SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That there shall be appointed by the President such number of chaplains, to serve with the armies of the Confederate States during the existing war, as he may deem expedient; and the President shall assign them to such regiments, brigades or posts as he may deem necessary; and the appointments made as aforesaid shall expire whenever the existing war shall terminate.

SEC. 2. The monthly pay of said chaplains shall be eighty-five dollars; and said pay shall be in full of all allowances whatever.

Be it unanimously resolved by the Congress of the Confederate States of America, That the thanks of the people of the Confederate States are due, and through this Congress are hereby tendered, to Brigadier General G. T. Beauregard and the officers, military and naval, under his command, and to the gallant troops of the State of South Carolina, for the skill, fortitude and courage by which they reduced and caused the surrender of fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, on the twelfth and thirteenth days of April, 1861. And the commendation of Congress is also hereby declared of the generosity manifested by their conduct towards a brave and vanquished foe.

Be it further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be communicated by the President to General Beauregard, and through him to the army then under his command.

Resolved by the Congress of the Confederate States of America, That the resolution passed by this Congress and approved March the fourth, 1861, in relation to patents and caveats, be extended to citizens of all the slaveholding States.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That there shall be added to the military establishment of the Confederate States one regiment of Zouaves, to be composed of one colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, one major, and ten companies; and each company shall consist of one captain, one first lieutenant, two second lieutenants, one sergeant major, one quartermaster's sergeant, four sergeants and eight corporals, and ninety privates. And to the regiment there shall be attached one adjutant and a quartermaster, to be selected from the lieutenants. And one assistant surgeon shall be appointed for the regiment, in addition to those already authorized by law for the medical department. The monthly pay of the officers of the regiment of Zouaves shall be the same as that of officers of infantry of the same rank; the allowances shall also be the same as those provided by law for officers of infantry; and the adjutant and quartermaster shall receive ten dollars per month in addition to their pay as lieutenants. The monthly pay of the enlisted men of said regiment of Zouaves shall be as follows: sergeant major and quartermaster's sergeants, twenty dollars; sergeants, seventeen dollars; corporals, thirteen dollars; and privates, eleven dollars each; together with the same rations and allowance for clothing as are received by all other enlisted men.

The Commonwealth of Virginia having in a Convention of her People ratified and adopted the Constitution of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States of America, therefore

The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the Commonwealth of Virginia be and is hereby admitted as a member of the said Confederate States, upon an equal footing with the other Confederate States, under the Constitution for the Provisional Government of the same.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That in addition to the volunteer force authorized to be raised under existing laws, the President be and he is hereby authorized to accept the services of volunteers who may offer their services, without regard to the place of enlistment, either as cavalry, mounted riflemen, artillery, or infantry, in such proportion of these several arms as he may deem expedient, to serve for and during the existing war, unless sooner discharged.

SEC. 2. That the volunteers so offering their services may be accepted by the President in companies, to be organized by him into squadrons, battalions or regiments. The President shall appoint all field and staff officers, but the company officers shall be elected by the men composing the company; and if accepted, the officers so elected shall be commissioned by the President.

SEC. 3. That any vacancies occurring in the ranks of the several companies mustered into service under the provisions of this act, may be filled by volunteers accepted under the rules of such companies; and any vacancies occurring in the officers of such companies shall be filled by elections in accordance with the same rules.

SEC. 4. Except as herein differently provided, the volunteer forces hereby authorized to be raised shall in all regards be subject to and organized in accordance with the provisions of “An act to provide for the public defence,” and all other acts for the government of the armies of the Confederate States.

WHEREAS, War exists between the United States and the Confederate States; and whereas the public welfare may require the reception of volunteer forces into the service of the Confederate States, without the formality delay of a call upon the respective States:

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the President be authorized to receive into service such companies, battalions or regiments, either mounted or on foot, as may tender themselves, and he may require, without the delay of a formal call upon the respective States, to serve for such time as he may prescribe.

SEC. 2. Such volunteer forces who may be accepted under this act, except as herein differently provided, shall be organized in accordance with and subject to all the provisions of the act entitled “An act to provide for the public defence,” and be entitled to all the allowances provided therein; and when mustered into service, may be attached to such divisions, brigades or regiments as the President may direct, or ordered upon such independent or detached service as the President may deem expedient: provided, however, that battalions and regiments may be enlisted from States not of the Confederacy, and the President may appoint all or any of the field officers thereof.

SEC. 3. The President shall be authorized to commission all officers entitled to commissions, of such volunteer forces as may be received under the provisions of this act. And upon the request of the officer commanding such volunteer regiment, battalion or company, the President may attach a supernumerary officer to each company, detailed from the regular army for that purpose, and for such time as the President may direct.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the provisions of “An Act vesting certain powers in the Postmaster General,” approved March 15, 1861, be so amended as that he be and hereby is authorized on and after a day to be named by him in a proclamation to be issued by him for that purpose, to take the entire charge and direction of the postal service of the Confederate States.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Postmaster General be and he hereby is authorized and empowered to annul contracts, or to discontinue or curtail the service and pay on them, when he shall deem it advisable to dispense with the service, in whole or in part, or to place a higher or different grade of service on the route, or when the public interests shall require such discontinuance or curtailment for any other cause, he allowing one month's extra pay on the amount of service dispensed with, in full of all damages to the contractor.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the railroads in the Confederate States be and they are hereby divided into three classes, on the following basis, viz: The great through lines connecting important points and conveying heavy mails, to class number one; completed railroads connecting less important points, but carrying heavy mails for local distribution, to be class number two; and roads on which less important mails are conveyed, short branch roads, and such unfinished roads as do not carry great mails or connect important points, shall be class number three.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That in contracts made with railroad companies for carrying the mail once a day, on schedules to be agreed on, the Postmaster General may allow them compensation not exceeding the following rates, viz : On first class roads, one hundred and fifty dollars per mile; on second class roads, one hundred dollars per mile; and on third class roads, fifty dollars per mile; the amount of compensation to be determined by the importance and value of the services to be performed: Provided, That if one-half of the services on any railroad is required to be performed in the night time, it shall be lawful for the Postmaster General to pay twenty-five per cent. in addition to the above named maximum rates of pay: Provided, further, That the agents, messengers, and other traveling employees of the post-office department shall pass free of charge over such roads, respectively; and this act shall take effect and be of force from and after its passage.

SECTION 1. The Congress 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 telegraph in the Confederate States, and of such of the offices connected therewith, as will enable him effectually to supervise the communications passing through the same, to the end that no communications shall be conveyed of the military operations of the Government to endanger the success of such operations, nor any communication calculated to injure the cause of the Confederate States, or to give aid and comfort to their enemies.

SEC. 2. The President shall appoint trustworthy agents in such offices, and at such points on the various lines as he may think fit, whose duty it shall be to supervise all communications sent or passing through said lines, and to prevent the transmission of any communication deemed to be detrimental to the public service.

Resolved by the Congress of the Confederate States of America, That the expenditures made by the State of South Carolina for the pay and maintainance of the troops employed in the defence of the Charleston harbor, under the command of Brigadier General Beauregard, were intended to be provided for by an act making appropriations for the support of three thousand men, for twelve months, to be called into service at Charleston, South Carolina, under the third and fourth sections of an act of the Congress, to raise provisional forces for the Confederate States of America, and for other purposes; and that the amount of such expenditures be audited by the proper officer of the Treasury Department, and that the amount which shall be found due, be paid to the State of South Carolina, from the appropriation made by the Act aforesaid.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America enact, That the President may receive into the service of the Confederate States any company of light artillery, which by said act he is authorized to do, with such complement of officers and men, and with such equipments as to him shall seem proper; anything in said act of the 6th of March, 1861, to the contrary, notwithstanding.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the above entitled act, approved March 11, 1861, be so amended and construed as to provide, that in computing the mileage to which members are entitled, the distance shall be estimated by the usual route of travel from the residence of the member to the place where Congress may assemble.

SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That this act shall take effect and be of force from its passage.

WHEREAS, Under and by virtue of the act to raise money for the support of the government, and to provide for the defence of the Confederate States of America, approved February 28, 1861, the Secretary of the Treasury did proceed to offer five millions of said loan, conformably to the provisions of said act: And whereas, in many portions of the Confederate States the currency was and is composed of notes of banks which have suspended specie payment, not of necessity, but as a measure of public policy: And whereas, certain of said banks did agree to redeem in coin or its equivalent such of their notes as should be paid in by subscribers to said loan: And whereas, the Secretary of the Treasury, in view of the exigencies of the times, and with a desire to give to the people of all parts of the Confederate States the opportunity of subscribing to said loan, did authorize the loan commissioners to receive the notes of the banks hereinbefore referred to; and to avoid inconvenience and the risk of transit, has authorized the said loan commissioners to deposit the moneys received by them in said banks: Now, therefore,

The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That all of the acts and doings of the Secretary of the Treasury, of his subordinate officers, and of the loan commissioners, consistent with the facts recited in the foregoing preamble, are hereby confirmed and made valid, any law, usage or custom to the contrary, notwithstanding: and the said Secretary, his subordinate officers, and the loan commissioners, are hereby authorized to continue so to act in regard to the said loan, until the whole amount authorized by said act shall have been fully subscribed for, and their duties regarding the same shall have determined: and the said Secretary is authorized to make and continue the deposits of moneys received or to be received on account of the said loan in any of the said banks; and the Treasurer of the Confederate States is authorized to draw checks or warrants on said banks on account of said deposits, payable eiher in coin or its equivalent, or in current bank notes, as the Secretary of the Treasury may direct.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That from and after the passage of this act, the annual salary of the chief of the contract bureau, the chief of the appointment bureau, and the chief of the finance bureau, shall be three thousand dollars; and that hereafter, as the office of either of them shall be vacated, the appointment of his successor shall be made by the President of the Confederate States, by and with the advice and consent of the Congress; and the clerks, draftsmen and other employees of the department shall be appointed by the consent of General.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That in case of the death, resignation, absence or removal from office of the Postmaster General, all his powers and duties shall devolve on and be performed by the chief of the contract bureau, until a successor shall be appointed and arrive at the general post-office to perform the business, or until the return of the Postmaster General: Provided, however, The said chief of the contract bureau shall make no permanent appointment of clerks.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That there shall be allowed to each of the bureaus of the department, and also to the inspection office, a principal clerk, at an annual salary of fourteen hundred dollars each. And the Postmaster General is hereby authorized to employ ten additional clerks, at an annual salary of twelve hundred dollars each; also four clerks, at an annual salary of one thousand dollars each; also one watchman, at an annual salary of five hundred dollars.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the clerk charged with the disbursement of the contingent and salary funds of the department be allowed an additional compensation of two hundred dollars per annum; and that this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That so much of the first section of an act entitled “An act to prescribe the rates of postage in the Confederate States of America, and for other purposes,” approved February 23, 1861, as relates to sealed packages containing other than printed or written matter, including money packages, be and the same is hereby so amended as to require that such packages shall be rated by weight, and charged the rates of letter postage.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the second section of said act be amended as follows, to-wit: That all newspapers published within the Confederate States, not exceeding three ounces in weight, and sent from the office of publication to actual and bona fide subscribers within the Confederate States, shall be charged with postage as follows, to-wit: The postage on the regular numbers of a newspaper published weekly shall be ten cents per quarter; papers published semi-weekly, double that amount; papers published thrice a week, treble that amount; papers published six times a week, six times that amount; and papers published daily, seven times that amount. And on newspapers weighing more than three ounces there shall be charged on each additional ounce, in addition to the foregoing rates, on those published once a week, five cents per ounce or fraction of an ounce per quarter; on those published twice a week, ten cents per ounce per quarter; on those published three times a week, fifteen cents per ounce per quarter; on those published six times a week, thirty cents per ounce per quarter; and on those published daily, thirty-five cents per ounce per quarter. And periodicals published oftener than bi-monthly shall be charged as newspapers. And other periodicals, sent from the office of publication to actual and bona fide subscribers, shall be charged with postage as follows, to-wit: The postage on the regular numbers of a periodical published within the Confederate States, not exceeding one and a half ounces in weight, and published monthly, shall be two and a half cents per quarter, and for every additional ounce or fraction of an ounce two and a half cents additional; if published semi-monthly, double that amount; and periodicals published quarterly or bi-monthly shall be charged two cents an ounce; and regular subscribers to newspapers and periodicals shall be required to pay one quarter's postage thereon, in advance, at the office of delivery, unless paid at the office where published. And there shall be charged upon every other newspaper, and each circular not sealed, hand-bill, engraving, pamphlet, periodical and magazine, which shall be unconnected with any manuscript or written matter, and not exceeding three ounces in weight, and published within the Confederate States, two cents; and for each additional ounce or fraction of an ounce two cents additional; and in all cases the postage shall be pre-paid by stamps, or otherwise, as the Postmaster General shall direct. And books, bound or unbound, not weighing over four pounds, shall be deemed mailable matter, and shall be charged with postage, to be pre-paid by stamps or otherwise, as the Postmaster General shall direct, at two cents an ounce for any distance. And upon all newspapers, periodicals and books, as aforesaid, published beyond the limits of the Confederate States, there shall be charged postage at double the foregoing specified rates. The publishers of newspapers or periodicals within the Confederate States may send and receive to and from each other, from their respective offices of publication, one copy of each publication free of postage. All newspapers unsealed circulars, or other unsealed printed transient matter, placed in any post-office not for transmission but for delivery only, shall be charged postage at the rate of one cent each.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the third section of the above recited act be and the same is hereby so amended as to authorize the Postmaster General to provide and furnish ten cent stamps and stamped envelopes; and that the provisions, restrictions and penalties prescribed by said section of said act for violations of the same in relation to two, five, and twenty cent stamps and stamped envelopes, shall, in all respects, apply to the denomination of stamps and stamped envelopes herein provided for.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the proviso contained in the fifth section of the said act be so amended as to extend to the chiefs of the contract, appointment and finance bureaus of the Post-Office Department the privilege therein conferred upon the Postmaster General, his chief clerk, and the auditor of the treasury for the Post-Office Department, of transmitting through the mails, free of postage, any letters, packages, or other matters relating exclusively to their official duties or to the business of the Post-Office Department, subject to the restrictions and penalties prescribed by the said proviso; and that this act take effect and be of force from and after its passage.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That from and after the first day of June ensuing, the operations of the several mints in the Confederate States be suspended; and that all officers therein shall cease to exercise their functions or to receive any salaries; and that all moneys and bullion in the hands of any officer shall forthwith be transferred to the Treasurer of the Confederate States.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the salary of the Superintendent of Public Printing shall be three thousand dollars, payable as other salaries of heads of bureaus in the several departments.

SEC. 2. The Superintendent of Public Printing shall be entitled to a messenger, who shall receive a salary of three hundred dollars per annum.

SEC. 3. The publication of the laws and journals of Congress shall be exclusively under the direction of the Superintendent of Public Printing, subject to the supervision and control of the Attorney-General. And the Superintendent may contract with publishers of newspapers as to the terms of publication of the laws and journals, not exceeding in compensation the rates usually paid by other advertisers for similar work.

SEC. 4. The Superintendent shall have authority to contract, by advertising for sealed proposals, for all paper necessary to do all the printing ordered by Congress or either one of the executive departments. In all cases the contractor shall furnish the paper at such times and in such quantities as the Superintendent shall require, and shall give bond, with two good sureties, for the faithful performance of the contract.

SEC. 5. All orders for printing by Congress or any of the executive departments shall be sent to the Superintendent of Public Printing, to be by him delivered to the printer or contractor: and the printing, when completed, shall be returned to the Superintendent, to be received or rejected, and by him delivered according to the order.

SEC. 6. All laws and parts of laws militating against this act be and the same are hereby repealed.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That during the recess of Congress the President of the Confederate States may and he is hereby authorized—on the application of the secretary of the proper department, and not otherwise—to direct, if in his opinion necessary for the public service, that a portion of the moneys appropriated for a particular branch of expenditure in that department be applied to another branch of expenditure in the same department; in which case a special account of moneys thus transferred shall be laid before Congress during the first week of the next ensuing session.

SEC. 2. This act shall continue and be of force until the end of the existing war, and no longer.

The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the port of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, shall embrace and include all the waters, inlets and shores on both sides of the river Mississippi, within the whole parish of Orleans, that part of the parish of Jefferson on the right bank of the said river to the upper line of the Destrehans canal, and that portion of the said parish of Jefferson on the left bank of the Mississippi river to the upper limits of the town or faubourg of Hurtsville. That the ports of delivery known as bayou St. John's, Lake Port, and Port Pontchartrain, and the customs officers authorized therefor, be and the same are hereby abolished and discontinued, and all the waters, inlets and shores embraced within the limits of said ports be added to and included in the port of New Orleans.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That all prizes of vessels and property captured by private armed ships, in pursuance of the act passed by Congress recognizing the existence of war between the United States and the Confederate States, and concerning letters of marque, prizes and prize goods, which may be condemned in any court of the Confederate States, shall be sold at public auction by the marshal of the district in which the same shall be condemned, within sixty days after the condemnation thereof—sufficient notice of the time and place and condition of sale being first give— on such day or days, on such terms of credit, and in such lots or proportions as may be designated by the owner or owners, or agent of the owner or owners, of the privateer which may have captured the same: Provided, That the term of such credit shall not exceed ninety days. And the said marshal is hereby directed to take and receive from the purchaser or purchasers of such prize vessel and property, the money therefor, or his, her or their promissory notes, with endorsers, to be approved by the owner or owners of the privateer, to the amount of the purchase, payable according to the terms thereof.

SEC. 2. That upon all duties, costs and charges being paid according to law, the said marshal shall, on demand, deliver and pay over to the owner or owners of the privateer, or to the agent of such owner or owners of the privateer which may have captured such prize vessel and property, just and equal proportion of the funds received on account of the sale thereof, and of the promissory notes directed to be taken as aforesaid, to which the said owner or owners may be entitled, according to the articles of agreement between the said owner or owners and the officers and crew of the said privateer; and a just and equal proportion of the proceeds of the sale as aforesaid, shall, on demand, be also paid over by the said marshal to the officers and crew of the said privateer, or to their agent or agents. And if there be no written agreement, it shall be the duty of the marshal to pay over, in manner as aforesaid, one moiety of the proceeds of the sale of such prize vessel and property to the owner or owners of the privateer which may have captured the same, and the other moiety of the said proceeds to the agent or agents of the officers and crew of the said privateer, to be distributed according to law, or to any agreement by them made: Provided, The said officers and crew, or their agent or agents, shall have first refunded to the owner or owners, or to the agent of the owner or owners of the privateer aforesaid, the full amount of advances which shall have been made by the owner or owners of the privateer to the officers and crew thereof.

SEC. 3. That for the selling prize property and receiving and paying over the proceeds as aforesaid, the marshal shall be entitled to a commission of one per cent. and no more, first deducting all duties, costs and charges which may have accrued on said property: Provided, That on no case of condemnation and sale of any one prize vessel and cargo shall the commissions of the marshal exceed two hundred and fifty dollars.

SEC. 4. That it shall be the duty of the marshal, within fifteen days after any sale of prize property, to file in the office of the clerk of the district court of the district wherein such sale may be made, a just and true account of the sales of such prize property, and of all duties and charges thereon, together with a statement thereto annexed of the promissory notes taken on account thereof, which account shall be verified by the oath of the said marshal; and if the said marshal shall wilfully neglect or refuse to file such account, he shall forfeit and pay the sum of five hundred dollars for each omission or refusal as aforesaid, to be recovered in an action of debt by any person interested in such sale, and suing for the said penalty, on account of the party or parties interested in the prize vessel or property sold as aforesaid, in any court having cognizance thereof.

SEC. 5. That the owner or owners of any private armed vessel or vessels, or their agent or agents, may, at any time before a libel shall be filed against any captured vessel or her cargo, remove the same from any port into which such prize vessel or property may be first brought, to any other port in the Confederate States, to be designated at the time of the removal as aforesaid, subject to the same restrictions and complying with the same regulations with respect to the payment of duties which are provided by law in relation to the other vessels arriving in port with cargoes subject to the payment of duties: Provided, That before such removal the said captured property shall not have been attached at the suit of any adverse claimant, or a claim against the same have been interposed in behalf of the Confederate States.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That it shall be the duty of the First Auditor of the Treasury to receive all accounts arising in the Post-Office Department or relative thereto; to audit and settle the same and certify their balances to the Postmaster General: Provided, That if either the Postmaster General, or any person whose account shall be settled, be dissatisfied therewith, he may within twelve months appeal to the Comptroller of the Treasury, whose decision shall be final and conclusive. The said Auditor shall report to the Postmaster General, when required, the official forms of papers to be used by postmasters and other officers and agents of the department concerned in its receipts and payments, and the manner and form of keeping and stating its accounts. He shall keep and preserve all accounts, with the vouchers, after settlement. He shall promptly report to the Postmaster General all delinquencies of postmasters in paying over the proceeds of their offices. He shall close the accounts of the Department quarterly, and transmit to the Secretary of the Treasury quarterly statements of its receipts and expenditures. He shall register, charge and countersign all warrants upon the treasury for receipts and payments issued by the Postmaster General, when warranted by law. He shall perform such other duties in relation to the financial concerns of the department as shall be assigned to him by the Secretary of the Treasury or the Postmaster General and shall make to them, respectively, such reports as either of them may require respecting the same. He shall state and certify quarterly to the Postmaster General accounts of the moneys paid pursuant to appropriations, in each year, by postmasters, out of the proceeds of their offices, towards the expenses of the department, under each of the heads of the said expenses specified in the appropriations; upon which the Postmaster General shall issue warrants to the Treasurer of the Confederate States, in order that the same may be carried to the credit and debit of the appropriation for the service of the Post-Office Department, on the books of the Auditor of the Treasury. He shall superintend the collection of all debts due to the department, and all penalties and forfeitures imposed on postmasters for failing to make returns, or to pay over the proceeds of their offices, and he shall direct suits and legal proceedings, and take all such measures as may be authorized by law to enforce the prompt payment of moneys due to the department.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said Auditor shall have charge of all lands and other property which shall be assigned, set off or conveyed to the Confederate States in payment of debts, and of all trusts created for the use of the Confederate States in payment of debts due them on account of the Post-Office Department; and to sell and dispose of lands or other property assigned or set off to the Confederate States in payment of debts, or being vested in them by mortgage or other security for the payment of debts due to the said department, under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Postmaster General.

SEC. 3. The Secretary of the Treasury shall appoint a chief Clerk to aid the First Auditor of the Treasury in auditing the accounts of the Post-Office Department, who shall receive a salary of two thousand dollars per annum; and shall appoint fifteen additional clerks, with salaries of twelve hundred dollars each, and fourteen other clerks, with salaries of one thousand dollars each, to aid the First Auditor of the Treasury in auditing the accounts of the Post-Office Department. And he shall appoint one messenger for the Treasury Department, who shall be allowed a salary of five hundred dollars per annum.

SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, That the said Auditor of the Treasury shall be allowed to send through the mail all communications, relating exclusively to the Post-Office business, free of charge, under the same rules, regulations and restrictions, and subject to the same penalties as are now prescribed with respect to transmission free of charge by the heads of bureaus of the Post-Office Department. And this act shall go into effect from and after its passage.

WHEREAS, The earnest efforts made by this Government to establish friendly relations between the Government of the United States and the Confederate States, and to settle all questions of disagreement between the two Governments upon principles of right, justice, equity and good faith, have proved unavailing by reason of the refusal of the Government of the United States to hold any intercourse with the commissioners appointed by this Government for the purposes aforesaid, or to listen to any proposals they had to make for the peaceful solution of all causes of difficulty between the two Governments: and whereas the President of the United States of America has issued his proclamation making requisition upon the States of the American Union for seventy-five thousand men for the purpose, as therein indicated, of capturing forts and other strongholds within the jurisdiction of and belonging to the Confederate States of America, and has detailed naval armaments upon the coasts of the Confederate States of America, and raised, organized and equipped a large military force to execute the purpose aforesaid, and has issued his other proclamation announcing his purpose to set on foot a blockade of the ports of the Confederate States: and whereas, the State of Virginia has seceded from the Federal Union and entered into a convention of alliance offensive and defensive with the Confederate States, and has adopted the Provisional Constitution of the said States, and the States of Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas and Missouri, have refused, and it is believed that the State of Delaware and the inhabitants of the territories of Arizona and New Mexico, and the Indian territory South of Kansas, will refuse to co-operate with the Government of the United States in these acts of hostilities and wanton aggression, which are plainly intended to overawe, oppress and finally subjugate the people of the Confederate States: and whereas, by the acts and means aforesaid, war exists between the Confederate States and the Government of the United States, and the States and territories thereof, except the States of Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri and Delaware, and the territories of Arizona and New Mexico, and the Indian territory South of Kansas: Therefore,

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the President of the Confederate States is hereby authorized to use the whole land and naval force of the Confederate States to meet the war thus commenced, and to issue to private armed vessels commissions, or letters of marque and general reprisal, in such form as he shall think proper, under the seal of the Confederate States, against the vessels, goods and effects of the government of the United States, and of the citizens or inhabitants of the states and territories thereof: Provided, however, That property of the enemy (unless it be contraband of war) laden on board a neutral vessel, shall not be subject to seizure under this act: And provided further, That vessels of the citizens or inhabitants of the United States now in the ports of the Confederate States, except such as have been since the 5th of April last, or may hereafter be, in the service of the government of the United States, shall be allowed thirty days after the publication of this act to leave said ports and reach their destination; and such vessels and their cargoes, excepting articles contraband of war, shall not be subject to capture under this act during said period, unless they shall have previously reached the destination for which they were bound on leaving said ports.

SEC. 2. That the President of the Confederate States shall be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to revoke and annul, at pleasure, all letters of marque and reprisal which he may at any time grant pursuant to this act.

SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the President shall be authorized to raise and organize, in addition to the present military establishment, one regiment of cavalry and two regiments of infantry, whenever in his judgment the public service may require such an increase, to be organized in accordance with existing laws for the organization of cavalry and infantry regiments, and to be entitled to the same pay and allowances provided for the same respectively.

SEC. 2. That the five general officers provided by existing laws for the Confederate States, shall have the rank and denomination of “General,” instead of “Brigadier General,” which shall be the highest military grade known to the Confederate States. They shall be assigned to such commands and duties as the President may specially direct, and shall be entitled to the same pay and allowances as are provided for brigadier generals, and to two aids-de-camp, to be selected as now provided by law. Appointments to the rank of general, after the army is organized, shall be made by selection from the army.

SEC. 3. That the President be authorized, whenever in his judgment the public service may require the increase, to add to the corps of engineers one lieutenant colonel, who shall receive the pay and allowances of a lieutenant colonel of cavalry, and as many captains, not exceeding five, as may be necessary.

SEC. 4. That there be added to the quartermaster general's department one assistant quartermaster general with the rank of lieutenant colonel, and two quartermasters, with the rank of major; and to the commissary general's department, one assistant commissary, with the rank of major, and one assistant commissary, with the rank of captain; and to the medical department, six surgeons and fourteen assistant surgeons.

SEC. 5. That the President be authorized to appoint as many military store-keepers, with the pay and allowances of a first lieutenant of infantry, as the safe-keeping of the public property may require, not to exceed in all six storekeepers.

SEC. 6. That there be added to the military establishment one quartermaster sergeant for each regiment of cavalry and infantry, and one ordnance sergeant for each military post, each to receive the pay and allowances of a sergeant major, according to existing laws.

SEC. 7. That there may be enlisted for the medical department of the army, for the term already provided by law for other enlisted men, as many hospital stewards as the service may require, to be determined by the Secretary of War, under such regulations as he may prescribe, and who shall receive the pay and allowances of a sergeant major.

SEC. 8. That until a military school shall be established for the elementary instruction of officers for the army, the President shall be authorized to appoint cadets from the several states, in number proportioned to their representation in the House of Representatives, and ten in addition, to be selected by him at large from the Confederate States, who shall be attached to companies in service in any branch of the army, as supernumerary officers, with the rank of cadet, who shall receive the monthly pay of forty dollars, and be competent for promotion at such time and under such regulations as may be proscribed by the President, or hereafter established by law.

SEC. 9. That the President be authorized to assign officers of the army of the Confederate States to staff duty with volunteers or provisional troops, and to confer upon them, whilst so employed, the rank corresponding to the staff duties they are to perform.

SEC. 10. There shall be allowed and paid to every able-bodied man who shall be duly enlisted to serve in the army of the Confederate States, a bounty of ten dollars; but the payment of five dollars of the said bounty shall be deferred until the recruit shall have been mustered into the regiment in which he is to serve.

SEC. 11. That the provision of the third section of the act of the Congress of the United States, making appropriations for the legislative, executive and judicial expenses of the government for the year ending the thirtieth day of June, A. D. eighteen hundred and sixty-one, approved June twenty-third, eighteen hundred and sixty, which declares that no arms nor military supplies whatever, which are of a patented invention, shall be purchased, nor the right of using or applying any patented invention, unless the same shall be authorized by law, and the appropriation therefor explicitly set forth, that it is for such patented invention, (if of force within the Confederate States, shall be suspended in its operation for and during the existing war.