Revision of the Schedules of February and March last.
Since the adoption of our last Schedule, for the months of February and March, the financial bills passed by Congress taxing the currency have seriously impaired the value of the old issues of Confederate Treasury notes. At this juncture, large numbers of horses and mules were impressed and paid for in a currency which was, in a few days thereafter, to be taxed thirty- three and one-third per cent.
The Board of State Commissioners having adjourned, and one of its members being out of the State, it could not be convened in time to review our schedule of prices. Under this state of facts, we have re-examined and re-arranged our tariff of prices so far as we have been advised of recent impressments, proposing, in this mode, to remedy any diminution of valuation which may have resulted from the action of Congress upon the currency. Therefore we assess the average value of artillery or wagon horses or mules impressed since the passage of the currency bill, of the 17th of February last, at six hundred dollars. This award will entitle each person to receive higher compensation accordingly as each horse or mule, recently impressed may be considered as being a first, second, or third- class artillery or wagon horse or mule, whether the parties appeal to our Board or not; and the impressing officers and agents should forthwith
call on all those persons of whom they impressed horses or mules and propose a settlement upon the foregoing basis; but allowing to each person only such prices as first, second and third- class artillery or wagon horses or mules may have been estimated at by the local or county appraisers, assuming our average appraisement of six hundred dollars as a fair medium valuation. This, then, would allow a maximum price of eight hundred dollars, and a minimum price of four hundred dollars, making six hundred dollars the average price — thus allowing more for first-class horses or mules and proportionately less for the inferior as they may fall below the grade of first-class. The county appraisement will be the guide in making these settlements, but within the limits of our maximum price of eight hundred dollars and our minimum price of four hundred dollars. This plan would perhaps be most satisfactory to the people. For whatever price the county appraisers agreed upon should be deemed fair within the range of our minimum price of four hundred dollars and our maximum price of eight hundred dollars; payment of whatever amount awarded to be made in the new issue of Treasury notes.
The impressing officers in those instances where there were no arbitrators or local appraisements for horses or mules impressed, should, in all such cases, themselves re-estimate the value of horses or mules thus impressed, and allow in each case such additional compensation as would, within the limits of our schedule rates, appear just and proper. But if, after this revaluation and settlement, any person should not be satisfied, the party could then appeal to our Board and have the case reconsidered.
In conclusion, it is proper to add that Mr. William B. Harrison was invited to aid us, and that the foregoing schedule received the unanimous approval of the Board of Commissioners.
Robert Gibboney,
William B. Harrison,
Commissioners of Appraisement for the State of Virginia.
Per order.
[Signed] S. Cooper,
Adjutant and Inspector-General.
Official: John A. Withers, Assistant Adjutant-General.
All appeals and communications should be addressed (post paid) to Mr. D. K. Whitaker, Secretary of the Board, box 995, Richmond post-office, Virginia, and who may be consulted at his office in the department of the Quartermaster-General. The next meeting of the Board will be held on the first week of Next December in the city of Richmond.
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