The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-07-24
The COnfiscatiOn and Emancipation Bill
Just Passed by Congress.

BILL to suppress insurrection, to punish treason
and rebellion to seize and confscate the proper
ty Of rebels, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted bythe Senate and Hons
Of Representations Of the Unitet
States cf America in Congress assem-
6ted. That every person who shal
hereafter commit the crime of Treason
against the United States, aud shall b,
adjndged guilty thereof, shall snffel
death, and all his slaves, if any, shal
he declared and made free; or he shal
he imprisoned for not less than fiv,
years and fined not less than $4,000
and all his slaves, if any, shall be de
clared and made free; said fine shal
he levied and collected on any or all al
the property, real aud personal, ex
Guiding slaves, of which the sail per
son So convicted was the owner at tn,
time OF committing the sail crime, any
sale or conveyance to the contrary not
withstan,ling.
SEC. 2. And be 1T further enacted
that If any person shall hereafter incilr
set on foot, assist or engage in any re-
bellion or insurrectinn against the an
lhority of the United States, or the
laws thereof, or shall give aii or cnmfprl
tnorshall engayein, any suchexis,ing re
brlli"n or insurrecti"n. and be convict
ed thereof, sncl, person shall be pun
ished hy imprisonment for a period no,
exceeding ten wears, by fine not tx
cee'iing $40, 1000, ani by The liberation
of all his slaves, if any he have.
SEC. 8. And be it further enacted
That every person gully of either ol
the "ff,'nses described in this act shall
be forever incapable and disqualified Ia
hold any office, under the United
States.
SEC. 4. And be it further enacted
That This act shall not he constr ued la
any way to affect ar alter the pr"secu
ti"n, conviction, or punishment of any
person or persons guilty of treason
against the United States before the
passage of this act, unless such person
is convicted under this act.
SEC. 5. And be IL further enacted,
That To insure the speedy termination
nt the present rebellion, it shall he The
duty of the President of the United
States To cause the seizure of all the
estate and property, money, stocks,
credits, and effects of the persons here.
after named in this section, aud To ap-
ply and use the same, and the proceeds
thereof, for the support of the Army of
the United States, tha, is Ia say +: First,
of any person hereafter acting as an
officer of The army and navy of the
Rebels IN arms against the GOVERN.
ment Of the United States secondly,
of any person hereafter acting a> Pres
ident, Vice President, Member of Con
gress, Judge of any Court, Cabinet
officer, Foreign Minister, Commissions
er, ur Consul of the so-callcl Confel
crate States of America; thirdly, al
any person acting as Governor of a
State, member of Convention or
Legislature, ar Judge of any Court oi
the So called Confederate States OF
America; fourthly. of any person, who,
having htl,l AN office of honor, trust, or
profit in the United States, shall here
after hold AN Office in the sncaled
Confederate States of America filthy,
of amy person hereafter holding any
office or agency under the Government
of the so called Confederate States ot
America, or under any of the several
States "f the said Contc,leracy, ar the
laws thereof, whether such office or
agency be national, State or municipal
in ITS name or character; Provided,
That the persons thirdly, tourthly anil
filthy above describri shall have ac
cepted their appointment or election
since the date of the pretended or.li
nance of Secession of the State, or
shall have taken an oath of allegiance
t", or /" support the Constitution ot
the =" called Confederate States sixth
ly, of amy persons who, owning proper
" in any loyal State or territory al
the United States, ar in the District OF
Columbia, shall hereafter assist aud give
AID and comfort To such rebellion, and
all sales, transfers, or c"nveyances of
any such property shall be null and void
and it shall be IA sufficient bar to any
suit brought by such person or the
possession ar the use of such property,
ar any "f it, to allege AMI prove that
he Is one at the persons described III
this section.
SEC. g. Aad be it further enacted,
That II amy person within amy State or
Territory of the United States other
than those named rs aforesaid, after the
passage of this act, being engaged in
armed rtbelli,n against the Govern
ment at the United States, ar aiding
or abelting such rebellion, shall not,
within sixty days of public warming aud
proclamation duly given and made by
the President of the United States,
cease To aid, cnllmtenaiice and abel
such rebellion, and return to his alegi.
ance Ia the United States, all the es-
tate au'i property, morrys, stocks, and
credits of such persons snail be liat'le
to seizure as aforesaid, and it shall he
the duty of the President to seize. and
use them az aforesaid, or the property
thereof. Aud all sal"s, transfers, or
conveyances of any such property at
ter the expiration of the said sixty days
from the date of such warning aud
proclamation shall be null aud void ;
and II shall be sufficient bar to any
suit brought by such person for the
possession ar use of such property, or
any Of it, to allege and prove that he is
one of the persons described in this