Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-10-18
The Rebel Conflscation Act.

The eminent conhscat0r of other peoples
goods, Mr. Judah 7. Benjamin, has issued a
Circular Of Instructions 10 the Receiver under the
Confsoation Act Of the Rebel Congress This
circular is dated department of Justice, as if
in mockery of that hoodwinked and blindfolded
divinity. From it we learn that the act for
stealing private property is much more broadly
interpreted than we had suspected. The Rebels say
il was passed in retaliation for the Confiscation
Act of the late Congress it, however, not only
retaliates but outdoes, to an immensurable ex-
tent, even the widest latitude Of Gen. Fremonts
proclamation. MIR. Benjamin tells his agents
that the law applies to all citizens of the United
States except Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky,
Missouri, District Of Columbia, New-Mexico,
Arizona, aud the Indian Territory, and to all
citizens in these States and Territories who may
commit hostilites against the Confederate States,
or aid and abet the United States n the war.
1t also applies to all persons who live in the
United States, whether citizens thereof or not
that is to say, if British or French house in
New York have a million invested in land or
any other property in the South, snch property
is to be forthwith seized for confscation il au
Irish widow owns house in New Orleans, she
residing in the North, though she may be Sc
cessionist in sentiment, away goes her house 10
JeH. Davis's war fund Every person, native or
foreign, citizen or alien, who lives within the
boundaries Of the loyal States, is declared to be
an enemy, and all his or her property within tue
Confederacy, and as much more as they have
the power to stea, is cOnfscated. The law has
the merit of simplicity, at least.
The Receivers are directed to seize at once all
such property in their respective dstricts-there
are no exceptions the words are ''all the pro-
''perly, of every nature and kind whatsoever,
belonging TO alien enemies" No tenderness
here to the peculiar institution; nigger property
is no more sacred than whisky and tobacco
I II. -
property, the entire population within their
reach are to submit to a searching examination.
The Receivers are to examine, first attorneys
and counselors, presidents and cashier of banks,
and principal administrative officers of railroad
aud oil other corporations; oil agents of foreign
corporations, insurance agents, commission mer-
chants engaged in foreign trade, agents foreign
mercantile houses, dealers in bills of exchange,
executors and administrators Of estates (if a dead
Seeessionist has left 500 to sick child in the
North, jeff Davis will rob the orphan) assgnees
of insOlVent estates, trustees, aud, lest this
enumeration should not cover everything, Ben
jamin adds that they are to examine oil persons
who do business as agents for others.
| The questions which these persons are ex-
| pected to answer are Have you or have you had,
since May 81, 1861, in your possession or under
your control, any land or lands tenement or
tenements, chattel or chattels Jldck, malatio,
or straight, any right, credit or credits owned
by an alien enemy, or in which any alien enemy
has any right title, or interest directly or in
directly? Ii this be answered affrmatiVely, the
property must be minutely described and its
value and income made known. The third ques-
ton requires information to be given Of all debts
due to alien enemies or Northern men, with all
particulars ofplaces, times and persons Having
thus answered so faT as he is himself concerned,
| nnans
and he is bound to tell everything that he knows
or suspects about his neighbors business-in
fact the question makes every man common
informer against every other man, and covers
the entire country with system Of espionage.
Aud as il this were not enough, the final question
| requires that each person shall estate all else
''lhat you know which may aid in carrying into
'full effect the sequestraton act Of the Both of
"August. 1861, aud state the same rs fully and
particularly as ii thereuntO specially inter
''rogated." The Receiver. is to inform all persons
questioned that the law compels them to give
full aud correct answers and information, and
any failure to do will be severely punished
lu the case of attorneys aud agents, they are not
to wait to be called upon, but If they fail speed
lily to inform the Receiver as 10 property subject
to the law, they shall ''be guilty Of high mis-
| "demeanOr, and upon conviction, shall be fined
sin sum not exceeding five thousand dollars,
"and imprisoned not longer than six months,
'Gnd be liable to pay, besides, to the Copfeder-
"ate States, double the value of the property or
"interest of the alien enemies SO held OF subject
"to his control"
1t is under this sweeping enactment that the
editors in the South are boasting of having
seized property to the extent of hundreds ofmil-
lions, and under this act that agents of the Rebel
Government sound the pockets of passengers
coming Northward, rObbing them of whatever
money they may have, as they repeatedly done
on the Nashville Railroad. They do not mean
to pay back dollar Of seized property, and such
foreign houses as may have their effects seized
may as we'll make up their minds to carry it to
account of profit and loss. Blackboard the
pirate never made cleaner sweep of thecoffer
of Mexican galleon than those highway rob
bers mean to make of the property within the
reach ~ Y. Tribune.