Action of the Board of Impressment Commissioners.
The Board of Commissioners for Impressment in the
Confederate States is still in session at
Augusta, Ga. A series of resolutions have been adopted by them, among which are the following:
‘
That the practice of the Confederate Government's agents in making contracts for and purchase of manufactures and other articles for the army at higher prices than those adopted by the several Boards of Commissioners in the different States, in highly reprehensible, injurious to the
Government, and should be stopped at once by the
Secretary of War.
’
Resolved, That the habit which prevails in many sections of the
Confederacy with the
Quartermaster and Commissaries and their Agents in impressing articles for private consumption in families, is contrary to the Act of Congress regulating impressments, and should be prohibited by the War Department.
Resolved, That in impressing articles of food and forage for the use of the army the
Agents of the
Government should exercise a discretion, and impress in those sections of the different States where food and forage are most abundant.
Resolved, That in those parts of the country where the provision crop is short, and will not more than supply the wants of the country, the titles due the
Government should be commuted for in money, and left for the supply of soldiers" families and other destitute persons at Government prices.
Resolved, That upon the true construction of the act of Congress regulating the matter, the price of no article manufactured for the use of the
Government under the said act can be more than seventy-five per cent on the cost of production, excluding the cost of the raw material, which should only be reimbursed without a profit thereon.
Resolved, That the several States of this Confederacy be requested to pass such laws and take such measures as will most effectually cause the prices fixed by the
Commissioners of assessments in their States to be observed by sellers and purchasers.
And this Convention is of the opinion that the most effective mode of doing this would be for the Legislature to impose a tax on all articles sold over the schedule price for the same equal to the amount of the difference between the schedule price and that at which the article is sold.
Resolved, That whilst we would allow the largest liberty of trade to the country that is practicable, it is, in the estimation of this Convention, expedient that transportation on our railroads or by express companies, be denied to articles of prime necessity in the hands of speculators.
Resolved, That, as the opinion of this Convention, the material interests of the
Government and people of the
Confederate States would be greatly promoted by the liberal interchange by the
Government with the people of salt, spun cotton, cotton cloth, sugar, &c., for all necessary army supplies.
