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1141 Series IV Volume III- Serial 129 - Correspondence, Orders, Reports and Returns of the Confederate Authorities from January 1, 1864, to the End

Page 1141 CONFEDERATE AUTHORITIES.

call may be made, by causing to be filled with the clerks of the several county and corporation courts copies of the requisition made on their respective counties and corporations; and thereupon it shall be the duty of said clerks forthwith to issue a summons to all the acting justices of their respective counties and corporations, requiring them to meet at the court-houses of their counties and corporations on a day to be named in the summons, not later than six days from the filling of the requisition, to carry the same into effect; which summons shall be directed to and executed by the sheriff of thecounty or sergeant of the corporation, as the case may be.

3. It shall be the duty of the several county and corporation courts, after being duly convened, as aforesaid, and not less than five justices being present, to ascertain, by the assistance of the commissioners of the revenue of their respective counties and corporations, or otherwise, the entire number of male slaves therein between the ages specified, subject to requisition under this act; and after ascertaining the same to apportion the requisition aforesaid, without delay, among all the holders of such slaves, so as to charge each slave-holder, as near as may be, with the same proportion of his male slaves between the ages of eighteen and fifty-five, capable of performing ordinary labor, as may be demanded from his county or corporation, throwing into classses, when necessary, the holders of but one or few slaves, and of fractions of slaves, and ascertaining by lot, or agreement between the parties, or otherwisde, the slave or slaves to be sent to the public works from such classes, and giving, as far as practicable, relief to those upon whom the lot or draft may have fallen under any preceding requisition: Provided, That in no case of a soldier in the service, or a widow having a son therein, or whose husband has died in such service, owning or hiring but one male slave, shall such slave be subject to requisition under this act. But no slave-holder shall be exempted by reason of having slaves in the employment of the State or Confederate Government.

4. So soon as the apportionment aforesaid shall be made, it shall be the dutyof the courts of the several counties and corporations to require each slave-holder to deliver, ona day and at a place appointed by the court, his quota of slaves to the sheriff or sergeant, as the case may be, to be delivered by such sheriff or sergeant to an agent or officer of the Confederate States in the city of Richmond, at the expense of the Confederate States. All slaves delivered by the holders on the day and at the place designated, as aforesaid, to be returned at the expireation of sixty days. Slaves not delivered in accordance with the order of the court shall be seized by the sheriff or sergeant, as the case may be, and elivered, at the expense of the owners, to the agent or officer of the Confederate States authorized to receive them, and may be held, on the terms and conditions aforesaid, for a period not exceeding ninety days, unless sufficient cause for the failure shall be shown to the court of the county or corporation in which such failure may occur, and then entered on record; in which event the expenses of said delivery shall be paid by the Confederate States, and a certified copy of such order shall be conclusive evidence of such sufficient cause; and, moreover, the holder of such slave shall be fined not elss then $3 nor more than $10 for every day each slave shall be withheld; and it shall be the dutyof the sheriff or sergeant to report to the court, at its next succeeding monthly term, all persons failing or refusing to deliver their slaves as aforesaid. And unless good cause be shown, after ten days' notice, for such failure or refusal, the court shall impose said fines, for which an execution shall be


Page 1141 CONFEDERATE AUTHORITIES.