Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-05-23
CONFISCATION.

us more than the Middlebury Register, which,
we believe, has heretofore taken constitu-
tional view Of the questions at issue in sup
pressing the rebellion. That our readers may
Judge for themselves Of the views Of the Reg
tster, we give its article entire, as follows:
"lt seems quite probable that Judge Coamers view Of
the conhscauun question Is the one substantaly that
will prevail, aud. that unless Congress shall deliberately
proceed to disregard the provisions Of the constitution
he rebels will he in no danger by sweeping condsca
uon act Judge Colammer's bill proposes fine Of not
less ihan $4,000 and imprisonment. In order 70 make
hH sH4la0le Staie governments and tribunals must be
established We are not prepared 10 take issue with
senator on constitutional question, to advise that
he requiem ens VI the sttuton for the time and the
occasion TO be set aside, but do not believe that in full
view Of such an exgcucy the trainers of the constitution
would have made 1t pOwetlcss accomplish the ends
Of Justce, and TO promote the general welfare
We have spent thousand millions " dollars sacrifs.
ed the lives II hundred thousand Ut our choicest Young
men, sent bitter anguish into the hearts Of many fami-
lies, aud all s the work Of class of who have here
toiore ruled The nation, and Who, could hey gain the
power, would make us all slaves But no reason
to hope that one In thousand Of them will n the least
considerable way pay the penalty OF bis crime, II the
measure above named IS adopted The whole thing
tquiuts to era amnesty, Ia which there will De few
or no exceptions and II the rebellion should suddenly
collapse we should find the rebels in power in
southern State and not likely To- be found very earnest in
Furnishing one another for treason. Judge Colamer
CUES that such measure will most speedily subduo the
nsurrecton, but If this is The bes that be provided
have no desire 20 see the end n this disturbance t the
southern arsocracy s crushed beyond possible re-
coVofy. II their conumacy continues to hold out this
VIII uo military necessity. The process s going on
very well now 10 Virginia and elsewhere and confess
Ne rather enjoy the spectacle aud II there is no other
way humble their nordinato pride we shall be- GLAD 90
see the application made wherever they may invite it,
Here we have the distinct statement that un-
less Congress shall deliberately proceed to
d" disregard the provisions Of the constitution,
d" the rebels will be in no danger by sweep
ing confscation act - and then after COM
menting on Judge Collamer's bill, which it
admits "is the one, substantially, that will
prevail the Begisio says eff this is the
" best that can be provided, zee are IN no hurry
" 10 haze hostiiities suspended" Now we sub
submit that the spirit that actuates the writer
Of the above, if adopted by Congress or the
Administration, would as efectually prevent
restoration of the Union, as though the
South were to-day separated from the North
by an impeneirable wall of fire. A sweep
ing confscation act with no possibility Of
amnesty and pardon to such as had no part in
bringing about the rebellion, would be virtu-
"you have committed very great sin you
have attempted to destroy this government
which it is for your interest, as well for the
whole country, should be preserved we
propose therefore to take what little property
you have, and leave yourselves and your fami-
lies in hopeless penury those who have led
you into your traitorous delusion must suffer
the extreme penalty Of the law for treason,
but, as for those Of you who have simply fol-
lowed their leadership, we only propose to
reduce few millions Of you to pauperism,
and hope that you will appreciate our extreme
lenency and come back to your allegiance
and dwell together with us in unity and lar
mony.' With such prospect before them,
will the Register be SO kind as to inform us
how many Of the rebels it supposes will ev r
return to their allegiance to the government
As an antidote to the bane o. the Register,
we commend the following extract from an
article in the Brattleboro Phanir:
In our present hght unon the subject this policy or
wholesale couhscAtion aud emancipation by the civil
power by special act Of Congress seems 20 us fraught
WIN W .NiN 49, 90. - 't''
pie have behaved canno, be treated in all respects a,
era oSd We have oes no i e he " a n
go,d ,a't oaT 'ae object va. e crush out reO?on re-
ing. Of oar so,erumea, throughout the entire couury
s5,5e h, our ioem8v expressed f.h Can ~c do mi,
through OF under any saeh general scheme Of sonseao9
The rebellion, we admit, is TO be suodued fully and c
erc,e Of a. iost anI pl1per d.crc6n. is clothed Nth nh
I3G, @"tI e 70 IAN' ls ag ''s,} s,' 20
may demand 10 render 'nls work cTsuual Am admit
10 m'iii'sr, poser When he rebellion Ias Been pa'
e .le @o'S 81 ts la ' , ''s,1 'il e,', si
is then that irrin'ed feelings are TO be so7'hea' the
trccd in ber oid.nar, lega business and pursuit, In
e@,' ss ana p' N Nn'f ' K9sey an 'i
parts o. Nrs'oi, aud Tennessee our commandue Gei-
tecton to al eil,n- and person. who sre now y, to
rns 'uu,'n, a t '' bo ..r ~, tlt
government Of resc' aud traitor, u mis- J. Tsh aud
ioeard. lie people u he remaining States wh.n feee
, ,nd5o,srt u I. ,se anly e',.r ,bs Vii tead TO rc
store 90 one people under one government
The idea advanced by certain persons that
the property Of the rebels must be conh~cated