Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-03-10
CONFEDERATE STATES CONGRESS-.
FglpAT, March 9th, 1863.
The Senate met II o'clock. Hon. R. NJ.
Hunter in the chair.

THE lMPsEssMENT BILL
WIS taken up as unfinished business, the
pending question being on the adoption OF the
sfn,.d tn.nt proposed by Mr.. HAYNES, which
he modified TO read az folhws:
ln.ert at the end Of The third section:
Provided, Thst said prico or value shall be
SO fixed, Ds give Just compensation, according
TO quality and quantity of said articles and
property, and :Lat ali forage and suhsistece
and all property talscn after tie passage
Of this act sssl ts paid Tor at'the prices first
fixed ty tue commissioners under this act -
A na y -ovded further, Thst faid commission
ora shall be appoiatadhy and with thu adj
vice Of the Snn.tn.
| The amendment WAS agreed to.
Mr.. SrMMrs, uf La, moved TO strike out
! the fourth lut;ion and lHsert n provision re-
! During that aPpa:acrs shall 10 appointed to
| aGiudga tie value Of private property seized,
other Ihan fuTagS OF subsistence. Adopted.
Mr.. uEsRY moved ~ amend the Houae Bill
by c provision authorizing tue appointment
! Of tno Comm jssiunera fu- each State: one to
be- appointed by Tia President and another
by Governor, 20 fix the value of forage and
aihnrs;auco ia di.Lric.a markell off by them
in each -taic. Disagreed to.
! M.. SiMsis, ut Kentucky, offered al amend
mrnt providing that no property shall DO
;nkcn for prbi,c use at a price lrss than that
ua;d for. il by the owner prior 70 Tho first OF
| March. ID sarIuc:l TO-. Ayes J, n'rs u.
| NJ. WIGrAIL offered tho following az
suhstitmtc tor tina Senate bill:
Wh.r, n, Ia tune Of war, when the public
nscrs.I;y IL sd urgent ga not to admit OF de
lay, anu W here resort TO 0rGiniry measures
| would not hn sufficient or in TINA to advert
immediate aud impending danger, CT 10 SUIT
nv ,hs Ines M called for by emergencies of
Two service, military officers commanding
troops or charged with the duty of providing
inr an s,my, lSvs been held justified in in
pressing private property into the public ser
vice or taking it for the public use. And
ybayoss, it is proper that the citizen whose
u.cucrty ~ so taken, shUuld have just end
uromp: remuneration FROM the G1vcrhmcn',
AMI hk:,wiso d. proieiloh from the wnnton,
! onu1 cs.iva and unnrCe.SsTy exercise OF tails
power Therefore.
Ss:tion l. The Congress Of tho Confederate
! States ui auo,icu Il" snic., Thst when any
o!li:er IN tbs Military servi':e Of the Confede-
rat, Sales IN aomuand of troops, or charged
With tho duty of supplying al army, shall
improrF: into tbs public serv:co any property
beions.ng to citizen Of any Of tho Confede-
ret. Sat s. or IT, any rcscelul resident Ct tho
same, such ocel shall, hefiie sppropristlrg
the seme ~ tbs public U.S., csuse a valuation
and superintendent thercot To ba nEde by thr:
or m3rJ .lrinlrrrstct cilZ"nE,ltJ he doDewll
ont inju rus delay, GIii II tho appra:stmelIt
shall sosn, Ira .n f.. Ito SiI1l nnd"r6e upon It
his spproIal; If uas lie rhsil enlur:c ~ 1t his
rcaa0r. for refusing, Slid duIive? the sGIhn
tagotEur with receipt tor the property LII
p.es>rh - the nwarr, "l5 agent CT attorney,
and ar noGn ~ practicable inr~s'd copy
OF tho r, CO Ut and appra!;einsnt and his Tn
dor=etnnIlt toe or. 10 the head If the depart
Gaent, having c!'slsn nj tie speIloR Of proper
ty taken. Where AT apprai:smAnt rann0: DO
conveniently IA ,dr, h- nhall deliver n receipt
e. tie Gwnnr, HIS a,cnL ~ attorney, AMI i"r-
ward copy ~ above directed.
Sc - That The PERSONS selected TO ap
praise rropa;ly, IL provided in tho lat sec
t.nr, shall, II ell cases before acting, taxa and
subgcri,c ~ oath that the appI alseusnts they
az called upnn 10 make all be just as near
a. they can rdtimate t!a same, 4 fair value Of
lis impressed property.
sec. B. Where property il iTupi essed, aud
a;isr temporary Use or Ser vi e. II Ii returned
10 the cgner, his agent or attorney. the
y.lilr Uf ouch use or ecrViis shall he a#cer-
triued erd acted ulou a9 directed in ;ha fore
going section.
SEc /. That upon the production of the re-
c4ip. Of tho oilicer for property impressed and
the walnut ion Of the 1llne, or fur tho use and
sor vice If such when returned 10 tho O@ner,
approved BIZ said officer, it shall be The duty
Of the proper Disturbing officer to pay tho
amount thereof To tie cTner Of such prope1-
~ his agent or attorney. a. in the case OF
property duly purchased or hTed, aid the
acceptance Of pay from goTerEnsnt, shall in,
oil csaes opsratH Al : release OF all claim or
right Of acinn against the officer taking
tho property or ordering it to ho done -
Where there has been no appraissmeIt in
valuation or wh":o such appra2emcnt and
valuation il not approved by tho Cfti'er
taking the property. tue claim shall loo re
fcrroi Ia tho prCpsr accounting othcei Of tie
government. to 20 settled according to the
principles Of equity and justice.
| See s. That any officer III tho military ser
vice Of tho Confederate States who shsll van
tnnly or opprcssivolg iupraRs or take any
property Of citizen Of any Of tho Confederate
States. "r OF q peaceful rrshont Of Tho game,
0. Izhc SHALL do SO except "hen neccS :ary to
avert importing danger, Or to prosecute sue
cassivtly important military operations, shall
30 ,:ca.n"i 4 t: caapasscr, and held liable for
damage ia SUCH to any citizen or resident 81
d":rlvcd of big property. to be recovered Iii
sny cou.t having jnfiadctiou in tho prom
isca ard sinai further h tried before court
martial ~ military cont. aud Oh conviction
shall be dismissed the surgGe.
Disagreed to by tho following vote:
| AyFs-%r.sis. rruwn Bnrnctt. LlaIt, Clay, Esvs,
Drr,ch, M"* sell Mitchell. oldham fhal.n, WigfaD,
| Ianre:--!9
HAYs-..Messts. HarnwFll CapnTlon Haynes, Hen.
rs, Hill Hunter johnson Of Ga Orr, Peyton, eeurles,
| S;Giins, EparIu%--i"
The Scr ate substitute, az smcDGe1, YVES then
Adopted syts ii. rn:s 9.
Mr.. Hun mid tire hill was in such shape
thai it must hs reconmittei. There we're
animg0nistic pIinciples in the hill which
could not he hHrinon;zei within two daYs
hy tho Senate, whist thu committee could
perfs3t the bill lii two hours.
On motion Ly Mr.. YArCEY. The vote by
which the subati;uts clt.red hy Mr.. WIGFALL
was rciac!cA, waa r"cons'dcTed
Tho amendment wa. tbtn a1nple i--ay es
Is, noss 10
Mr.. Y.HceY movcd to amend by adding the
following:
/ Provided that no impressment Of private
property shall be made. exec pit 10 casss whore
the public peril or Danger is imminent ard
immediate, or the Ii litsry necessity 90 nr-
gent as not to admit of dslsY; Provided
further, That where an officer diin,provss Of
the valuation ,nsde hv appraissment, or none
may ba made, in such cage the party whose
property may b. taken, may institute suit
for the value Of Tho damages, 10 any court in
the Confederate SLstes, if he shal not bs sat-
isfsd with tho decision Of the accounting Off
cor Of the Government. Disagreed to-ayes
Q; bucs ii
III. HIM., o! Georgia. ctfared tho follow
ing amentm-nt as I'll independent section:
Property necessary iGr the support Of the
owner and his family, ard necessary to carry
Oh his q Ginary AGRICULTURAL md manufsc-
| t.,rir,.z h.,i,.s.: ,..Ll IL, LaxIar.i=,x IF tho