Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-07-02
THE EMANCIPATION BILL.

| THE EMANCIPATION BILL.
The House of Representatives, on Wednes-
day, the 18th, passed the Emancipation bill,
| by vote of 81 yeas to 81 nays. This is one
OF the most important measures. to the coun-
| try, enacted by the present Congress. By it
those who are engaged in rebellion against
the government, are deprived of their chief
aid and support in this most unhoy war.
Should the Senate promptly act upon the bill,
the rebel Shareholder will, in great meas
ure be subjugated, conquered and subdued,
as he cannot well continue to fight against the
government when deprived of his most i'm
portant auxiliary. Below we give a short ab-
stract of the BILL
The bill provides that all right, title, inter-
est, and claim, of every person comprehen-
ded within the following enumerated classes,
in and to the service or labor of any State un-
der the laws thereof, is hereby declared for
felted, and such persons SO held to service or
labor, commonly called slaves, are hereby de-
clared forever discharged from such service
or labor, and to be freemen, to wit:
FtrSt-Ot every person who shall hereafter
act as an officer OF the army or navy of the
rebels In arms against the Government of the
United States.
Secondiy-Of every person who shall here
IT,,
Der OF Congress, Judge of any court, cabinet
officer, foreign minister, comm iSsioner or con-
sui OF the SO called Confederate States of
America.
Ihirdiy-Of every person who shall here
| after act as governor of State, member of a
| convention or legislature, or judge of any
State court of the so-calIed Confederate States
of America
FOurthly-Of every person who, having
held an office OF honor, trust or profit in the
United States, shall hereafter hold an office
in the so-caIled Confederate States OF Amer
ica.
Fy1hty-Of every person who shall hereaf-
ter hold any agency under the q Government
of the so-called Confederate States Of Ameri-
ca under any of the several States of the
said Confederacy, or the laws thereof, wheth-
er such office or agency be national, State or
municipal in its name or character Provided,
That the persons thirdly and filthy above de-
scribed shall have accepted their appoint
ment or election since the date of the preten-
ded ordinance of secession of the State, or
shall have taken an oath Of allegiance to the
so called Confederate States.
St1thlg--Of every person, not embraced in
the foregoing classes, who, after the passage
of this act being actually, wiliully, and with
out coercion or compulsion, engaged in arm
ed rebellion against the Government of the
United States, shall not, within sixty days af-
ter public warning and proclamation duly CIV
en- and made, at his discretion, by the Presi-
dent of the United States, lay down his arms
and return to his allegiance to the Unite
States.
One section of the bill authorizes the Pres
ident of the United States to negotiate for
the acquisition by treaty or otherwise, of
lands countries in Mexico, Central Ameri-
ca, or South America, or in the islands of the
Gull OF Mexico, or for the right of settle
ment upon the lands OF said countries and
whenever any lands shall have been SO ac-
quired, or whenever the right OF settlement
shall have been SO secured in any of said
lands, then the President shall cause all the
persons who shall have been liberated under
the provision of this act to be removed with
their own consent, at such times and under
such regulations as he may deem eXpedient,
to the countries 50 acquired, or in which the
right of settlement has been so secured, and
shall cause reasonable quantity of land, not
exceeding forty acres to any individual, or
eighty acres to the head of a family, to be set
apart for the use of such liberated persons,
and shall guarantee TO all such persons re-
moved all the civil and political rights secur-
ed to all other citizens in said countries; and
for the purpose OF paying the expense of the
purchase of such lands or countries as afore-
said, (if the same cannot be acquired by treas
ty,) and the removal of said persons the Pres
dent shall use such moneys Congress may
from time to time direct, arising out of the
sales of the property formerly owned by reb-
els, and which shall have been confiscated to
the use of the United States.
The last section declares that every person
embraced in any of the classes spec flied in
section one of this act shall forever hereafter
be incapable of holding exercising any of
flee of honor, trust, or profit under the Gov
ernment Of the United States.