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Attorney Generals Office
Jackson, Miss. May 30. 1864

His Excy Chas Clark:

Governor,

You have submitted to me certain papers relating to the enrollment of L A Ragsdale under the Conscription laws, & you ask my opinion on the following questions:

1^st. As to the right of exemption of State County & District officers elected or appointed under the Constitution & laws of the state? referring me to your proclamation of the 9^th. May—

2 As to the claim of exemption set up by Mr Ragsdale under that proclamation, & one of April 2^d. 1864?

3 What remedy can be applied in case of abuse of the appoint-ing power?

From the papers submitted the following facts appear: On the 15^th. Jany 1864 Mr Ragsdale was enrolled by the prop-er officer, in the mode punished by law. On the 2^d. Feby 1864 he was detailed for seventy days to Co^l. Stewart Ch. Ord. Missⁱ. On the 7^th. Feby 1864 he sent out a writ of Habeas Corpus & in the hearing thereof the writ was dismissed. On the 7^th. April 1864 he was ^declared to be^ discharged & exempted from Conscription under the act of Congress entilted "an act to organize forces to serve further pro-vide for the public defense," Appeared July 17^th 1864, in conse-quence of having been appointed & commissioned a Deputy Sheriff. The order declaring him discharged is signed Major Merwin Commanding Camp of Conscripts. The evidence that he was appointed Deputy by the Sheriff of Lauderdale County is furnished by the certificate fo the Sher-iff & said appointment is dated 1^st April 1864. His appointment was ap-proved by the Judge of Probate & the President of the Board of Police on the 6^th. April 1864. You have also submitted you three proclamations, bearing dates, respectively the 16^th. March, 2^d. April & 9^th. May 1864. Each of those proclamations have referred to the exemption of State, District and County Officers under the act of 17 Feby 1864, before cited.

Mr Ragsdale & Maj^r. Merwin seem also to have provided,

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