The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1863-12-09
1mpressnsnt of Subsistence and Labor

1mpressnent Of Subsistence and Labor.
Our commonly has been considerably
exercised for the last few days, on account
OF sandry imprtssmennt orders, which have
been circulated hi Government. agents.
First, is "a notice from the Commissnry De-
pnrtmeut, served upon all producers, aud
others who are supposed TO have a surplus Of
provisions, proposing 10 buy, for tho use oi
the Government, corn, wheat, bacon, besf
cattle, &c, to be paid for in Confederate
money AT Governmsn. prices. If tire pro.
due'rs decline this proposition, they are to
consider NIL ,hoir surp'us supplies As sirsa.
dy impressed by. the Govornmsnt, the price
TO 10 determined by di.interssteJ psrsons
one 10 be named 10y the seller, one by the
Government, aud they, il necessary, will
call in u third Supplies in the hand. Of
non.producers, no. necessary for family
consumption, v i'll be taken and paid for at
Government prices. All are required not
10 remove their produce, and to hold II in
trust for tho Government.
IN san thnt sImilAr nsWees havo been
served upon TIE people Of other Districts
The proceeding se.ms to be, 80 far - We
can see, regular--stristly in accordance
with the Act Of Ccngrsss TO regulate im.
pressn,ents, and the orders Of AdjuIsn, Gsn.
sral Cooper in pursuance Of the samc.
The effect Of tie measure, il carried out
rs Indicated ia the silicisl documents. will
be to bring Hbout distress, starvation aud
shls for hi. measure had desired TO end
the ~sr, speedily, by our defeat aud subju.
CATION, they could no, have fallen upon
plan better calculated TO effect their pur
pose. II does not iujurs the producer, sx.
cspt remotely; for Js 10 allow ed 10 retain
H suhieisLcy for his own conssmp.
uon. But the nuubsr Of consumers ia Tia.
up.c"untry, who are dependent upsn this
surplus in the hand. Of producer. for sub
sisiencs. may he numbered by t.ns Of thou'
sands. Thsir condiiisn, therefore. is de.
Piorablc, if The Government takes, as it pro
poses to do, all Of this surplus.
We ssppo.s the orders will be counter
mandeL, or modified, AZ similar nisehevvuA
stsPs OF Government officials have been
heretofore bpt it ha. already done incaleu
liable hnrm, blocking NJ, for the time being,
tho channel through which ths poor were
procuring acanty ssppIics.
IL cannot bs possible that the Govern.
,nrnt is iupelIed by Necessity to adopt thi.
courss-tha, il requires. for the support uf
the army, the Tax IN kind aud all the sur
plus Of producers beside The fact taa,
they have rot vet appropriate She tax IN
kind, much Of which has been ready fer de
livery aud wasting FOR month. past, mega.
tirsn this idea. Why they are resorting to
course, which will inevitably produce
distr..s and famine among the people, be
fore oxhausting the tax 10 kind. i. insom.
prehen.Ible, except upon the suPposi.ion Of
the most culpable misns ns cement ON the
part Of Government officials.
There 10 also an order for the impress.
nsnt Of slaves TO labor on the essst. AZ
published in our last weeks Issue Tn.
labor may be nee sss,ry; but why rot pro.
cure II through the State laws which are
adequate for the purpose, instead Of resort
ing 10 the harsh MEASURE Of improvement!
The last cal! upon this District for months $
labor, We understand was promptly filled.
The negroes were not returned at the end
Of ths month; nor have they been returned
yet, though more than two months has
elapsed since they were sent. 10 The face
sfthsse facts. another order comes, from
Confederate authority. to impress a mum Der,
IN addition TO those they have retained in
sioiation ofihe original Sgreen,snt.
TIE honest country man don't understand
aha, IL Is necessary 10 submit to sueh des-
Pot'e measures, In ordsr 10 gain ind~pend.
snee. u makes the people dissatisfied with
the existing order OF things, suspicious oi
fhe -6overnment, and dolracis from tina,
unity Of feeling aud sympathy with ,h.