Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-08-09
The Confscation Act a Law.

A dispatch in yesterdays appeal gave the
gratifying infornato, that President Lincoln
hts approved the confscation Act and resolu-
ton supplementary thereto. The resolution
referred to removed the ohjectious which the
President had urged to the bill. 1t provides
that the bill shall not be so construed as t"
apply to any acts done prior to the passage
thereof, nor to include any State Legislator or
Judge of the so.called Confederate States"
nor to work the forfeit. re of the real estate of
a rebel offender beyond his natural LIFE. In
urging the objections thus removed the Presi-
dent gave renewed evidence of that spirit of
humanity and careful regard for constitutional
restrictions and the dictates Of sound policy
which have actratcd him in all his dealings
with this iniquitous rebellion. Long ago he
said, alludinS to some extraordinary cxpedi-
cnts Of the rebel authorities--"T They can at
ford to do wrong, ! cannot" He is detern-
ined that the war against treason shall reh,.:'
oac of justice. not of passionate vindictivc-
ness. The bill as it now stands authorizes
the confscation of all the personal property,
slaves included, of whoever shall be guilty of
rebellious acts or plots subsequent to the time
of the bill becoming a law. All previous Of
tenders thus have an opportunity to escape
this penalty by Immediately returning to
their allegiance. Real estate will not be for
feitcd beyond the lifetime of offenders, TO the
injury of possibly innocent heirs Why State
Legislators and Judges are exempted from
the penalties of the bill is not stated in the dis
patch, but can be surmised with sufficient cor
RICHNESS The bill declares the holding Of
civil positions under the rebel authorities to
be reasonable and therefore involving the
penalty of confscation. Now it is probable
that great many persons have held offices
as Legislators and Judges i'll the insurgent
States who have not at any time given aid
and comfort to the rebellion. Indeed, we
know that in the Legislature Of every rebel
State there were many true men who spoke
and voted against secession. and who have
not done more than to perform ordinary leg.
islative duties since their States resolved
themselves out of the Union. 1t would be
hard to assume that these men, for being
members of rebel State Legislatures only,
were traitors and deserving Of punishment as
such and it would be difficult to discriminate
as between them and their really traitorous
colleagues. Then it is polite, perhaps, to leave
no obtacles in the way OF securing the aid Of
the Legislatures of the Confederate States in
bringing their States back into the Union by
the effect of our own civil authorities. Near
ly the same reasoning will apply in til" case
Of the Judges, though it is probable that the
supplemental resolution is SO worded as as to
discriminate somewhat in both Gases. But
whatever arc the precise reasons for the Pres
idcnts objections and the passage Of the sup
Elemental resolution, the action Of both the
President and Congress in the premises
evinces an anxious desire to be just in punish
mcnt and as mcrciiul as consistent with the
future peace and homer Of u greatly wronged
people. Evidences have been accumulated
mountain high that the Government is wag-
ing the war solely to preserve the Union, en-.
force tho laws, and secure tho perpetuity Of
free institutions. Hitherto it has put forth
its power only to protect and save; now that
for the first time it proposes to punish, who
but treason sympathizers will otject.-Ma-
rysriUe Appeal.