Headquarters Fourth Military District, Department of Mississippi, Jackson, Mississippi, January 14, 1870.

I hereby certify that at an election held in the State of Mississippi on the 30th of November and 1st of December, 1869, for the ratification of the constitution of said State and for the election of members of Congress, that said constitution was ratified; that article twelve, section twenty-five, of said constitution is as follows:

"Representatives in Congress to fill the existing vacancies shall be elected at the same time the constitution is submitted to the electors of the State for ratification and for the full term next succeeding their election, and thereafter elections for Representatives in Congress shall be held biennially. The first election shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November preceding the expiration of said full term.”

And that at said election, under section twenty-five, article twelve of the constitution, Legrand W. Perce was elected a member of the Forty-Second Congress of the United States of America from the fifth congressional district of Mississippi.

ADELBERT AMES.

Brevet Major General U. S. A., Commanding.

Attest: EAMES LYNCH.

Provisional Secretary of State.