[Senate Bill, No. 190.]
SENATE, February 10, 1865.—Read first and second times,
referred to Committee on Military Affairs, and ordered to be
printed.
[ By Mr. Oldham.]
A BILL
To provide foe Raising Two Hundred Thousand Negro Troops.
1 Section 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of Ame-
2 rica do enact, That the President of the Confederate States be
3 and he is hereby authorized to receive into the military service,
4 any numberjof 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 ser-
2, vice 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
C
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.