The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-12-17
THE sEoUEsTRATIoN ACT.

The seouestration act of the Confederate Con-
eress in the opinion of all who have had any prac
tical acquaintance with its operation requires es-
sential alterations if not absolute repeal. In pur-
pose and in terms, it effects nothing bat to pro-
vide trusteeship for the property of alien ene-
mics Its nominal purpose is the creation ofa
fund for the indemnifeation of our own citizens
who have sustained loss by the public enemy.
Yet no provision is made by which one cent of
the fund can be applied to the relief OF such citi-
zens, even though their wants be most urgent and
immediate. As at present framed, the law affords
no relief to the value of one cent to a living soul
in the whole Confederate States. et la
The law stops just short of accomplishing the
object for which it was avowedly enacted. 1t SIM
ply creates class of public officers charged
with the duty of taking into custody and keeping
in careful preservation all the propety OF alien en-
emies to be found in the Confederaoy. If these
absent aliens had themselves been entrusted with
the duty Of framing law for the preservation OF
their estates in the South, they could not have
devised that would protect their interests bet
ter than this our Confederate act ofsequestration.
Perishable personal property is taken into posses
sion by men of business. who have given bond
and security tor the faithful performance of duty
the property sold at time when prices are very
high, and the proceeds deposited in the Confed-
crate Treasury. In the same judicious manner
are debts collected and the moneys given over to
are also taken possession of by the receivers, care
fully protected and cultivated, and the rents duly
deposited in the hands of the treasurer. All this
is done with the greatest palus and nicely; but,
beyond it, the law stirs not step. There Is, IN
fact no sequestration. The act is misnamed in
its title. Instead of being denominated an act
for the sequestraton of the property of alien ene-
mics, it should be called an act for carefully pre-
serving the property Of alien enemies during their
Ton tba
Unless the act be so amended as to convert it
into act of confscation, it might well be re-
pealed altogether for, why should the Confederate
States encounter the heavy expense of preserving
the property and protecting the interests OF alien
enemies, if no confscaion is to come of the pro-
ceedings! If alien property is to be conhscated
at all, then it should be confscated at once, while
money is abundant and prices high. Why take two
bites at enc cherry? The law is intended as a
measure Of retaliation; the enemy's law coufscates;
why should our law stop at the pretence, without
accomplishing the reality, of sequestration? We
know a single county in which alien lands lie worth
a hundred thousand dollars. Why should they
not be sold, the money realized upon them, and
the sufferers from the enemy be reimbursed at
once portion of their losses. ..ss -saE
AS the sequestration act now stands, the suffer-
by the acts of the public enemy are not likely
to derive any benefit from its fund within any de-
finite period. very large portion of the proper
ty of alien enemies in the South consist in lands
many millions, probably hundred millions of
dollars could be realized from this source and app
piled at an early day to the relief of the persons
for whose benefit the law passed, if the law
did but permit it to be accomplished, in fact, the
purpose at which it Processes to aim. rs hs
The actual confscation, the sale, and the distri-
button of the proceeds would put an emo to the
whole subject; whereas if negotiations for peace
should ensue while the sequcstrated subject was
all still under the control and in the hands of the
government it would create difficulty and SUBJ
ject of contention, which would greatly embarrass
an accommodation. The Yankees would insist
upon their citizens being the recipients Of funds
so carefully collected and preserved; and the
peace party in the South might be in condition to
enforce compliance with such demand The
result would be that all the pains and expense Of
our government is at now, in the whole business
of sequestraton, would euure to the benefit of the
Yankees -. -
Unless Congress possesses the purpose and the
nerve to conf>cate once-to fight the Yankees
with their own fre-that body had better repeal
its sequest alton law, which can enure to nobody's
benefit but that Of the alien enemies themselves.
To confscate outright is at to provide fund
for the benefit of our citizens who have lost
their property, in many their all by tho de-
predatlons OF the enemy, many of whom are in
state ofindigence. The first news of our act of
sequesratiOn spread CONSERVATION throughout the
North; but since the shrewd Yankees have become
familiar with its admirable provisions for their
benefit they have taken the matter with the utmost
coouess. The act is a most tame and emasculate
affair." and, if some effectiveness be not put in it,
should be repealed at once.-Richnaond Ecanain.