Letter from John S. Preston to Mississippi Governor Charles Clark; June 1, 1864

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Bureau of Conscription Richmond June 1^st 1864

His Excellency Governor Clark Macon Miss:

Governor,

The Secretary of War referred your telegraph of the 13^th of May to this Bureau for consideration and reply.

The Act of Congress to organise forces to serve during the war, approved 17^th of February 1864. General Orders No. 26, Par: 2, A & I. G. Office, and the instruc-tions of this Bureau under Sanction of the Secretary of War designate the persons to be Exempted, without the Governors' Certification Article 2, Section 10^th of the Act of Congress requires that there shall be exempted such other officers as the Governors may certify to be necessary for the proper administration of the State Governments.

Your Excellency will readily perceive that a general procalamation by a Governor designating classes or individuals would not afford sufficient testimony to the Enrolling Officer for the identification of the persons claiming to belong to the classes or to be the individuals proclaimed to be Exempted, such identification could only be proved by the claimant Exhibiting the certificate required by law. An Enrolling Officer accepting any proof less certain than that prescribed in Emphatic terms by the Act of Congress would certainly be derelict, and such admission would open the way to serious detriment to the

Service.

It is earnestly hoped by the Secretary of War that these considerations will induce your Excellency to waive the demand of your telegraphic dispatch, and issue the legal certificates to such officers as you deem necessary for the proper administration of the State Government.

I have the honor to be yr Ob. Sert

Jno S Preston Coln. Supt—

Col. J. S. Preston Chief Bureau Conscription Ansd June 18, 1864