CHAPTER VII.

AN ACT to regulate the reception and disposal of Confederate Notes and Bonds, nów and hereafter, in the Treasury.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, as follows: After the last day of next June, Assessors and Collectors of Taxes, and other Receivers of funds for the State, or in its name, or for counties, shall not receive any Confederate notes of the old issue of the denomination of one hundred dollars; Provided, however, that the County Courts of the several counties, by order duly entered on the minutes thereof, either at regular or special terms, may fix any other day than the said last day of June after the passage of this act, and before the said last day of June, after which day so fixed, it shall not be lawful for any Assessor and Collector to receive said notes in payment of any county taxes, and they may also require their Assessors and Collectors to pay over to the County Treasurer all such notes on or before that day.

All notes of this denomination, not bearing interest, and at the date aforesaid in the Treasury, or belonging to the State, shall be funded by the Comptroller according to the provision therefor by the present or any future law of the Confederate States of America; and the Governor is authorized to make the necessary certificate to determine the notes to be so funded.

The bonds, obtained by such funding, shall be deposited in the Treasury in substitution for the notes so funded, and shall so remain until otherwise disposed of, either By future legislation or by sale, which may be made by a Commission, consisting of the Governor, the Comptroller, and the Treasurer; but such sale shall not be made unless the Commission shall consider that it would be advantageous to the State; in which case the Commission may exchange the whole or any part of said bonds for any indebtedness of the 'State or for current treasury notes of the Confederacy of the new issues, in such manner as may be deemed best for the interest of the State.

All Confederate treasury notes continued in circulation, or put therein as currency, without being subjected to any provision for necessary funding, by a law now or hereafter made by the Confederate Congress, shall be recognized as the new issue of Confederate treasury notes, in contradistinction from all Confederate treasury notes, now or hereafter subjected to some provision of Confederate law for necessary funding, to be known as the old issue of Confederate treasury notes.

SEC. 2. Confederate treasury notes, bearing interest, shall not be received for taxes or other public dues after the last day of next June; and all such notes, now or hereafter in the Treasury, shall so remain, or may be otherwise disposed of as provided in the first section for the disposal of bonds.

SEC. 3. Confederate treasury notes of the old issue, as defined in the first section, shall not be receivable at par for public dues after the last day of next June; but such notes, except those disposed of otherwise by the first and second sections, may be thereafter received for public dues until the last day of next October, including that day, but not longer, at the rate of three for two, or one-third less than the nominal amount; and all such notes now or hereafter in the Treasury, shall be exchanged for Confederate treasury notes of the new issue, as defined in the first section, according to the law for such exchange, and the Comptroller shall make such exchange of these notes as soon as may be conveniently done after their reception into the Treasury; provided such notes may be paid by the Treasurer on any warrant of the Comptroller at said rate of three for two, if the creditor be willing so to receive payment.

SEC. 4. Every law heretofore or hereafter providing, in general terms, for the reception or disbursement of Confederate treasury notes, shall be construed as embracing such notes of the new issue, and excluding those of the old issue, as defined in the first section, and shall have corresponding effect.

SEC. 5. So far as any existing law may be incompatible with this act, such

inconsistent law is suspended as to the subjects of this act, so that its provisions may be enforced as to its subjects without repealing the existing law as to other subjects.

SEC. 6. This act shall be in force from its passage.

Approved May 27, 1864.

CHAPTER VIII.

AN ACT to punish unlawful interference with private property or private rights. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That if any person or persons shall, without lawful authority, take, molest or disturb, or cause to be taken, molested or disturbed the personal or movable property of any person or persons in this State; or if any person or persons, without lawful authority, molest or disturb any person or persons, in the free use and enjoyment of his, her or their personal or movable property, or unlawfully cause any person to be molested or disturbed; or if any person or persons shall, without lawful authority, prevent or prohibit, or cause to be prevented or prohibited, any person from lawfully transporting, or exporting, or disposing of his, her or their personal or movable property, by threats, force, exaction, or any other means whatever; or if any person or persons shall, under the semblance of legal order, or authority, unlawfully take, molest or disturb the personal or movable property of any person or persons, or by any means whatever interfere with, or cause to be interfered with, the free use, transportation, exportation or disposition of the same, or shall, in the exercise of lawful authority, act unlawfully or oppressively towards the owner thereof: he, she or they, thus offending, and every person in so offending, shall be deemed guilty of an of fence, and, upon conviction, shall be find in any sum not less than one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the County Jail not longer than twelve months, or by confinement at hard labor in the Penitentiary for any term not less than two years, or by fine and imprisonment as aforesaid, at the discretion of the Jury.

SEC. 2. If any person shall violate any provision of the first section of this act, under the false pretense of acting under orders from. lawful authority, when, in fact, he has no such orders, it shall be deemed an aggravation of the offence, and punished by fine of not less than two hundred dollars, and by confinement, at hard labor, in the Penitentiary not less than four years, or by fine and imprisonment as aforesaid, at the discretion of the Jury.

Approved May 28th, 1864.

CHAPTER IX.

AN ACT making an appropriation to meet any deficiency that may accrue in the appropriation to pay the expenses of the Comptroller's Department for the years 1864 and 1865.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the sum of five thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and is hereby appropriated to meet any deficiency that may accrue in the approprition made for paying the expenses of the Comptroller's Department for the years 1864 and 1865.

SEC. 2. This act to take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved May 28th, 1864.

CHAPTER X.

AN ACT, supplemental to, and amendatory of "An Act to adopt and establish a Penal Code.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the act above recited be amended by adding the following article to the same, to

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wit: "ARTICLE 348. A.-If any officer of the law shall wilfully or negligently fail to perform any duty imposed on him by the Penal Code, or Code of Criminal Procedure, he shall, when the act or omission is not otherwise defined, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and punished as prescribed in Article 349 of this Code."

Approved May 28th, 1864.

CHAPTER XI.

AN ACT to amend the third section of "An Act to provide for the support of the Families and Dependents of Texas Soldiers." Approved December 15th, 1863. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, as follows, to-wit: That the third section of the above recited act be amended so as to read as follows, to wit:

"SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the Comptroller of the State, immediately after the passage of this act, to forward to the Chief Justice of each county in the State a copy of this act, with such instructions and forms as may be necessary to carry its provisions into effect, and the Chief Justices shall immediately upon the receipt of the same, ascertain, or cause to be ascertained, in such manner as they may deem best, the number of indigent persons in their respective counties entitled to relief under this act, and shall make an accurate return of the same to the Comptroller's office, on or before the first day of September, 1864, and a like return shall be made, by them on or before the first day of March, 1865, which return shall be made officially, by the Chief Justices or County Commissioners (when the Chief Justices fail, refuse or neglect to act) and they shall certify that the return is a just, true and correct return of all the dependents of Texas officers and soldiers, entitled to relief under this act, who are indigent and supported in whole or in part by the County Court, and that only such are therein returned, which certificates shall be signed by the officer or officers making the same and attested by the seal of the Court, and shall be considered as under oath."

SEC. 2. That all laws and parts of laws, in conflict with this act, be repealed, and this Act take effect from its passage.

Approved May 28th, 1864.

CHAPTER XII.

AN ACT to furnish the Reporter of the Decisions of the Supreme Court Stationery.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the Military Board of this State be authorized and required to furnish the Reporter of the Decisions of the Supreme Court with the stationery necessary to enable him to prepare the Decisions of said Court for publication.

SEC. 2. That this act take effect from and after its passage.
Approved May 28th, 1864.

AN ACT to authorize the Governor to appoint certain officers to represent the interests of the State, and of the citizens and soldiers of the State, at the Head Quarters of the Trans Mississippi Department, and at the Head Quarters of the District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legistature of the State of Texas, That the Governor is authorized to appoint two persons, whose duty it shall be to keep the Governor advised of all matters of importance pertaining to the interests of the State, that may occur at the Head Quarters of the Trans-Mississippi Department and at the Head Quarters of the District of Texas, New Mex

ico and Arizona; and to take in charge and represent the interest of the Soldiers and Citizens of Texas, having business at said Head Quarters.

SEC. 2. That the persons so appointed shall have the rank and pay of Colonels of cavalry in the Confederate States service, and shall be paid out of the appropriation made for the defence of the State by the Tenth Legislature. SEC. 3. This act to be in force from and after its passage.

Approved May 28th, 1864.

CHAPTER XIV.

AN ACT further to provide the manner of proving a written will. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That where the subscribing witnesses to a will are in the army, and beyond the limits of the State, said will may be probated, on proof. by two witnesses of the hand writing of the subscribing witnesses to said will, and also of the testator if he was able to write; which proof may be either by affidavit taken in open Court, and subscribed by the witness, or by deposition, and this act shall take effect from its passage.

Approved May 28th, 1864.

CHAPTER XV

AN ACT making an appropriation to pay for Stationery and Lighting Materials purchased for the 10th Legislature.

SECTION. 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the sum of five hundred dollars in specie, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be, and the same is hereby appropriated, to pay for stationery and lighting material purchased for the use of the Tenth Legislature by Maj. S. Hart, said money to be paid on the presentation of the claim approved by the Secretary of State, Provided, that this appropriation may be paid out of any money subject to the control of the Governor or Military Board for any other purpose.

SEC. 2. That this act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Approved May 28th, 1864.

CHAPTER XVI.

AN ACT amending "An Act authorizing the Comptroller of the State to receive from Railroad Companies in this State the interest that may now be due, or hereafter beceme due on their Bonds."

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the provisions of the Act, of which this is amendatory, shall not apply to Railroad Companies that fail or refuse to receive State Bonds or State Treasury Warrants at par for freight or passage, at the prices or rates established by law.

SEC. 2. That whenever satisfactory evidence is produced or furnished to the Comptroller of the State that any Railroad Company has failed or refused to receive the State Bonds or State Treasury Warrants at par, for freights or passage, at the rates established by law, he is required to refuse to receive the State Bonds or Treasury Warrants for the interest due by said Railroad upon its Bond.

SEC. 3. That the President of any Railroad in this State be, and is hereby required to post in a conspicuous place in the Railroad offices, and in the passenger cars, the provisions and terms of this act, under a penalty of one hundred dollars, to be recovered for the benefit of the State, by suit before any Court of competent jurisdiction upon the information of any party.

SEC. 4. That all laws or parts of laws conflicting with this act, be, and the same are hereby repealed, and that this act take effect from and after its passage.

Approved May 28th, 1864.

CHAPTER XVII.

AN ACT to make an additional appropriation for the support of the Lunatic Asylum for the years 1864 and 1865.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That in addition to the unexpended balance of the appropriation made at the last regular session of the 10th Legislature, for the support of the Lunatic Asylum for the years 1864 and 1865, the further sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be, and the same is hereby appropriated for the support of said Asylum for the years 1864 and 1865. Approved May 28th, 1864.

CHAPTER XVIII.

AN ACT to regulate the disposal of unappropriated Specie.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, as follows: Any unappropriated specie that may be in the Treasury, from time to time, on any account, shall not be paid nor withdrawn therefrom, except by specific appropriations therefor; and this provision is explanatory of laws making general appropriations.

SEC. 2. This act shall be in force from its passage.
Approved May 28th, 1864.

CHAPTER XIX.

AN ACT to regulate the manner of liquidating claims for payment under appropriations made by the Legislature.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, as follows: For liquidating the appropriations which have been or may be made by the Tenth Legislature of the State, for support during the years 1864 and 1865, of the civil departments of the Government of the State, and of families and other dependents of Texan officers and soldiers in military service of the State, and of the Confederate States of America, and for payment of the Adjutant and Inspector General, and the Quartermaster, and all employees of their Departments, and for the payment of the superintendents and employees of all public offices and works conducted by the State, and for the general support of the public asylums, the Comptroller shall draw Warrants on the Treasurer as prescribed by "An Act to repeal an Act authorizing unpaid Warrants to draw interest, approved February 14, 1860, and otherwise to regulate the issuance of Treasury Warrants, approved January 10, 1862, for want of appropriate funds for payment.

SEC. 2. For liquidating appropriations in general, except those specified in the first section, and those specially providing for payment in specie, the comp-. troller shall draw Warrants on the Treasurer, payable in Confederate treasury notes of the new issue; Provided, when there shall not be such notes in the Treasury, such Warrants may be paid in Confederate Treasury notes of the old issue, at the rate of three dollars for two, or in bank notes at par, if the payee be willing so to receive payment.

SEC. 3. In the same manner, and to the same extent that Treasury Warrants in general may be receivable for public dues, under laws now or here