The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-05-07
The C0nfiseatiOn Bill.
Correspondence of the Chicago Tribune.
Washinprnn AnrlI Ok n


Ii now seems almost certain that the confisca.
ton bill will pass both branches of Congress
Twenty five Senators are counted for il, and the
number is more likely to be increased than di.
o,nshed, since the House, BY nearly .ixty ma.
jority, voted to take the subject away from the
pro slavery Judiciary Committee and lodge it ia
the hands of q select committee, clearly iadica.
ting purpose to pass some kind of bill effect.
ing the object. Senator Sherman's amsndnsn,
to the first section OF the bill, which was adopt
ed yesterday, strikes out the words, ''any person
or persons" and inserts the following:
First. Persons hereafter acting "a officer,
Of the army or navy of the rebels now or here.
after in arms against the United States. Second.
Persons hereafter acting as President, Vice
President. member Of Congress, Judge, Foreign
Minister, Consul, or Commissioner Of the 50 called
Confederate States. Third. Persons hereafter
acting as an officer, whether civil, military or
| naval, of any State or Territory who by the
Constitution of the called Confederate States
is required to take an oath to support said Con.
stitution. Fourth. Persons who having held An
Office OF honor, trust or profit under the United
States. shall hereafter take up arms against the
United States. Fifth Persons who, owning
property in the loyal States or Territories, or the
loyal portions of dislOyal States, shall hereafter
assist or give aid and comfort to the present re-
bellion."
The effect of the amendment is to limit the
con6scation of property to persons now holding
Office in the rebellious States, or who have here.
totore held Office under the United States, in.
stead of applying to all persons taking part in
the rebellion. As to the slaves of such persons.
however, the bill stands - first framed-there
being no exception in favor of the common herd
of tr0itnva RofOrp tha 4
Judge Trumbsll remarked that although he
should vote against it, he should still be able tn
support the bill if it we're adopted.
Judge Collamer, grounding himself upon that
clause Of the Constitution which says that mo
attaindtr of treason shall work corruption of
blood or forfeiture, Beyond the life of the per.
son attainted." made a. good an argument a
could be made against the BILL But is il not OBJ
vious that an 'attainder" of treason is something
which follows trial and conviction of treason
something inseparabe from the judgment of q
court! What is TO be done with these who can.
not be tried and convicted. upon whom judg-
ment can never be pronounced. because the mar
shall or sheriff can never lay hands upon them
There can be no attainder of treason where there
s no trial for treason, and there can be No trial
for treason where the operation of the law 10 OBJ
structed. Therefore the above clause Of the
Constitution has no applicability whatever u the
question.
Senator Cowan. of Pennsylvania, has appa.
rently been brought to his marrow bones, for he
introduced q con6scstion bill to day differing
more widely from his own speech against Judge
Trumbulrs bill than it does from that bill itself
For instance, Mr., Cowan now proposes to conis-
cate all 'choses in action" OF rebels. including
claims to service or labor. and to declare the
frorv, L.
clai Led, to be free and discharged therefrom.
In his speech few weeks ago he said this would
be in the highest degree inexpedient! The fact
is apparent that an anti slavery sentinent has
set in since the District Emancipation Bill passed.
Three onths of cowardice and cringing to the
border states nave gone oy, prooaoy never to
return. When Congress met in December last.
there was q regular freedom rampage in both
houses. One would have thought that the cause
Of the rebellion was to be sponged out in less
than thirty days. The scenes in the House on
the subject of the Elliot resolutions will be re.
membered. They we're Ike the cavortings of a
herd Of cattle in the early springs great deal
of noise and dust, ground paved up. horns
locked, heels exhibited, ETC., but nobody hurt
and nothing done.
After these innocent aad dverting sanbols
we're over, We vent straight into slough Of de-
spond. regular cid fashioned dougLface back
sliding. We we're more bewitched than the
foolish Galatians. Before the Chrissnas holidays
came on, We had become a. conservative"
THAT is, as pro slavery as old Mr.. Crittenden
could have the heart to desire. The Admins
uation was supposed to be encouraging the ret
rogade movement, and to be wholly converted
to the Kentucky school Of politics. Whether il,
vas true then or not, it 10 % no longer The
returning tide bears everything along With i,
Even the Kentuckiaas have been brought to con
Tess that ''somethiBg must be donsr-that there
is no such thing a. . status quo for slavery-that
there mast be progress in one direction or ano-
Their. Some Of their moet influential men admit
that without any additional legislation fully one
million slaves viii acquire freedom during the
progress OF the var. and thss they cannot * re-
stored.