[House Bill. No. 11.] 
 
 . / 
 
 HOUSE OF REPRESENT ATIVES.^MayJi 1864— Read first 
 
 and second times, and referred to Judioiiwy-^Jomrnittee. May 12th, 
 3 864 — Reported back favorably, with amendments, and ordered to «' 
 be placed on Calendar and jyinted. 
 
 [By Mr. Dupre.] 
 
 A BILL 
 
 To jprovidefor the sttilement of Claims for Property ilhgnlly imiiressed in 
 the Trans- Mississippi Department. 
 
 Section 1. The Congress of the Confederate States do enact, 
 
 2 Tkat the agent of the Treasury for the Trans-Mississippi Depart- 
 
 3 ment be directed to audit and pay all claims against the govern- 
 
 4 ment for property illegally and irregularly impressed in that de- 
 
 5 partment, but which was used for the maintenance of the troopp 
 G therein, whenever the officer making the impressment did not 
 
 7 comply with the requirements of the second and 'third sections of 
 
 8 the "act to regulate impressments," approved the 27th of March 
 
 9 1863, by failing to furnish the owner the certificate requiied 
 
 10 therein, and to pay the value of the property, for any cause what- 
 
 11 soever. 
 
 Sec. 2. That in any of the cases provided for in the preceding 
 5 section, the owner of the property impressed shall furnish to the 
 
 3 said agent of the Treasury a list of the property impressed, sworn 
 
 4 to by him, and supported by the testimony under oath of two 
 
 5 disinterested witnesses, residing in the town, city, county or parish 
 
2. . "' 
 
 6 where the property was impressed ; one to be chosen by the 
 
 7 owner, and the other for the government ; to be chosen by the 
 
 8 nearest post quartermaster, commissary or provost marshal of the 
 
 9 place where the impressment was made, who shall certify the 
 
 10 correctness of the said list, and determine the value of the said pro- 
 
 11 perty, unless the same had been fixed by the board of commis- 
 
 12 sioners appointed for each state, as provided for in the fifth section 
 
 13 of the aforesaid act to regulate impressments: and further, in all 
 
 14 cases of disagreement between the persons so chosen for the pro- 
 
 15 perty aforesaid, the two shall select an umpire, who shall decide 
 
 16 finally upon their difierence. 
 
 Sec. 3. Should there be no post quartermaster, commissary 
 
 2 or provost marshal in the county or parish where the impressment 
 
 3 was made, then the person to be chosen as aforesaid for the 
 
 4 government shall be selected by the nearest judge of a Court of 
 
 5 Record of the State or of the Confederate States, justices of the 
 
 6 peace excepted. 
 
 AMENDMENTS 
 
 Proposed by the Committee to the bill to provide for' the Settlement of 
 
 Claims, ^c. 
 
 Section 2. Strike out the words " or provost marshal" and 
 2 insert "or" before "commissary." 
 
 Sec. 3. Strike out all after word " nearest," and insert " dis- 
 2 trict or circuit judge of the State or of the Confederate States."