r 
 
 Duke University Libraries 
 To (he officers 
 Conf Pam q#90 
 
 DTlObOfllOX 
 
 
 
(Dire Cjncf faiiissarj) \\. •£., 
 
 CUE: ' SKI'T. UTH, 18**. 
 
 To the Offirrrs and Agents of islence Deparh ■'.-■ State of North I 
 
 I most respect fally en'.! youi s annexed Circular of the Comi lent!, appi of by the lion. 
 
 Secretary of War: 
 
 This Circular seta forth the Li I in certain cases, the duties an 1 responsibilities of Bonded, detailed and 
 
 exempted Agriculturalists, (who, in fl ■ ' ir, arc considered "as much in the sjrrtw M ■ been if not 
 
 conditionally exempted,") and the pcnilty of 
 
 obligations of tlieir li- 
 lt also sets f»rth certain duties I 
 keep and perform ; not the I I el 
 duty who have been exempted or On t riled f 
 clos of Army Subsistence, or toga 
 
 their part with a strict and faithful icrformanco of t lie conditions and 
 
 inired of the Officer faithfully and diligently to 
 
 i;h of the Circular,) is to report all :<> military 
 
 any purpose whatever, whenever foujd engaged in speculating in arti- 
 ■ iial to the interest i 
 
 I am, very respectfully, y ur moat ob'l ser?'t, 
 
 .) 1 X. Muj. &C1 S., 
 
 forth* State of N. C. 
 
 IBCCLAS 
 
 
 (Jc \t Slates of %wm, Subiaimte department 
 
 .RICnMONU, SEPT. 6TII, l- I 
 When enacting laws f< r impressment, ' ■ n rcss could not have expected impressing officers as a class, to be compctcot to settle tho 
 meaning of the word value or just compcr, • Jurists a:: 1 Political F.cononii-ts have been unable to determine <n a definition, 
 
 or principle of ascertaining the just value of an article. Under Congress enicted that Commissioners jointly 
 
 ahosen by the Confederate and 8tate Exeontlrea, should at inti rals fix the ralne of con as the best modi j what was 
 
 just compensation; and thus fulfilling thexcansti quiroment in cases of impressment. The Bchcdules fixed by these Boards 
 
 for tho respective States monthly, were objected to by certain p ies, and the objeotion sustained on me ground that value at the time 
 of an impressment could not be determined by rates fixed anteriorly : consequently, in any rase of m h her of property 
 
 in the hands of speculators or producers, the appraisement by neighbors selected by both parties is required; and either party, if not 
 satisfied w : t!i the award, can appeal to the j >in t C 
 
 In cases where one half of the meat which a parly b I i v, r the subsistence of those dependent on him, was impressed, in 
 
 accordance with the law promulgated in Geleral Order No. 39, the necessity of promptly supplying him with an equivalent, settled the 
 principle that just compensation required the local cost of the r.v'iole, and such appraisement by neighbors mutually selected, was 
 made final without appeal. 
 
 Whenever the locil appraisement of a rain's surplus exceeds the price fixed by the last schedule of the ' era in the 
 
 by an amount more than to be understood by any superiority of the special articles' to the ordinarytttandard, and no extraordinary 
 changes in the condition of tho country havr oocurre 1 since hcdulc was fixed ; then the Impressing Officer is advise 1 to ap- 
 
 peal from the local appraisement to the Commissioners, as the legally appointed tribunals to settle valie, and as in the crder of reason 
 the most competent, they having been constantly studying the circumstances which might modify conclusions on this mooted question. 
 
 I 
 
.... :;■ i to give inform ition to an Impressing Agent who erbil.it, his'cre<tsntials, the officer sball apply to tlic officer 
 iocl • - i the ncir. st reserve organization, who will bo required to enablo him to examine into the stock of supplies in the possession 
 ,, r •• ■. !-':■ •_• inform 
 
 been jiven, and the business is only awaUing settlement, if the holder, instead of retaining 
 I il or Ji-posesof it otherwise, then the same reserve force shall be invoked, and the impressed prop- 
 id, or an equal quantity taken fr m the party, on the ground that he has not alienated what was the .Government's, but what 
 he considered his own. 
 
 Officers will proceed to impress all the supplies available as rapidly as they can. 
 
 Bonded agriculturalists are as much in the service as they would have been if nut conditionally exempted. Whenever one of these 
 ; ! round bartering any of his surplus or selling auy to others than the Government, or families of officers and soldiers, or at rates other 
 tain thosj prescribe!, or is nit strictly devoting his w'jole attention to tuc production of supplies, evidence of the fact must be at onco 
 furnished to the appropriate enrolling officer, and the name of the party and tho enrolling officer sent to the Bureau of Conscription.— 
 The District Attorney shall be furnished with the information preliminary to a prosecution of the offender on his bond. 
 
 Officers will also ascertain from the bonded farmers with whom they deal, the amount of meat they have contracted to deliver, and 
 how much surplus subsistence they have, and see that one-half goes to tho Government. 
 
 The Secretary of War will direct that the orders to the Enrolling Officers and Commandants of Reserves be given ; also, that direc- 
 tions to the District Attorneys bo sent to prosecute promptly all who have not fulfilled the terms of their bonds. 
 
 If any man liable to military service who has been detailed or exempted from such srrvice for any purpose whatever, is fouad 
 engaged in speculation in articles of Army Subsistence or engaged in any other business prejudicial to tho interests of the Government, 
 it i- your duty as one of its offic3rs promptly to report him. 
 
 (Signed) L. B. NORTHROP, C. G. S. 
 
 Approved, 
 
 (Signed) James A. Seddon, Soc'y of War. 
 
 OlTirHl, 
 
 S..B. Bbf.wer, Major & C. S. 
 
pemrulife* 
 
 P H8.5