SENATE, February 10, 1865.--Read first and second times, referred to Committee on Military Affairs, and ordered to be printed.
[By Mr. OLDHAM.]
1 SECTION 1. The Congress
of the Confederate States of America
2 do enact, That the
President of the Confederate States be
3 and he is hereby authorized to
receive into the military service,
4 any number of negro troops not to
exceed two hundred thousand.
1 SEC. 2. That the President
be and he is authorized, to assign
2 officers already appointed, or make
appointments of officers, to
3 raise and command said troops; and the same,
when raised,
4 shall be organized as provided under existing laws.
1 SEC. 3. That no negro slave
shall be received into the service
2 without the written consent of his
owner and under such
3 regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of
War to
4 carry into effect this act.
1 SEC. 4. That it is hereby
declared, that Congress does not
2 hereby assume to change the social and
political status of the
3 slave population of the States, but leaves the
same under the
4 jurisdiction and control of the States to which it
belongs.