The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-03-09
OFFlC1AL-


r. n 81
Richmond, Va, March 7, 1854.
~ ENERAL ORDER, No. 20. The following
u act Of Congress concerning impsessmenis,
eSc the instructions Of the War Department re-.
speeding II are published for the information and
eireciln. Of all concerned;
An ACr n ame nd s'an act 10 regulate Impress
ments," approved March twenty sirth, eigh-
teen hundred and sky three, and to repeal an
act amendat0Ty thereof, approved april twenty
| seventh, eighteen hundred and SIXTY three
The Congress ef the Confederate States Of Ameyica
do enact, That In oil cases where property IL f0s-
pressed for the use Of The army ard navy, or for
other public use, under said act ths same shall be
paid for at the time of said tmpressmen unless an
appeal shall be taken from said valuation a. here.
mater provided according IN the uatIon asresd
upon between tho parties, ascsrtalned by loyal
and disinteFested citizens 0f the city. couu Y or
parish In which the improvement may be- made, In
the hammer and according 10 the regulations pro-
vtded In the first. second and third sections of tha
above rec!fed act, or In the eighth section thereof
where IL Is applicable.
Sec. .. Whenever the officer making the impress.
ment OF property under the act hereby amended,
shall believe that the appratse eni il fair and inst
he shall endorse his approval upon the appraise-
ment, aud make payment accordingly; but II he
shall believe that il Is not fair and Just, then he
shall refuse 10 approve, and endorse the OF
his refusal on tbs certihcate, and shall have the
heA TO appeal from the decison Of the appraisers
by reporting the case Ia the commissioners appoint
ed under said act 10 which this ia an amendment,
for their decision, whose judgment shall he final,
appropriated by the officer impYessing the same,
who shall give receip, therefor TO the owner who
shall also have the right Of appeal AZ herein provi
ded.
Sec 3. The said commissioners shall have power
to summon and examine Witness enahe them
to nix the value Of property impressed, which shall
be Just compensation for the properly so I'm
pressed, at the time and place of imprcssment; and
vhen the commissions shall have fired the value
OF property In cases Cf appeal, they shall furn sh
the owner and impressiDg officer with a statement
of such value, which valuation by the c0maission-
eFs shall he within three months from the time Of
the tmpressmeut.
Sec 4. That said commissioners shall be sworn
faithfully 10 discharge ALI their duties under this
act and the act TO which this Is an anne ndinent
Sec j. That the tenth section Of the act of which
this Ii an amendment be stricken out, and the fol-
lowing inserted instead thereof: g No slave labor
ing on farm or plantation exclusively devoted 10
the production Of grain provisions, shall be taken
for public use without the consent, of the owner,
except in case Of urgent necessity and upon tho
order of the General commanding the department
in which the said farm or plantation Is situated"
Sec. That the act amendatOry of the above
recited act approved April twenty seventh, eiph-
teen hundred aud sixty-,hree, and so much Of the
frst section OF said act rs requires affidavit IN
be made by the owner or his agent, that such prop
efty was grown, raised or produced by said owner.
or held, or has been purchased By him, not for sale
or speculation bit for his own consumption,
ee, and the same is hereby repealed
Sec. ; That no impressment shall be made IN
der this act or the act 10 which this is amrndato-
ry, for the use or benefit of contractors with the
Government.
See. g, Nothing in this shall be construed to
authorize the impressiHg officer enter an appeai
from any decision Of the !cra! appraisers under
the seventh section of the act TO which thi. is
amendatOry.
Approved, February 20, '9di,
!. lmpressElents according 10 this act, and the
act to which this is an amendment may be made
for necessary supplies for the Confederate armies
In the field and for their accumulation In maya
zines and at posts and depots, and tn carry the
various operations Of the Military BureauE CON
utcted with the War Department. whenever the
SINE cannot be obtained by contract.
Ii. They may he made urdeT orders from the
Generals commanding armies, departments, cnrps,
divisions, and ny commanders OF detached parties,
when necessity arises therefor. These orders
may he executed ny appropriate officers of the stan
belonging 10 the army. The chiefs of the various
bhreauX shall designate the ofiic r. and persons
who shat, he competent 10 make impressments u,i
der the authority conferred upon them.
I'LL. Before any impressment shall be made, the
impressing officer or his agent Will make an offer
10 the owner, his baiIee or agent, In writing, for
The purchase OF the property, describing the prop.
erty he wishes 10 purchase, the price be is willing
TO pay, and the mode OF payment, and stating thai,
upon n refusal TO accept the same, compensation
will be made according TO the acts of Congress for
the regulation of impressmcUts. This notice will
be considered IA binding the property until ,he
completion Of the negotiation for the sale and
transfer Of the same Ia the impressiRg otcer. The
properly will remain In the custody of The owner
and at his risk during h,e pending Of these pro-
ceedings, unless i delivery OF the same be there
upon made to the impre sSing officer, with his con
sent. In case OF change of possession under
these circumstances the Confederate States vii! he
regarded as the owner, and the property held for
ITS use and at its risk.
". In all cases In which the offer OF an i'm
pressing officer is refused, he viii proceed TO adjus,
the price according TO the irsl section Of the act
above recitedt6Rt Is, by the judgment Of two loyal
aad disin-resied persons Of the city, connty, or
kvS may he
10 be selected by the owner, his biee or agent, and
one by the impressing officer. In the event Of their
disagreement, these two will select an umpire Of
like qu'lihcation TIE persons thus selected will
proceed TO assess just compensation for the property
so impressed whether the absolute nership orthe
temporary thereof be required. If the imprcssr
ing ortcer believes that the appraisement is fai-
and just, he will endorse his approval and pay for
The property and the right In the object in.
pressed will become the property of the COnf-dc-
rate States. But if he does not approve of the ap
praisement he will decline to approve 1t, and en-
dorse the reasons for his refusal the certificate,
and forthwith report the case 10 The commissioners
appointed under the 9Th section of the act, 10
which the act above rected is an amendment, and
IN the meantime The properly will be taken, and a
receipt describing the property and thu proceedings
for the adjustment of the price and the appeal
given to the owner The inpyessing officer will
Immediately report the case 10 the appraisers with
statement OF the quality and condition OF the
property, and his opinion upon the subject
V, No officer or agent will impress the necessary
supplies which any pc son may have for the con
sumption OF himself, hls family, employees, slaves,
or 70 carry on his ordinary mechanical, nlanufac-
turing, or agricultural empioymcnts
Ii any question arise as 10 the fact whether the
supplies are necessary, or whether there be sur
plus, l, will ce determined by appraisers mutually
selected according 10 the preceding elton, and IN
this case the decision of the appraisers will &c
b ndins on Tie officer, who will not be allowed an
appeal therefrOm.
VI. These regulations are published "a a sGbsti-
for TIA regulations aimed In General
ders, Nos 81 and l6j, series Of 1899.
BY order.
fSigned) g COOPER,
NH 9-Iw kdi't and jpsD,r Gen