when, standing on tho
dcc.v or the Confederate vessel, he gave its
folds, annd (ne cheers of his comrades, once
more to tiro light o! his native skies. With no
less jeaious care, through I he Ion.; vrearv mouths
ol a vile iu.pt .uni lit you hare kept entwin
ed around your bean fheaita au unfading
love ot that sailed emblem, and your faithful
guardianship cams tor you the admiration of
your Government, is haded by too plau
dits oi your gratefilnfeunt'.ymeu.
Tim have pa. *d th rough many, bitter trials.
Toil know tirere arc';..any ,v.* iu core, for
you. You have followed tfiat Hag with unfal
tering steps on many a bloody field.* You will
follow it agaiu with no loss enthusiasm; as each
day. makes it more prut-ion*, and sbtdß a now
radiance on its brig at folds. To the spirit that
has carried you forward to so many heights ot
victory iu tho past, will lie added the inspira
tion ol new wrongs aud outrages, that will
strengthen your arms aud nerve yymr hearts
to a resistance that nothing can overcome in
tiie future. T our brother soldiers baveawaited
your coming with painful anxiety. They will
welcome you with open arms. You will tell
thom, by the camp tires, of the honors of your
long captivity You wilt contrast your suffer
ing.. w.ili tke gcnerosdy with which their pris
oners have been treated at our hands, and though
you have felt, many times, this broad distinc
tion, you responded to the sentiment of your
comrades at home, that we must'never iurget
what is due ourselves us a civilized people,
though t lie enemy have nothing to claim.
Your words will excite them to au unconquer
able determination. They will arouse you lo
the liighc'. pi till ol martial enthusiasm by ac
counts of their glorious deeds in your absence,
together yon will be stimulated to renewed ex
ertion until ym plant our banner on the
heights oi Boutbvrn independence and deck it
wilii the rich hunts and flagrant flowers of un
enduring peace.
You will find your families suffering le“3
than you have been led to suppose. You will
find much of outerriloy devastated, but the
people still true to the spirit of '76. You will
find the old State of Virginia, bearing her
bo.-om to the storm, with lion lieai l and eagle
eye, defiant as ever. So long as she has a
crust you shall share her hospitality. Alter a
short respite yen will be called agaiu to the
iront. 1 know you will come.
May God bless you all.
Action or hie Ksmtcky Leoiwattiie.—
annexed resolutions were recently adopted by
the Kentucky Legislature :
1 That cur institutions are nsrallei] by an
armed rebellion on one hide, which enn only
be met by sword; and on the other by un
constitutional acts of Cor, ki ess, and startling
usurpations of power by the Executive, which
we iiavc scon by experiment can be corrected
by the ballot b'X. Col icy, us well as principle,
ret)iiires that Kentucky shall await the process
of reform,which is slow but sure, and refrain
from all unlawful and unconstitutional acts
which have already brought lenible calamities
upon* the ••••untry: whilst we invoke the aid of
all patriotic men to avert tho evils that threaten
our free imhiuitio&s.
2 'J hai ties G'-ueial Assembly clec'artß, as bo
fore it has oftentimes declared, that the State of
Kentucky hath ever been, and is loval to tho
Government of ;!:e United Status of America,
aud it m .Menu..a dto r.iaiuhiiu ihat loyalty
tigairil hot a domestic and foreign foes.
J f hai i iis General Assembly recognizes a
inaDifesl difference between any administration
ot the government and the government itself
—t he one is trausitofy, limited in duration only
to that period of time for which the officers
elected by the peopKnve charged with the con
duct of the .same; the other js pmmanent, in
tended by its founders to endure forever.
-d Inal this General Atscmbly now in the
exercise of its right to differ in opini. • with tho
Kuticnal Executive entered' ifscsolemn protest
against tire proclamation of the I‘resilient of
the United Staten. Haled Ist oWauimiy, 1802,
by which lie assumes ie> emancniate alt slaves
within certain btutes, bidding the same to be
unwise, urreonsti utiotmi, and void.
5 J hat tb'S General Assembly declares that
the power which has iccmtly been nsunned by
the I’resident of the United Plates, whereby,
under tie-guise of military necessity, ho Las
proclaimed and extended martial law over States
where war did not i xtsl, and has suspended the
writ of habeas corpus, is unwarranted bv the
Constitution, and im tendency is to subordinate
civil Jo military authority and to subvert con
stitutional and free government.
6 That thus General Assembly declines to ac
cept the Fresidciit's proposition for emancipa
tion, tw contained in his proclamation ofthe
19th of May, 1862.
7 That this General AstambJy deems itproper
farther to declare that it together with all the
loyal people of (beState, would hall with pleas
ure andreh-iiqht any inaniJestat.on of a desire
on the part of the seceded States to return to
their allegiance to tbo Government of the Un
ionamd would, in such evoi.t co, dially co-oper
ate with them in the rest ration of peace, and
the procurement of Such guarantees as would
give security to all ther interests and rights.
8 T eat Kentucky wtil adhere to the Constitu
tion and the Union, as tiie best, it may he last,
hope of popular freedom, aud for ail wrongs
which may have bien committed, or evils which
may exist, will seek redress under the Con
stitution and withm the Union, by the peaceful
but powerful and irresistible agencies of tho
suffrages of a free people. •
9 that this General Assembly hails with plea
surable hope tho recent manifes.ation of^con
servative sentiment among the people of the
non-slaveholding States in their late election,
and regard ,the s .rr, its She earnest of it good
purpose ot. their part to To opepile with alt oth
er loyal citizens give security to the rights of
every section, and maintain the Union and the
Constitution us they were- ordained by tho
founders of the Republic.
10 in the judgment of this General As
sembly a convention should be called for (he
purpose of prop- -ring such to that '
national iniuiuition in* e> perience bag prove
e*l to be ) C' ••gs try to maintain that instrument
in the spiri! nr.d nu-aninff of iis launders, and
to that end we re.iilrm and adopt the resolu
tions recommending a call lor a convention of
the Knited State?, approved .January 25, Is6l.
11 That the lav,;, of this State must be
maintained and enforced, tind that, it is tho
duty of the constituted authorities of the .State
to see. to it that by all constitutional meßns
this indispensable end shall be attained.
12 That the governor be requested to for
ward a copy of these resolutions to Uie l’ryd
dent of the i'niled States, and to the governor
ol'each State, with a request that he lay the
same belorc. the I-egisritii his State, and to
each of our Senators ahd Keprcscntatives in
Congress. Cur S'-hVioiH aro instructed, and our
representative* requested, to use their best
efforts to arccuipl - h the ftijcct of lhc.se resolu*
tiong.
A correspondent ot the Atlanta Intelligencer
writing from Jasper, Ga., gives the annexed
account of a Fcd.t ai outi; gc. A raiding party
visited Morgantown on Saturday, the sth inst.
They attacked the house of M. . James Morris,
a very worthy, wealthy and loyal citizen of
that plac- lie, bis son, wife and
fought them a hand to hand fight, until com
' pletely overpowered, 'iltey k lied the old
, gentleman’s son, Wm. .Von .-, T..ey shot him
j through the bowels. Ho fell into his sister’s
! arms, and they shot ii m again while clasped t.o
| bis sister’s bosom. J hey then knocked down
i the two young ladies with their gium and
stamped them until they thought them dead,
j They knocked down the wife and mother, an
j elderly lady, w ith their guns, and stamped her
| with their feet until supposed to he dead fit
terally strewing the blood of tho famiTy over
the floor. Mr. Morris i.ia-le bis escape from
them. There were only eighteen or twenty of
the raiders, aud at the time they made their ap
pearance, there was a company of Home Guards
in the Court House, who turned tails to, and
sifted sand, leaving the young adieu with the
old gentleman and his son, to protect and, de
fend tue {.lace.
Snow fell at Kingston, N. C., Feb. Htb, ty
the depth of two inches, •