The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-06-06
Important from Washington

| writes:
Mr.. Clarke, from the Special Commit
i tee OF the Senate, to which were referred
s1nf1 the bills, memorials, etc, before the
Senate, onflse subject of confiscatinR the
property and freeing the slaves of rebels.
made their report to-day, having agreed
ON the bill this morning. 1t is quite
long.
The first section provides that every
person who shall hereafter commit the
crime oil treason against the United States,
and shall be found guilty thereof. shall
suffer death, and all his slaves, if any,
shall be declared and made free or he
shall be imprisoned for not less than five
years, and fined not less than ten thou
sand dollars, and all his slaves, if any,
shall be declared and made free.
! The fine shall be levied and collected
I or any or all of the property, real. and
! personal, excluding slaves, of wiio.a tho
person was the owner at the time of COM
uniting. treason, any sale or conveyance
to the contrary notwithstanding.
The second section forfeits all the per-
sonal and real property and slaves of any
one who gives aid and comfort to the en-.
emies of the United States in any rebel
lion and instruction.
The third section provides that every
person guilty of either of the offences
against the United States shall be forever
incapable and disqualified to hold any
Office under the United States; the sec.
ton Immediately following providing that
this act shall in no way be construed to
alter the prosecution or conviction of any
one guilty of treason against the United
States prior to the passage of this act.
The fifth section provides that to iu-
sure the more speedy termination of the
rebellion, and the apprehension, convc-
ton and punishment of the persons en-
gagged in it, the President is authorized
by the Marshals of the respective dis
tricts, or such commissioners and other
officers as he may appoint for that pur-
pose, to seize and sequester the proper
ty, real and personal, OF every kind, in
Guiding chooses in action, of such persons
as shall have been actively and notori-
ously engaged in this rebellion, and es-
peciully of persons hereafter acting as of
ticers of the army and navy of the Rebels,
! now or hereafter in arms against the Gov
eminent of the United States persons
acting as President or Vice President,
members of Congress, head of depart
| ments, civil officers, judges, foreign min
lister or commissioner of the so.called Con-
| federate States persons hereafter acting
as an officer, whether civil, military or
naval Of any State or Territory, vino, by
the Constitution of the so-called Conled-
crate States, is required to take an oath
to support the Constitution persons who
having held an Office of honor, trus. or
profit, under the United States, shall
hereafter take up arms against the United
States: persons owning property in the
.
1 portion Of the disloyal States, shall here
after assist or give aid and comfort to the
present rebellion, and to hold aud posse.
such property for the United States to Sc
cure the appearance of the offender to
take his trial and abide such punishment
as shall be assigned against him. No
slave shall be seized under this act, but
the United States shall have lien on all
slaves of the person here described, to an
swer such order as may be made in re-
gard to them for their Liberation, and no
sale. thereof shall be OF any force or effect
after the commission Of said offence.
The sixth section enacts that the prop
erty so seized and sequestrated shall be
held, possessed, occupied, or rented, by
the officers aforesaid until the owners
thereof can be proceeded against by le-
gal prosecution and if convicted, the
property can be confiscated. All perish.
able property to be sold by the commits
siopers, in the same manner as goods are
sold in the State under execution, the
proceeds Of the same to be paid over to
the United States, and if the owners OF
said property shall be discharged by the
courts, the proceeds of the property, if 1t
shall have been sold, shall be returned TO
said owner.
The seventh section provides that if
any person flee SO that lie cannot be
: brought TO trial, an order shall be made,
requiring him to attend, upon pain OF
forfeiture of all his property and the free
ing of his slaves, and his legal representa-
tives are debarred from making any
claim for them; and the eighth section
enacGs that the President. if he deem il
necessary that any personal property
seized by the army or navy, and belong
to person who shall, after passage of the
act, have engaged in the rebellion OF
given aid and comfort thereto, should be
contiscated, may cause proceeding in rem
to be instituted, as in almighty; and i
said property shall be found to have be
longed to person engaged in the rebel
lion or who has given aid and comior
, thereto, the same shall be forfeited, ant
, become the property OF the United States
The ninth section enaets that il, in thu
suppression of the rebellion the Presi
dent issue proclamation commanding
; all persons to lay down their arms, ano
| if any person be found in the insurrec
tionary districts with arms in their hands
within thirty days afterwards, all of Iii
slaves shall be forever free.
The tenth section prohibits the rendi
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