Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-05-27
OOnfiscRticn and Emancipation
COmGFeRs.


Nest of the time Of Congress for three OF
four months past has been taken up with con6s
20 cation bills. especially with the emancipation
~ features Of these bills. The object Of these
bills is thus briefly expressed In the title Of one
Of them-"To eonfscate the property and free
IA the slaves Of rebels" Generally speaking,
they are sEeeping confscAtiOn and emsncipa-
ton schemes 3.
Recently, select committees in both branches
of Congress reported OOn6sestion and emanci.
patton bills. The House select committee re-
ported two biIls--One oOnAscaton, and the
other an emancipation bill. The former seizes
and spEropFiates 70 the use Of the Federal Gov
eminent all estate and property Of every kind,
belonging to persons who shall hold Office un-
,s,,der the 60 called Confederate Government, TO-.
gsther with that Of all such as shall take up
:, z arms against the United States, or in any way
aid and abet the rebellion. To carry this seiz
ure and cOnfscstion into full effect, the proc
- lamatiOn OF the President, and the interposition
Of certain civil courts are made necessary.
The second House bill reported by the select
committee relates entirely to slaves. Il pro-
spec,ivs in its character, and applies to the
slaves Of persons who shall, after the passage
Of the sct, engage in armed rebellion against
the Government, or aid and ahet such rebellion,
or adhere 10 those who foment It. The slaves
Of al such persons are to become forever free.
ThebIIl reported BY the select committee in
the Senate covers in one bill both the confsca-
tion and emancipation objects included in the
o. two bills reported 70 the House. lee provisions
are, however, objected to by SUMNER and other
i. radicals in Congress as being less sweeping and
strineent than those in the two House bills
The Senate bill was on Wednesday, My 81,
postponed and the tax bill taken up The latter
has since occupied, for the MOST part, the time
Of the Senate, while the House has been sngsg-
ed in discussing its ccnfsestIOn and enaDcIpA-
tion bills. -.... rU
We have made these brief statements in or.
,grder 20 give general outline Of the present
posture Of the grand confscatIOn and emsnoips
tIon scheme IN ccngtess We expect to have
sOmething to say on the general subject here.
after, for in 1t sre involved the most stupend
ous consequences to the future Of the Union and
.l,he country. In the mean time, we canno. bet
Ter close this article than with the following
-shors extract from speech Of Senator BRo1E.
ING, from Illinois, who was appointed to fll the
vacancy in the United States Senate occasion
ed by the death Of the lsmensed DoUoLAs.--
Though taken from speech made in Opposi-
tIon to TRumBgLL's bill, It applies equally to all
similar confscadon and emancipation schemes:
III we're satia6ed its passage would tend 70
sahdue The rebellion; to restore peace, harmony
and fraternal regard between the people Of the
different sections of this unhappy land to bring
---heek- erring and disobedisht citizens 70 their
~ alIeeidnce, and TO restore tho now contemned
authority Of the Governmentin every part Of
the country, eEen than should feel constrained
70 pause and inquire whether, compatibly with
- ne very solemn cblgation ], 10 common With
al other Senators, am under 20 observe and
maintain inViolake the Constitution, could
4. give Il my support But when the strong con-
~ viction Of nay mind "a that its passage will be
attended with pEeciseiy the opposite results that
=. twill streprthen rebellion instead of subduinR
it.Mlden tfe hfeheh instead Of closing is up; al
~ iolate instead Of c0nciiatiDg, and weaken In
- stead Of re- establishing the power and ahthoriI
Of the Government; and when, In addition TO
81 All this,I believeits enactment would be- gToss
2 violation Of the Constitution, can not hesi
teIS asto ny duty