absence of such laws in accordance with such rules and regulations not inconsistent with the provisions of this act as the Secretary of War shall from time to time prescribe; Provided, That no impressment of slaves shall be made when they can be hired or procured by the consent of the owner or agent.

Section 10 is in these words:

That previous to the first day of December next no slave laboring on a farm or plantation exclusively devoted to the production of grain and provisions shall be taken for the public use without the consent of the owner, in case of urgent necessity.

After the appearance of this act of Congress the opinions of the members of the General Assembly, so far as I could learn them, were that Congress had conferred upon the Confederate officers full and ample power over this question, and that it was their duty to make their own impressment, ant not to call upon the State officers to assume this talks, which properly belongs to the Confederate officer. It was also believed that the negroes now called for could not be collected in time to erect new works which might be completed and ready for use before the time when the enemy will be forced by the hear of the climate to abandon further offensive operations against Savannah this spring; and if it were the purpose of the general making the call to take the negroes out of the plantations, where they are now busy in cultivation of the grain and provision crops, to erect fortifications for use next winter, it was believed that such an act would be in direct violation of the 10th section of the act of Congress above referred to, which forbids such taking without the consent of the owner except in case of urgent necessity, which in that case could not be justly said to exist. if we are to continue the war successfully it is of the most vital importance that our fields shall be cultivated and provisions made for the Army and the people at home, including the families of our brave soldiers. It is now the time of greatest necessity for labor in the fields. A hand taken from the plantation for the next two or three months had as well be taken for the whole year, as eh can make no crop unless he works now.

In addition to the above considerations, it was the opinion of members that the troops now at Savannah will cheerfully and promptly perform the work if the Government will pay them, in addition to their present wages, the hire, clothing, money, and rations which are paid to owners for the use of their slaves. This would add about $30 per month to the pay of each soldier who will labor on the fortifications when not otherwise employed. It was not doubted if this offer were made them that they would gladly undertake the work and soon complete it. This, if satisfactory to the troops, would certainly be better for the country, as it would leave the slaves at home to make bread for the soldiers and their families, and would enable the troops to send back the additional sum of $30 a month to each of their families. This would also be a saving to the Government of the heavy expense of impressing and collecting the negroes, including transportation, pay of agents, and compensation to owners for the loss of those who might die in service or escape to the enemy, which taken together is a large item of expense. Indeed it is believed the Government could afford to pay $40