colonel; four commissaries, with the rank of captain; and as many assistant commissaries as may from time to time be required by the service may be detailed by the War Department from the subalterns of the line, who, in addition to their pay in the line, shall receive $20 per month while engaged in that service. The assistant quartermasters and assistant commissaries shall be subject to duties in both departments at the same time, but shall not receive the additional compensation but in one department.

SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, That the Medical Department shall consist of one Surgeon-General, with the rank of colonel; four surgeons, with the rank of major, and six assistant surgeons, with the rank of captain; and as many assistant surgeons as the service may require may be employed by the Department of War, and receive the pay of assistant surgeons.

SEC. 6. Be it further enacted, That the officers of the Adjutant-General's, Quartermaster-General's, and Commissary-General's Departments, though eligible to command, according to the rank they hold in the Army of the Confederate States of America, shall not assume command of troops unless put on duty under orders which specially so direct by authority of the President. The officers of the Medical Department shall not exercise command except in their own department.

SEC. 7. Be it further enacted, That the staff officers herein provided for shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Congress and shall receive such pay and allowances as shall be hereafter established by law.

Approved February 26, 1861.

[FEBRUARY 27, 1861. -For appointment of Crawford, Forsyth, and Roman, as special commissioners of the Confederate States to the United States, see Series I, VOL. LI, Part II, p. 8.]

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

February 28, 1861.

GENTLEMEN OF CONGRESS:

With sincere deference to the judgment of Congress, I have carefully considered the bill in relation to the slave-trade, and to punish persons offending therein, but have not been able to approve it, and therefore do return it with a statement of my objections. The Constitution (section 7, article I) provides that the importation of African negroes from any foreign country other than slave-holding States of the United States is hereby forbidden, and Congress is required to pass such laws as shall effectually prevent the same. The rule herein given is emphatic, and distinctly directs the legislation which shall effectually prevent the importation of African negroes. The bill before me denounces as high misdemeanor the importation of African negroes or other persons of color, either to be sold as slaves or to be held to service or labor, affixing heavy, degrading penalties on the act, if done with such intent. To that extent it accords with the requirements of the Constitution, but in the sixth section of the bill provision is made for the transfer of persons who may have been illegally imported into the Confederate States to the custody of foreign States or societies, upon condition of deportation and future freedom,