Shreveport news. [volume] (Shreveport [La.]) 1864-1865, 1865-04-11

prohibits the public officers from inn
pressing supplies without making
payment Of the valuation at the time
Of impressment. The limit fixed for
the issue of Treasury notes has been
nearly reached. and the Treasury
cannot always furnish the funds ne
cessary for prompt payment. while
the law for raising revenues, which
would have afforded means for dimin-
ishing, was, if not removing this diff
Guilty, unfortunately delayed for sew
eral months, and has just been
signed.
In this condition of things it is
impossible to supply the army al
though ample stores may exist in the
country. Whenever the owners re-
fuse to give credit to the public Off
Ger, it is necessary that this restric-
ton on the power of impressment
be removed. The power is admit
ted to be Objectionable, liable to
abuse, and unequal in it's operation
on individuals, yet all these objec-
tons must yield to absolute necessi-
ty. 1t is also suggested that the
system of valuation now established,
ought to be radically changed. The
legislation requires in such cases Of
impressment, that the market price
be paid, but there is really no mar
ket price in many places. and then
valuation is made arbitrarily, and in
deprecated currency. The result
is that the most extravagant prices
are fixed, such as no one ever
expects to be paid in coin. None be-
iieve that the Government can ever
redeem in coin the obligation to pay
fifty dollars bushel for corn, or sew
en- hundred dollars a barrel for -four.
1t would seem to be more just and
appropriate to estimate the supplies
! impressed at their value in coin, to
give the obligation Of the govern
mont for the payment of the price in
coin, with reasonable interest, or, at
the option Of the creditor, to return
in kind the wheat or corn impressed,
with a reasonable interest also paya-
BILE in kind, and to make the obliga-
tons thus issued receivable for all
payments due in coin to the govern
inent.
Whatever may be the value at
tached by Congress to these sugges-
tons, it is hoped there will be no
hesitation in so changing the law as
to render it possible to supply the
army in case Of necessity, by the i'm
pressment of provisions for that pur'
pose. The measure adopted to raise
revenue, though liberal in its provis'
iors, being clearly inadequate tc
meet the arrears of debt and the cur.
rent expenditures, some degree OF
embarrassment in the management Of
the finances must continue to be felt
1t is to be regretted l think that the
recommendation of the Secretary Of
the Treasury of a tax on agricultu
raj income, equal to the augmented
tax on other incomes, payable II
Treasury notes, was rel ected by Con
gress. Thi. tax would have contri
hutea materially to facilitate the pur
chase of provisions and diminish the
necessity now felt for supply o
coin. The measures passed by Con
sreSs during the session for recruit
ing the ARMY and supplying add
tional forces needed for the public de
fence, have been in my Judgment in
sufficient, and am compelled by I
profound conviction of duty, anc
} stimulated by a sense of the peril
! which surround our country, TO urg
upon You additional Legislation o,
the subject. The bill for the EN-
ployment of negroes as soldiers ha
. not vet reached me, though the prin
, ted journals of your proceeding
inform me Of its passage. MUG
benefit is anticipated from the meas
ure, though far less than would hav
resulted from its adoption at an ea'
r lier date, so as to afford time fo
r their organization and instruction
, during the winter months.
, The bill for diminishing the nun
: Der of exempts has just been mad
the subject of a special messag,
: and its provisions are snch as wonl
{ add no strength to the army. III
recommendation to abolish all ella:
e exemptions has not met your favo
: although still deemed by me valu
i Bile and important measure. and II
: number of men exempted by ne
clause in the act just passed is belle
v ed to be quite equal to that of tho
5 whose exemption is revoked. a Ia
e of few lines repeating all class e
h emptions. would not only strength'
the forces in the field. but be st
S more beneficial by abating the ma
It rual discomfort and jealousy create
If in the army by the existence of elias
:, es privileged by law to remain
e places of safety, while their fello
sc citizens are exposed in the trench
h and the field. The measure mo
Y needed however, at the present tin