Today in History:

1170 Series IV Volume III- Serial 129 - Correspondence, Orders, Reports and Returns of the Confederate Authorities from January 1, 1864, to the End

Page 1170 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.

"detailed or exempted" by the Government, we have thought it advisable to cite the late acts of Congress on the subject for the information of the public and as a guide to all impressment officers. Therefore we invite particular attention to the annexed extracts from recent acts of Congress.

As our schedules were designed for the State, the commissioners endeavored, in arranging prices, to base them upon what appeared to be a fair average, taking all the markets of Virginia into consideration. The varied and conflicting interests involved rendered the task imposed upon the commissioners not only difficult to accomplish, but made it impossible for them to please all parties. Acting under laws of Congress, whatever be our opinions as to their policy, we have and will fairly endeavor to observe them:

"AN ACT to amend the law in relation to impressments.

"The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That it shall not be lawful to impress any sheep, milch cows, brood mares, stallions, jacks, bulls, breeding hogs, or other stock kept or necessary for raising sheep, hogs, horses, mules, or cattle.

"SEC. 2. That the term 'just compensation' for property impressed or taken for public use, whenever the same occurs in any of the acts relating to impressments, is hereby declared to mean the usual market price of such property at the time and place of impressment. "SEC. 3. That so much of the fifth section of the act to regulate impressments, approved March 26, 1863, as authorizes the board of commissioners appointed by the President and Governors of the respective States to fix in advance upon the prices to be paid for property impressed or taken for public use, and to agree upon and publish schedules of prices for property so impressed, is hereby repealed: Provided, however, That nothing herein contained shall be construed as prohibiting said commissioners from fixing upon and publishing schedules of prices to be pnment or by the families of soldiers to persons holding exemptions or details upon conditions which bind such persons to sell to the Government or to families of soldiers at prices fixed by said commissioners.

"SEC. 4. That in all cases of appeals to the board of commissioners, appointed by the President and the Governors of the respective States, from the appraisements of impressed property made by local appraisers, it shall be the duty of said commissioners to hear the proofs adduced by the parties as to the usual market price of the property at the time and place of impressment, and to assess the same according to the testimony submitted in the particular case. On such appeals the commissioners shall receive and consider such legal oral testimony as may be offered, and also affidavits or depositions of competent witnesses taken before and certified by any justice of the peace, or judge, or clerk of any court of record. Witnesses examined before such board may be sworn by either of the commissioners. Where the appeal is taken by the impressing officer, and the same is not brought to a hearing, and a final award in the case made by the commissioners within ninety days after the date of the original appraisement, such appeal shall be considered as abandoned and shall not be afterward heard, and the original appraisements shall be treated as final and conclusive.

"Approved March 18, 1865.

A true copy:

"JAMES M. MATTHEWS,

"Law Clerk. "

"AN ACT to amend an act entitled 'An act to regulate impressments,' approved march 26, 1863, as amended by the act approved February 16, 1864.

"The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the act entitled 'An act to regulate impressments,' approved March 26, 1863, as amended by the act approved February 16, 1864, be so amended that in all cases where property shall be impressed for the use of the Army it shall not be necessary to pay the price at the time of impressment, when the parties from whom such property is impressed shall refuse to receive thereof certificates of indebtedness issued under authority of the act entitled 'An act to reduce the currency and to authorize a new issue of notes and bonds,' approved February 17, 1864, but the same shall be paid as soon as practicable thereafter.

"Approved March 18, 1865.

"A true copy:

"JAMES M. MATTHEWS,

"Law Clerk. "


Page 1170 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.