[Texas]. [Civil War]. Garnett, H.T

To the Citizens of the Counties of Brazoria, Fort Bend, Austin, Grimes, Brazos and Robertson [caption title]

Brazoria: November 12, 1861. Broadside, 12.5 x 8.25 inches. Old folds with short separations, a few small edge chips and one small hole in the right margin, not touching text, extensive contemporary iron gall ink manuscript annotations on both sides, with minor ink burn in a few places costing a few letters. Good. Item #2602

An early and screamingly rare Confederate Texas broadside in which Receiver H.T. Garnett informs the public that he will be enforcing a recent Confederate law regarding seizure of property belonging to "Alien Enemies" of the Confederacy. Issued from the East Texas town of Brazoria, Garnett defines alien enemies as people "who have their domicil in any of the United States, whether citizens or not" including "subjects of Great Britain, France and other neutral nations" who live or carry on business within the United States. Garnett has been appointed to carry out "the Sequestration of the Estates, Property and Effects of Alien Enemies," pursuant to several sections of the recently-passed Sequestration Act, four sections of which he cites here. Garnett also seeks to seize the property of "persons indebted to alien enemies" who have "become the debtors of the Confederate States." He also requests "the co-operation of every good citizen in the prompt and effective administration of this law."

Garnett's edict was issued as a result of the passage of the Alien Enemies Act and the Sequestration Act by the Confederate Congress in August 1861. The Alien Enemies Act demanded formal support of the Confederate government by residents of the Confederate States, at the risk of deportation. The Sequestration Act empowered the Confederate government to seize the property of any non-citizen; it is this second act that is particularly relevant to the present broadside. Interestingly, the Confederate government invoked the Sequestration Act to take control of Monticello in Virginia.

The extensive annotations on both sides of the broadside were perhaps written by Garnett himself, though it is difficult to tell, as much of the handwritten text has oxidized or faded to the point of illegibility. OCLC reports just a single copy of the present broadside, at the University of Georgia. Parrish & Willingham concur.
Parrish & Willingham 1637.

Price: $3,750.00