Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-08-27

LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
Passed at the First Session of the Thlrty-aeventll
Congress
[PUBIIc-No. SOL
AN ACT to conliscate propertN used for In

[PUBBo-No, 55.l
AN ACT to contiscate property used for insurrec-
tionary purposes
BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatiyes of the United States of America in Con-
gress assembled That il, during the present or any
future insurIection 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 INSTRUCTED, by combinations too
powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course OF
judicial proceedings or by the power vested in the
marshais by law, any person or persons his her or
their agent, attorney or employee, snail purchase
or acquire sell give, any property of whatsoever
kind or description, with intent TO use employ the
same, suffer the same to be used or employed, in
aiding, abetting, or promoting such instruction or
resistance to the laws, any person or 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 as aforesaid, all such prop
erty is hereby declared TO be lawful subject OF prize
and capture wherever found; and it shall be the
duty OF the president of the United States to
cause the same to be seized, contscated, ana con-
demned,
Sec 2. And be it further enacted That such
prizes and capture shall be condemned i'll the district
circuit court of the United States having jursdc-
ton of the amount or in admiralty in any district
in which the same may be seized, or into which they
may be taken and proceedings first instituted.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the At
torney General or any district attorney OF the
United States in which said property may at the
time be, may institute the proceedings of condemna-
benefit OF the United States or any person may lille
an information with such attorney in which case
the proceedings shall be for the use of such nformeT
and the United States in equal parts.
Sec. A. And be it further enacted, That whenever
hereafter, during the present instruction against
the government of the United States, amy person
claimed to be held to labor service under the law
of any state, shall be required or permitted by the
person to whom such labor or service is claimed tC
be due, or by the lawful agent of such person to
take up against the United States, shall be
required or permitted by the person to whom sucl
labor or service is claimed to be due, or his Lawful
agent, to work or to be employed in or upon any
fort, navy yard. DOCK armory, ship, entrenchment
or in any military or naval service whatsoever
against the government and lawful authority of thu
United States, then and in every such the per
son to whom such labor or service is claimed to b.
due shall forfeit his claim to such labor, any law
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 t,
such claim that the person whose service or labo
is claimed had been employed in hostile service
against the government of the United States, con
trary to the provisions of this act.
Approved, August 6, 1861.