New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-09-02
ENFORCING THE CONVERSATION ACT,
twenty-five Vessels Seized by the Surveyor.
A RICH HAUL or REBEL PROPERTY,


lions, under the authority Of the proclamation OF the
President, of toe 10th ut issued in accordance with
the act Of Congress providing for the conscation Of
property belonging to parties living in Sstes in nsur-
rection against the United States The fifteen days
that by the terms Of the proclamation to elapse
before it should be put in force expired at I2occck
on Saturday night r. L. Andrews ESQ.,, the Surveyor
of the Port having previously obtained information in
regard to all the ,hps in the harbor which were owned
in whole or in part by persons residing in the seeded
States gave notice to the revenue officers in command
at the Barge-06ice to have IN readiness 50 officers TO
await the orders of the Survey at O'Clock Yesterday
morning.
Punctuslly at that hour he Surveyor proceeded to
the barge-Oice With Inspector Thomas j. Brown, and
employing the revenue cutter G.. Birkbeck with the
fifty officers referred 10 above, for the purpose pro.
ceeied to take possession Of all the ships in port be-
longing, in whos or in part TO citizens Of States in i'm
surrection and placed board Of each revenue Off
GERS to hold the until the necessary proceedings
be instituted for their conGscation under the act
aforesaid and their consequent forfeiture to the United
States. There twenty-five vessels seized in all,
and of these about equal proportion of ships, barks,
brgs and schOcnes. Some of the vessels and cargoes
are very valuable and altogether it ia estimated that
several millions OF dollars will probably accrue to the
Goyeument-an amount at least that will prove fat
oiiret to Jea Daviss priyateering operations with
possibly a slight margin Of profit The whole affair
was quietly cOnsummaed, and by it's suddenness took
the parties interested by surprise.
We may add to this account that parties dng in
the Northern States owning parts of these vessels, and
desiring to get possession of the whole havc obtained,
or are attempting to obtain, attachments In their own
name against tho ownerS residing in the Seeded
States with view Of bringing to sale the interest Of
the Secession psres and purchasingt same in order
themselves, for the benefit of heSouth-
ern owners, their rights and interests in the ships.
The Surveyor, az will be seen, with praiseworthy
promptncss, took the earliest opportunity, after the
expiration Of the lifteou days allowed by tho Prcsi-
dents proclamation 10 seize these vessels in order to
avoid any questions which might arise in consequence
of these attachments.
plan pursued by owners living IN seeded States
has been to got their interests assigned and transferred
to parte. living in the loyal States, with view Of
avoiding the penalties of the proclamation. But as
vet these transfers have been allowed to be entered
in the Custom House. aud the collector has determined
10 inquire into the nature VI the rau5ac.ions-wheher
they ore bona c OF nOtbefore allowing the register
TO be made. There aIses I, this Investigation the
question as to when aud wlEre and under what cir
cumstances the transfer made-wheiher the
acknowledgment was made before "a notary public or
other officer in State which does not recognize the
supremacy Of the United States government The
Collector is determined to silt those questions
thoroughly. Most Of these transfers have probably
been made merely as cover and fer the purpose Of
ovadng the lax, and undoubtedly VIII be declared
void.
Possibly one OF Tao greatest questions OF law ever
rased "a The country will be nvoyedin the settlement
of points arising from the fact that vessels other than
those seized and owned, IN whole Or IN part, IN the
seeded States, have been proceeded against on the
pat Of the Northern owners by attachment, and jndL
ment confessed Icy the defendants through parties rcSd-
ing here who had received power Of attorney. and
the property taken in execution under those Judgments.
The government however, viii not recognize this mode
of proceeding SO that the right to the vessels in these
cases is likely % be contested
As they will be of interest in connection with the
above, we append the act and the proclamation:
An ACT TO COSTIsCATE PROPERTY Used FOR
NsURRECrG0NRy PURPOSES.
Be Il e4acted By me Sepgte AMI HO9Sc u RIprcscH-
tatres II TIE United Suites If Amer,co ~ Congress
qsssmbed That IT, dunn. the present or any future
ipsurrection against the Govern nent of tie United
States, after lie President Of the United States shall
have declared, by PROCLAMATION, that the laws Of the
United States are opposed, aud the execution thereof
INSTRUCTED, by combinations TOO powerful TO be sup
pressed by tive ordinary course of judicial proceedings
or by the power vested in the marshals by law, any
person or persons his, her. their agent attorney
employee shall purchase or acquire, sel or give, any
property OF whatsoever kind description, with III
tent 10 eloploy the same, or suffer the same TO
be used employed in aiding, abettng, or promoting
uch instruction or resistance 20 the laws any per-
gOn or persons engaged therein; on If any person OF
persons, being the owner or owners OF any such
properly shall knowingly Use or employ, or consent
10 the employment OF the same 80 aforesaid all
such property hereby declared to be lawful subject
of prize and capture wherever found; and 1t shall be
the duty Of she President of the United States to cause
the same 10 be seized, cOndscatod and condemned.
SEC @ Ind be = fsTttsT eilGctsf, That such prizes
and CAPTURE ehsu be condemned III the district or cir
cult court Of the United States having jurisdiction OF
the amount, or in admiralty in any district in which
the same may be seized, or into which they may he
taken and proceedings first Instituted.
SEC. 3. And eH Purifier enacted, That the Attorney
General or any district attorney Of the United States
in which said property NAV at the time 90, may nsi-
tue tue proceedings Of condemnation, and IN such care
they shall be wholly for the benefit OF the United
Stsfef; or any perSOn may file information with
such an attorney IN which case the proceedings snail
be for the of such ntorner and tue United States
In equal paIts.
hereafter during the present instruction against the
Government Of the United States, any person claimed
10 he held 10 labor OF tervce under the law ofany
State shall be required or permitted by tie person TO
whom such labor or service claimed 60 BE- due, or by
the lawful agent Of such person, 10 take up arms
sgainst The United States shall be required or per-
mted by the person to whom such labor or service is
claimed 70 be due, or his lawful agent to work or to
be EMPLOYED in OF upon any fort, hayward, dock,
srmory, ship, intrenchment 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 person TO whom such labor or ser
vice is claimed to be due shall forfeit bis claim 10 such
labor, any law Of the State or Of the United States to