Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-06-06
The Con6scation Bill.
From Chicago Journal, May n


The House yesterday passed one OF the
confiscation bills recently reported by the
special committee, with an amendment offer
ed by Roscoe Conkling, Of New York, pro.
viding that all persons who have accepted
appointments and taken the oath Of allegiance
under the rebel State Governments sincs the
passage Of the ordinance Of secession, shall be
included in its penalties. An amendment
giving freedom to oil the slaves was rejected,
receiving only 81 votes. a... -.a~ta a7e "
The measure in its present shape appears
to be satisfactory, though some Of the Re-
publican members voted against it, on what
gre und we are not informed. Some Of the
more radical members probably opposed it
because it did not 60 far enough to suit them
and some of the more conservative" oppos-
cd it because it went too far to suit them.
The bill provides that all the property OF
all persons hereafter acting as officers in the
rebel army or navy, Of any person hereafter
acting as President, Vice. President, member
Of Congress or Judge, under tn, so-called
Confederate States Governments, Of any per-
sons hereafter acting as Governors or mem
bers of Legislatures or State Conventions un-
der the rebel State Governments, Of any per.
son who, having held any office of trust, hon
after hold an office in the rebel States, Of all
persons hereafter holding any Office Or &C.
cepting any employment under the general
or State Governments OF the Confederate
States, and of all persons who in any way as.
sist the rebels, having property in any loyal
State or Territory, or in the District Of Col
umbia. shall be forfeited to the United States
and declared lawful subjects ofprize and cap.
e. :,~l. ~
the United States against the expenses oi
suppressing the present rebellion.
The bill also provides that the President
shall by proclamation warn all persons who
are engaged in the rebellion, or who may, in
any way, aid or abet the same, that unless
they cease to aid, abct or countenance the
rebellion within sirty days after such warr-
ing, all their property shall in like manner
be declared forfeited to the United States.
Such confiscated rebel property found in
any Of the loyal States, or districts whore the
Federal Judiciary is established, shall be leg
ally proceeded against, before the proper ju-
dicial tribunals, and that in those sections
where no Federal judiciary exists, the prop.
erty shall be held until such judiciary shall
be rc-established I; but all pcrishablc articles
shall be used or sold under certain rules.
The bill provides that the proceeds Of all
property sold in pursuance of this bill, shall
be deposited in the Treasury Of the United
States. and that the property Of disloyal per-
sons who are indebted to loyal citizens shall
be applied to the paying such Indebtedness.
The bill will now have to pass the ordeal
of the Senate, and We see no good reasons
why it should not become law. The sixty
days warning to the prvates in the rebel ar
my, and to others not acting as leaders or
officers, is a "saving clause" that obviates
the objectionable features of other measures
proposed in the Senate. The bill, in its pres
ent shape, ought to pass and become law.