The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1862-04-29
onnnsenttan.

ihe subjeci iu DeiA tIouAta Aaa IVY"
Errel ,o stlea committees. Il does not
noe apwar "A If any sweeping ooaiisea-
lion law would bc cuaelcd, ard lor reasons I
which pe have IN a measure given before,
sc hope there viIl nol.
In ille lrst place. such M oct appears
70 Us 10 be premalurei the hour has uo' /
,et cone for the enactment Of ma aet
Il foch an an important c.araeter.-
II may never come. The b'il pro-
posed a q si8gle Low ,o stques'Faie = ihe
government Tic entire properiy Of The
rebel, AMI sel their slaves free. Ihst
sash ~ net i premature, can be seen
from ths lact tbt we arc not IS yet able
10 enforce l. Il can only be enforced 50
fasl IS our troops secure hc control o.
tlie disturbed sections. This will ere loas
be accomplished; then, and not tiIl them
will be the time for such legislation.
Again, we confess we DO not Ike tl'e
character q tie proposed act. Wedo not
see how a person can be deprived q hi'
property until he is convicted as traitor
Besides, It appears 10 us as u such
measure would infringe upon The doctrines
which lie administration haye held out as
;hose which should control the action Of
government, viz. that slavery in the
States was subject exclusively belonging
10 such States. 1t may be that we are
/ blinded IN this matter; if so, We pray for
+ light thereon. But as we now look At the
subject, we believe il would be highly IN
cxpcdient to pass any sweeping coniisea-
lion act II would rather aggraraie than
diminish the evil which we seek 10 avoid.
We should prefer an act something like
that proposed BY Senator Collamer pro-
\ yidina that upon conviction Of treason in
a LEGAL tribunal, hat The traitors property
should be cond.eated and his slaves ne
leased. This, with some proper amnesty
law, would leave the matter in manner
discretionary with the government. The
leaders Of the rebellion could he condemn
Cd, and The ignorant and dcluded masses
DC left on probation.
We quote from Senator Collamers re.
cent speech upon this subject:
"Whateyer we DO We must keep within
The limits Of the Constitution. These lim.
taiions we're put in the Constitution foi
he very purpose Of preventing Congress
doing certain things even though they may
think them neccssarys and let US not ii
this particular time acknowledge to the
world hat the Constitution is not sufficient
10 carry is safely through. The Consti
tuition says that no mans property shall
be taken without due process OF law, and
No man tried twice for the same offence
bat there had been great discovery u
law, which, by sort of hocnspoeus e
get RIA of all This, was called proceeding
IN rem by which, if q man i guilty q
treason, we may leave him alenc aad take
an Ills property, and atteIwad 1t they
, catch tic man, try him over for treascn
lie did not believe hat Congress had ans
right 10 ride over all these prohibition
Of the Constitution, and usurp tie power
II tic Government. But il Is said thai
so are in state O; war, and we have some.
how elevated privileges. aud arc entitleC
to exercises and rights of bell gerenis, ans
this power OF coniscation WAS sort 0
var mower over orr own citizens. A
frst This seems plausible, but the more VIZ
reflect on the doctrine about the RELATIVE
rights of beIlgcrent>, the more we see ]
is utterly inapplicable to the present con
dtion Of the country. We found iaul
, with other nations for recognizing thest
rebel, rs beligcrcnis, and now any atiemp
10 legi,late against them rs belligcrent
and enemies. while We refuse TO recognize
them as such, was utterly Inconsistent
In times Ike these there must Of course b
E laii,a,le TO executive action; but the ex
ecuiive and military power must be ih
sole Judge of what military necessity de
mands, and Il is idle TO legislate about il
This bill proposes 10 eoniscalc all III,
: property Of rebels or those who all th,
. rebellion; take away III the property 0
, lie people. slaves and all. II was be
!, ycnd bis comprehension, how the road &
e neaee runs through any such avenue
: Such property, il taken, would not b
worth anything There is also ia the bil
; provision Cor taking and colonizing al
I lie slaves 1t proposes 10 take, Il not
; mans property, NJ least his interest IN IL
: slave. without any conviction OF legal pro
0 ceeding. ana leave TIC man perhaps to b
: hung aiierward. The Republican part
: pledged themselves moi TO interfere wit
G Slavery in the States, bot if j, Is iossibl
10 free large potion Of the Slaves, ca
/. thes make tie world believe they hay
j, moi inlerfvrel with Slavery in the States /.
lis BAH provides fJF the traitor III
: punishment u death. OF a fine Of not les
), ihan $4,000, and ile slave; Of such COZ
Y ricted person are set free. II gives th