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By the Governor of Virginia.
The Congress of the Confederate States of America having passed an act providing that an election shall be held in the several States of the Confederacy, on the first Wednesday in November 1861, for members of the House of Representatives in the Congress of the Confederate States, and that the election shall be conducted in all respects according to the Constitution of said Confederacy, and the laws of the several States in force for that purpose; and the laws of this State having provided that the Court of each county and the Court for the corporation of Williamsburg, and for each corporation in which wards are established by law, shall, before the election day, appoint five freeholders as Commissioners at the Court-House, and the like number at each place of voting in the county or corporation, to superintend the election of members of Congress; and at the time of making such appointment, shall also appoint one officer to conduct such election at the Court-House, and one at each place of voting in the county or corporation; and, moreover, the Convention of this State having, by ordinance, provided that the qualified voters of the Commonwealth, who may be absent from the counties or corporations of their residence, in the military service of the State, on the day of election for members of the House of Representatives of the Confederate States, may vote in said election, at such place or places within their encampment as the commandant at such encampment shall designate, whether the said encampments shall be within the limits of the State or not; and the said Ordinance having further provided that for each place of voting the commandant of the encampment shall appoint a Superintendent, three Commissioners, and as many Clarks as shall be necessary, who, after having been first duly sworn by him, shall perform the duties required of, and be liable to the penalties implored upon, such officers under the election laws of the State: And the said Commissioners are required to cause separate polls to be opened for the election of members of Congress according to the regulations prescribed by said Ordinance: Therefore, I, John Letcher, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, do hereby require the Courts, and persons whose duty it is to appoint said officers, to proceed to perform the duties prescribed as aforesaid so that the election for members of Congress shall take place at the time prescribed and in the manner provided. Given under my hand as Governor, and under the seal of the Commonwealth, at Richmond, this 3d day of September, 1861, and in the year of the Commonwealth the eighty-fifty. John Letcher. By the Governor: George W. Munford. Secretary of the Commonwealth.
The Daily Dispatch: September 5, 1861. Richmond Dispatch. 4 pages. by Cowardin & Hammersley. Richmond. September 5, 1861. microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mi : Proquest. 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.
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