Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-03-13

Soon after Congress meJ the House OF Rspreseutc-
tves addressed an inquiry the President, on the mo-
ten Of Mr. LIONS desiring to know If he had author
izsd the sszsre and coaGeson Of private prOperty-
The following response vas received:
ExEcVrsvr OrrcE,
Richmond, Feb. -h, ls55.
T, ne H9as es E.syssse;afi.s5 q -1s Confederate
States
/ have this ia7 received the following resolution
"Rsro'rsi That the President be requested 10 inform
this House sattb-r private property OF citizens in
the army has b-sa seized aud o1nsctted BY his order
NOT, aud 10 has beep, for what offence, and under
What law such seizure and conhscatiou have been
dered - sud reply that no private property Of citizens
either in or not iu, the army has been sezd and cons
Gated by - order. JEFTERsoN DAVIS.
Ths vas uu' very satisfactory, it notorious,
tat there were persons all over the country claiming
hold commissions ,ron the President WHO we're Selling
aal conGsc4t.us The private property Of citizens. Bu'
tle H0uss with accustomed moderation, seeing the
Presidents indsppstioH commissioners oreboIe
70 sg, ect him 70 further catechsm; and choosing to
consider the oltages private rights as the rregu-
hres Of Unauthorized Suborduate- proceeded to pass
bill 20 proven, their repetition.
weifer IN the Enquirer who signs himself -. -
see by volunteering the lampon of the Secretary
Of War seems 20 mpy that that officer il tho suthor Of
this system OF oppression aud folly which trampl,s
undegfoot every principle Of civil liberty Mr. Seldom
NAV Zee .ugh, ,h-s kuu - approve all uphold tu,s
system We suppose he does il ia continued under
his authority Blu, &c existed long before he came into
Office aud the general impression that the scheme
had its origin IN tue Commis-lriB Department There
il was supposed those ingenious tables averaging prices
for the last fss years determine present values were
concocted Why jid they take toe last GCy wears
for average There bid been quite as mu,h logic
IN them as toe las. Eve. And indeed if they had gone
blek TO 20, there would haye bees show Of fitness
IN she thing.
But whether the secrettry Of War or the starry wr
ter himself be the author Of hiss yst,m which sets
aside al as and turns loose upon tae country set Of
robbers prey vii upon the people IL IA bodies TO
inquire. Some lodging and o5scurity might not be I'M
reasonable 10 rssps-- the authorship OF system so
revolving TO al lae sentiments Of free people, and so
vel. calculated bring is author to odum If not 10
trouble
That Mr.. Seldom, whose anteeeden.s marked him out
ae who, under no possible stress Of circ1rstan
cs' would substitute violence FOR law, should become
the champion Of this system does excite our especial
wonder and surprise. That in the variety Of lis grave
duties, he should have left this to suborinates and
knoFn nothing OF it in the beginning might very natu
rally have occurred. Buiwhen the subject was b,eucb,
20 bis attention by the indignant ou,cres Of the whole
country, and when he could fail to see the outrage
Gus invasion Of all private rights involved in the pro.
eeedng aud when Congress in the very act Of en-
acting law on th' snhectto have persisted in enfor-
cling Il, did inFly iOregoue c,aeusou to substitute
Gogsr'B'sHt Of force for O. OF Lno
His starry advocate alleges tbat he va5 informed and
believed that the great Of producers had reached
the point Of sPecu'arug their productions-and
refused 70 sell TO extent sufficient to nrovlde arrv
suPPies-and therefore, be was compelled TO imres or
ser tho army finnish. 2f1,s 90 ssVt or course the
people we're unwilling sell at the arbitrary rates fixed
BY Aessrs. Sure d Co., and BY which they would sacr
ne bali the value Of their property. But thev never
have refused to sal At the fair mlrke pr;,e-re mean
the groSz:sr5 So this brings back the original oqso,
he right Of the Var Department or its agents 10 -
tee property Of ci.z,7s zlAs,r+-olEccr Of the Gov
t7Ice deliberately givea AID 20 tie sa5Ters;Oa
G al Az ana al i-lice
Il eanno' b TOO often rspeat,J, or TOO strongly in
pressed On Government and pie az the strength o;
'ur cause sPIiags iron. the flcedon IL IS designed r,
loid Abandon 'Lis-degrade o.rsslrss 70 ~. I.-.r',
ar eHenies-slSs'i'sJs Tyranoy for Lib.r,y-a,5 -
fail and VII deserve to fail