the special articles to the ordinary standard, and no extraordinary changes in the condition of the country have occurred since the last schedule was fixed, then the impressing officer is advised to appeal from the local appraisement to the commissioners, as the legally appointed tribunals to settle value, and as, in the order of reason, the most competent, they having been constantly studying the circumstances, which might modify conclusions on this mooted question.
When a party refuses to give information to an impressing agent who exhibits his credentials, the officer shall apply to the officer in charge of the nearest reserve organization, who will be required to enable him to examine into the stock of supplies in the possession of the party refusing information.
When notice of impressment has been given, and the business is only awaiting settlement, if the holder, instead of retaining it for the Government, refuses to deliver it, or disposes of it otherwise, then the same reserve force shall be invoked, and the impressed property seized, or an equal quantity taken from 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 surplus available as rapidly as they can. * * Bonded agriculturists are as much in the service as they would have been if not conditionally exempted.
Whenever one of these is found bartering any of his supplies, or selling to any other than the Government, or the families of soldiers, or at rates other than those prescribed, or is not strictly devoting his whole attention to the production of supplies, evidence of the fact must be at once furnished to the appropriate enrolling officer, and the name of the party, and the 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 the Government.
The Secretary of War will direct that the order to the enrolling officers and commandants of reserves be given; also that directions to the district attorneys be sent to prosecute promptly all who have not fulfilled the terms of their bond.
If any man liable to military service, who has not been detailed or exempted from such service for any purpose whatever, is found engaged in speculation in articles of army subsistence, or engaged in any other business prejudicial to the interests of the Government, it is your duty, as one of its officers, promptly to report him.
Approved:
(Signed)J. A. Seddon,
Secretary of War.
(Circular Subsistence Bureau, 9th September, 1864.)
