The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-07-17

n
t SPeeulat0ra. 4
RICHMOND, Va, July 10, 1865.
THE DECREE OF coNF1sCAr1oS GONE
FORTH.
A Confiscation Department has been
duly lnal4g4rated in this city under the
auspices of Judge Underwood, with his
son as one of the chief officers. The
prehminarIes in the work of confiscA-
tlon were commenced to-day bv the
seizure Of the Tredegar Works, the
property of General Joseph r. Ander-
son, and the service of notices upon the
tenantry of other citizens of wealth to
pay no more rent to the parties from
whom they rented the PROPERTY
Among these citizens I have heard
mentioned the names of Joseph h. and
w M. q. Crenshaw, James H. Grant,
VIM. C. Allen, the HaxaIls, former
ProprietOrs of the celebrated HaxalI
flour mills, and many others of the
wealthiest citizens of Richmond. The
Contlscation agents were engaged all
day. taking descriptions -ofr property
liable to cOntischtion and giving notices
staying the payment Of rents to the re-
puted owners. This movement was
apprehended since the failure of the
deputation from this city to induce the
President to modify the thirteenth
clause OF his amnesty proclamation,
" u4CA dCCeplS lEOLu OlEuOn persons
Worth over twenty thousand dollars.
1t was supposed at first that this clause
had reference only to parties who hold
commissions in the rebel army above
the rank of Colonel, or a correspond
ing rank in the navy. Now, however,
THE opinion seems to prevail that all
persons in the COnfederacv not known
to have been loyal to the United States
government are subject to this decree
of contiscation. All seem now to con-
cur in the idea that the agrarian policy
is to be enforced, and that a sweeping
system of cOnfScatiOn, which will EN-
brace all classes owning over twenty
thousand dollars worth of property,
has been fully and finally determined
upon with n view to the PAYMENT of
the Northern war debt, or as much of it
as possible.
The consequence is a perfect stagna-
ton of all enterprise in the way O F re-
building or improving house property.
Fully three-fourths, if not more, of the
lots included in the burnt district are
liable to cOnfiScatfOn according to the
principle which seems to be determined
upon. That being the case, the citv is
destlned to continue in its present con-
d1tlon for long time to come, unless
the decree of cOntiscatiOn is promptly
enforced and the rights of property in
this district finally determined.
The conhscation list, as understand.
embraces, among Il series of other build
lngs in this city, the SpOttswood Hotel,
the property of Joseph H. Crenshaw
the L nited States Hotel, the property in
part of the CabeII family: the Ex-
change Hotel, the property of Lancas-
ter u Son, brokers; the st. Charles Ho-
tel, which was used as a hospital for a
time by the rebel government, owned
by n wealthy firm in this CITY; several
houses, the property of Mr.. William C.
Allen, a citizen of large wealth. and a
large number OF other houses, a list of
which will endeGvOr to send vor.F1v-
next mail.
The city is in state of considerable
excitement in consequence of this
movement, and men who lately es-
teemed themselves worth hundreds of
thousands, now look forward to a fl-
ture of distress and poverty. Many re-
gret that they had not sold out before
this movement was practically inaugu-
rated. They have had manv favorable
offers, but refused to accept them from
an idea that property would rapidly en-
hance under the influence of the large
competition which bids fair to arise
within the next six months. Parties
who have already been -pardoaed are
deeply concerned about the fate of their
property, the inference from the Presi-
dents response to the Richmond dele
CATION leading to the Impression that
the pardon only remitted the offence of
treason, leaving them liable to the pen
alties decreed by the confiscation act.
1t is very certain that but little svmpa-
thy is felt for many of those who are
to abide this penalty, much of the prop
erty acquired being the Accommodations
of grinding system of speculation
which brought sorrow and suffering to
many poor families. The dav of retri-
button for these sharpers is evidently
at hand, and it will be a severe one.
Judging by the comprehensive charac-
ter of the movement which has been
this day inaugurated.