Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-09-07
[PUBLIC-No. 55.1
AN ACT to cOniiscate property used for


AN ACT to cOniiscate property used for insurrec-
ilonary purposes
Be il enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States OF America in Con-
gress assembled, That it, during the present any
future instruction against the government of the
United States, after the president Of the United
States shall have declared, by proclamation, that
the laws of the United States opposed, and the
execution thereof obstructed, by combinations too
powerful be suppressed by the ordinary course of
judicial proceedings, or by the power vested in the
marshas by law, any person or pers ons, his her. or
their agent, attorney, or employee, shall purchase
acquire, sell give any property of whatsoever
kind description, with intent to use or employ the
same, or suffer the same to be used or employed, in
aiding abetting or promoting such insun ectiOn or
resistance 10 the laws, any person persons en-
gagged therein; or if any person or persons, being
the owner or owners of any such property, shall
knowingly use or employ or consent to the use or
employment of the same aforesaid, all such prop
erty is hereby declared TO be lawful subject of Pile
and capture wherever found; and it shall be the
duty OF the president of the United States to
cause the same to be seized coniiscated, and con-
demned.
Sec @ And be il further enacted That such
prizes and capture shall be condemned in the district
circuit court Of the United States having juIisdic-
ton OF the amount, in admiralty in any district
in which the may be seized, or into which they
may be taken and proceedings first instituted.
See. 3. And be it further enacted, That the At
torney General, any district attorney of the
United States in which said property may at the
time be, may institute the proceedings of cOndemna-
ton, and in such case they shall be wholly for the
benefit OF the United States or any person may file
the proceedings shall be for the of such nformer
and the United States in equal parts
Sec A. And be il further enacted, That whenever
hereafter, during the present instruction against
the government of the United States any person
claimed to be held to labor service under the law
of any state, shall be required permitted by the
person to whom such labor service is claimed to
be due, or by the lawful agent of such person to
take up arms against the United States or shall be
required permitted by the person TO whom such
labor service is claimed TO be due, his lawful
agent, to work or to be employed in or upon any
fort navy yard, dock, armory, ship, entertainment,
or in any military or naval service whatsoever,
against the government and lawful authority of the
United States then and in every such case the per-
10 whom such labor or service is claimed to be
due shall forfeit his claim TO such labor, any law of
the state of the United States TO the contrary not
withstanding. And whenever thereafter the person
claiming such labor service shall seek to enforce
his claim it shall be full and sufficient answer 10
such claim that the person whose service or labor
is claimed had been employed in hostile service
against the government of the United States, con-
tTary TO the provisions of this act.
Approved, August g. 1861.