Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-03-17
IMPREss%ENr IN. CONGRESS.

.IMPRESS&ENT IN CONGRESS.
In the Houseof Representatives of the Confede-
rate States, ony Tuesday last the following proceed
ings took place on the subject of impressment:
The joint resolutions from the Senate relating to
the production of provisions, were taken up and
read a first time. .--,
Mr.. H. w. Bruce, of Kentucky, was in favor of
an amendment to the following effect, and asked
that it be read for the information of the House
" ReSOLred, That the President be also requested
to ask the State Legislatures universally prohibit
the.production Of cotton and tobacco during the
present year, and that such State Legislatures as
are not now in session, be convened for that pur
pose"
Mr. Baldwin, of Virginia, offered the following
amendment to the second resolution of the Senate:
s. And that the President be also requested in
such proclamation to give to the producers Of food
the assurance that if at any time it shall become
necessary to impress provisions forage for public
uses, full and just compensation will be made to the
owner, according to the fair market value at the
time and place Of seizure"
Mr.. Baldwin, in advocating his amendment, ami
madverted with severity upon the present system
Of lmpressment, protesting against it as violation
of the rights of the citizens When it was under
stood that the Confederate government claimed the
right to seize private property without law or au-
thorty of Congress Ito seize it at an arbitrary val
uation below the market price, he thought it time
for every representative and especially every Eir
The policy. Not only was the power claimed to
violate principles underlying all good government
but to violate the Confederate Constitution itself
Government was making these seizures deliberately
in the face of law and in opposition to the written
opinion of the Attorney General of the Confederate
StateS-that the right OF seizure must be granted
by law, by act Of Congress that if the government
makes seizures otherwise it commits trespaSs, for
which any citizen had redress by law; and that no
oiheer had right to impress without such author
lty. he had seen this written opinion, delivered
SIX months ago, and again very recently 1t was
the opinion of the law officer of the government
that there was no right to take private property
under the Constitution, except at the fair market
value at the time and place Of seizure Now, when
he saw the Secretary of War committing errorand
perssting in it. directly in the face Of the opinion
given by the law officer of the go7ernment, he
thought 1t time for the people to speak out, and no
better opportunity would occur than that afforded
by the Senate resolutions. Until we could cometQ
the farmers with the assurance offered his amend
ment, 1t would be treated a. mOckery and an in
suit to urge them TO raise provisions which were
liable to- be seized at half the market value. He
hoped the House would not hesitate moment
In ENGRAVING this feature upon the resolutions as
necessary part OF the encouragement Of proper ag-
riculture. (Mr. Baldwin quoted from letter from
one OF his constituents, describing the state Of
things existing in the Valley district) The peo-
pie, be continued could not send cattle TO this city
except with the risk of seizure at little over half
the market value at the place where they started
from, or the place to which they were going. They
were afraid TO risk it. What state Of things was
this! In the city Of Richmond the other day the
government seized all the -four at prices notorious
ly less than the market value. The plea was mill
tary neceSsity-the army must be fed. lie admit
ted the force of the plea, but deniedthat it
cssary to feed the soldiers at price cheaper than
the poor people of the country feed their wives and
Thtl ,lTpD IL havinp thn
III Petersburg of bringing the people to the verge
OF starvation. lie quoted the instance OF miller,
who actually lost $50 0O0 by these impressnents-
equivalent to forced contribution to that amount
to the support of the government. Did any one
suppose that the people of the country would sub
NIT TO this Sort of thing? Did any one suppose
they would cheerfully support government which
gave them no security for private property? The
people were patriotic, and were prepared to submit
to grievances and hardshps; but it was calculating
too much on their patriotism to suppose that they
would permanently submit to seizures of private
property by government officials without any au-
thority' oflaw. He hoped the consequences would
be avcrted; but unless something done, evil
results would ensue as sure as there was God in
Heaven. 1t was the duty Of Congress to avert that
state of things-to give the people the legal and
constitutional protection which they claim-to pro.
tect them by just wise and timely legislation. lie
did not counsel resstance-God for bid! He was
for making the people patriotic by encouraging their
patriotic feelings. In answer to numerous letters
from his constituents this subject he had advised
them to appeal to the laws of the land !
Mr.. Miles, of South Carolina, demanded the yeas
and nays and Mr.. BaldwinS amendment was adopt !
ed by the following vote:
Yeas-MeSsrs. Arlington, Ashe Baldwin, Bat !
son, Boteler, Boycc, Bridgcrs Bruce, II. W., Bruce !
f. NJ, Clapp, Clark, Clopton, Collier, Davidson De !
Jaruett, Dupre Foote, Foster, Gardenhier Garnett,
Cartel, Goode, IIenly IIeiskell, Herbert Hocombe :
Jones' Kenan, of North Carolina, Marshall, Menees,
Miles, Miller, Munnerlynn Perkins, Rails, Simpson,
Smith of Alabama, Smith of North Carolina Smith .
Of Virginia, Vest VllerS, Wright of Tennessee, Mr..
Speaker-43.
Nays-Messrs Blrksdale, Burnett, Chambers,
Chiffon, Conrad, Conrow, Curry, Elliott Ewing, !
Farrow, Freeman, Garland Graham, Gray Harris,
lIartridge, Hilton, Hodge, Kenner, Lander, Lyon,
Machen, Mcdowell, McRe, McQueen, Moore Pugh,
RHSston, Sexton, Singleton Strickland, Swami
TrlppE, WEIGH, Wilcox-35.