Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-12-14

to the Commissioners upon schedule prices.
AS these persons had already appraised
property OF the sort in dispute, it is clear
that the practical operation Of these laws
in either case is to give the owner ouiy
schedule prices. For instance, in the case
of horse, the owner may always be sure
that if he choose to make ever so MI CHI
opposition it will result in his getting only
the price of one or another Of the classes un-
der the schedule. A paper now in
hand, being warning to gentle
man in Orange that the government agent
wished to buy horse, makes this evil
dent, for the proposal made by him is ec-
lressly to buy it at schedule prices, the
penalty being an iupressment. OF course
such All officer would never approve an
award by referees giving greater price.
Ile would appeal until he brought it
where it was certain that none but sched-
ulc prices would be given. So we'll, in
deed, is this understood, that, as [ was in.
formed, the referees at Ilillsboro' confined
themselves to assigning the horses to one
or another of the classes in the last sched-
ule. And, as might well have been an
ticipatei, in the whole assembly OF irri-
tated and outraged citizens, no one took
oia appeal.
In discussing this matter am not to be
cheated with words. press through
them into the substance OF this transac-
ton and 1 gather the intention of govern
ment from the uniform action of its agents
through period of years, and after its at
tention has confessedly again and again
been called to tho subject. What was
done in my own county in November
1864, has been done (aad often in much
more Calling manner) in other counties and
other States, in the Spring and Fall Of
lSG2--in the Spring and Fall of 1868, andi in
the Spring and Fall of 1864; and that which
has,been cited in regard to horses, has been
done time and again in regard to wheat,
corn, cattle and many other articles OF
property. am not then to be abused by
having pointed to my attention that the
act of Congress provides in terms for
"just compensation" I reply that the
ACT, after using these smooth words, i'll
augnrates a system of proceedings which
never has given the citizens that co,npen-
sation of which il speaks. 1t of pnr-
pose keeps the word of promise to the ear,
and breaks it to the hope. Throughout
the whole State, and so far as am intorm-
ed throughout the whole country. its oper-
alton has been Uniform. It cannot be
that such uniformity Of action among many
different persons who have no opportunity
for consultation, has not been dictated by
the common source Of their appointment -
| mean the government. Mr.. Memlnin-
ger and Mr.. Trenholm, who have tried
one wild experiment after another upon
the currency, make use of these comms-
sioners of schedule prices in the course Of
these experiments; and the Instructions
under which they act are to deprsss
prices to standard in accordance with
some fighty notion these gentlemen en-
terrain as to the value OF Confederate
Treasury notes. They are making their
experiments a. the expense of those per-
sons whose property they impress. Upon
what show Of propriety is this done2 II
the currency have deprecated because it
is too abundant, experiments to raise its
value should be tried at the general ex-
pense of the whole country. The method
by which those experiments are to be
made is taxation. No constitutional prin-
ciple can be more automatic than this. The
constitution prohibits all ssch trifling with
private rights under the head Of impress
nents, by s,ipulating on behalf of the
citizens for lust compensation" What
All outrage, then, upon that constitution, is
| it for the Confederate Government to
suggest to its commissioners as part of
their duty i'll fixing imprcssment prices,
to consult other influences than the gem
cral market value of an article! What a
mixture Of absurdity and grievous oppres-
sion is it to make private persons whose
property is taken by government, contri-
butte far above their proportion towards
establishing a state Of things, the benefits
of which belong to the public in general |
Our Indignation would rise all the higher
did we fully appreciate the fancifulness
and the eccentrcity displayed in those ex-
periments: The variety of their plans,
and the solemn censure which one philoso-
pher passes upon the unsuccessful expert
ments Of his predecessor, carry the
memory back to the age of the alchemists,
and their marvellous endeavors to trans
mute the baser metals into gold. But it is
not necessary in this argument to insist
upon that-it is most plain that even if
these experiments resulted in success, they
should he mace at the expense of the
whole community.
l am not understood as denying to the
government the right to seize private
property whenever needed for its use
1t has perfect right to do so. The point
upon which I have insisted is that it must
pay just compensation therefor. It must
pay for such property, all that private
person would have to pay Tor it. The
government has only one advantage in
such matter over the citizen who wishes
to buy. Itcan compel a sale. But it
cannot force upon the owner less price
than his neighbors would have given, had