Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-07-24
The Confscation Bill.

Congress has at last passed the confiseation
bill. A synopsis OF twill be found in another
column. 10 confscates the property OF GER
tain rebels, but its chief object scenes TO be,
10 liberatc the slaves. The passage of this act,
had il been approved by the President, would
have been sad news to the Union men OF the
South who have hoped for better things from
our pre- sent God -forsakcn Congress. There
arc thousands OF Union men impressed into
the rebel service. OF this we have abundant
evidence in the fact that they are daily escap.
ing from the rebels and coming within the
lines Of the Union army. These mer, how
over unwllngly taken into the rebel army,
would by the bill, as passed, suffer forfeiture
Of all their property, fine of 900 and an
Of ten years.
The bill is clear violation OF the Consti
tuition, as will be seen by reading a clause in
1t was voted for in the House by eighty.two
so called Republicans and voted against by
every Democrat, border State man, and four
or five Republicans. In the Senate, CowAS,
VI L as anu Dto"NlNG, vi iil', Nolcu Will tnc
Democr ats and border State men against it.
The mad fanatics, however, failed TO dra.
goon the President into an Endorsement oi
this wickedncss and folly. Mr.. LINCOLN
threatened to veto the bill unless it was
stripped OF its grossly Objectionable and un.
constitutional features. The fact ionists and
ultraists were indignant. They would never
recede. Mr.. LINCOLN drove to the capitol
occupied the Vice Presidents room, told the
Senators they might do as they pleased but
he would write his veto message, and forth
with commenced to do so. Ultraism was
furious faction shrieked, cursed and swore,
but LINCOLN said that only s.remindcd him oil
an old fellow" &c, and continued writing
hours, the crazy politicians Gained down
tho sands of the esson were fast runninJ
away, and at last a joint resolution declaring
that the coniscation bill did not and should moi
and passed. This joint resolution the Pres
ident signed holding it to be in point Of fac
part of the original bill but for the bcncf
Of Congress in communicating notice of hi.
assent, he also communicated a copy Of his
veto message that he had prepared for the
original bill. The whole was entered on the
record. This message the factionsts refused
to print.
Tho consdcation bill, as modified, is no
so bad as it might be. 1t provides punish
ment for treason and rebellion after the pass
age OF the act, and is not retrospective ant
it does not work forfeiture of real estat
beyond the life of the convicted party. Tn,
law, i. made chcctual will carry fnancia
ruin and desolation to many hearthstonc
but these hearthstoncs are already stained will
the blood of the defenders of tho Union ant
their owners are engaged in deadly war upon
the country. Let those who are engaged il
rebellion suffer the consequences. For them
all sympathy in pecuniary loss resulting from
their own acts is but mawkish sensibillity
The man who braves the law and takes ul
arms against its officers, and sho OTIS dowl
its agents, has no claims upon the sympathic
of the public. He has forfeited by his ow
act all claims to special protection from tn
Government he has assailcd, and if he ca
: be reached by taking his property, let it b
: done promptly.