Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-07-18
The Confiscation Bill.

On Friday last the committee of con-
ference from the Senate and House of
Representatives agreed upon the details of
a confscation bill, which were reported to
both Houses, and Immediately agreed to
in the Senate by vote of 81 to Is, in
the House by 80 to AZ. The bill, as
agreed upon by the committees, provides
as follows:
They recommend that the House recede from
their disagreement, and agree to the Senate s
bill with certain notifications, so as to provide
as follows; Every person who shall commit
the crime of treason against the United States
and shall be adjudged guilty thereof shall suffer
death, and all his slaves, if he has any, shall be
declared and made free or he shall be imprisoned
for not less than five years and fined not less
than $4,000, and all his estate, real and person
al, excluding slaves, shall be levied upon, any
sale or conveyance to the contrary notwithstand.
ing. If any person hereafter shall incite or set
on foot assist or engage in any rebellion or in
surrectiOn against the authority of the United
States, or the laws thereof, or shall give aid or
comfort to any such existing rebellion or insur-
recton, and be convicted thereof, such persons
Shall be punished by the forfeiture of all his per
sOIl property Vi every klnu WudbeNer or snail De
punished by imprisonment for ten years and fined
$4,000, and his slaves, if he has any, liberated
at the discretion of the court, and all such prop
erty, excluding slaves, shall be forfeited to the
United States. Every person guilty of either of
the ofenses described in this act shall be forever
incapable and disqualified to hold any Office under
the United States This act is not to be con-
strued in any way to affect or alter the prosecu-
ton, conviction or punishment of any person
guilty of treason against the United States TO
insure the speedy termination of the present re-
bellion, the President is authorized to cause the
seizure of all property, real and personal, of all
such persons, and apply and use the proceeds of
the same for the support of the United States"
Five classes of persons are affected by this bill,
viz Those who shall hereafter hold the office of
President Vice President, members of Congress,
foreign Ministers, etc, under the so-called Con-
federate States
The President is authorized to issue procla-
nation, that if, after sixty days, all persons In
rebellion do not return to their allegiance that
their property shall be forfeited, etc.
All slaves of persons hereafter engaged in re-
bcllion, or who shall in any way give aid and
comfort thereto, escaping to and taking refuge
within the lines of our army, and all slaves de-
serted by their masters and coming under the con-
troll of the Government of the Uuited States, and
all slaves found at places occupied by rebel forces
and afterwards by the United States troops, shall
be held to be captives of war and be forever free
from their service, and no longer held as slaves.
No slaves escaping from the State to the other
States, shall be delivered up, except for crime
against the law of the United States, until the
claimant shall first make oath as to his lawful
ownership, and that he has not borne arms in
the present rebellion or given aid and comfort
thereto No person engaged in naval or militia
ry service shall decide on the validity of the claim
or surrender such slaves on pain of being dis
missed from the service.
IL,