The destruction of cotton.
The following bill was reported in the Senate on Saturday, by
Mr. Henry from the Military Committee:
"a bill to Regulate the destruction of property under Military necessity.
- "Section 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, that the military authorities of the Confederate army are here by authorized to destroy cotton, tobacco, military and naval stores, or other property of any kind whatever, that might be of use to the enemy, when necessary to prevent the same, or any part thereof from falling into the hands of the enemy.
- "Sec: 2 That all owners of cotton and tobacco are prohibited from moving the same into any military district, without permission of the millitary authorities of said district, on penalty of having the same destroyed by the said military authorities at the loss of the owners thereof.
- "Sec. 3.
That the owners of tobacco and cotton who shall destroy the same, when necessary, to prevent said cotton and tobacco from falling into the hands of the enemy shall be indemnified for the loss in the same manner as if those articles had been destroyed by the military authorities aforesaid: Provided, full proof is made of the value of said property so destroyed, and of the necessity of its destruction, to prevent it falling into the possession of the enemy."
Ordered to be printed.
Mr. Haynes presented a substitute to the bill, which was also ordered to be printed, It is as follows:
- "Section 1. The Congress of the Confederate States do enact, That all citizens of the Confederate States who are or shall be owners of any cotton, rice, sugar, tobacco, corn, wheat, flour, bacon, pork or beef, or other agricultural products useful to the enemy, shall, whenever necessary to prevent said articles from falling into his possession, burn or otherwise destroy the same: Provided, That by ordinary diligence it shall be impracticable for said owners to transport said articles to some piece of safety within the State.
- "Sec 2.
That in the event said articles cannot be transported as aforesaid, and it shall become necessary to destroy them as provided in the first section of this act, then upon full proof by the owners of said articles before, the Court of Claims of the Confederate States, first, of the quality and value of said articles; secondly, of the impracticability by ordinary dilizence and reasonable cost to transport said article as herein before provided; and thirdly, of the necessity to destroy the said articles to prevent them from falling into the hands of the enemy, the said owners shall be entitled to judgment for the value of said articles, to be satisfied out of any moneys in the treasury not other wise appropriated."
The Senate then went into Executive session.