Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-09-09

PUBLIc-No $780,
AN ACT to suppress insurrection. to punish
treason and rebellion to seize and confis-
cate the property of rebels, and for other
purposes.
be 1t enacted by the senate and house of
representatives of the United Sttaes of Amer
lca In congress assembled, that every person
who shall hereafter commit the crime of trea-
son against the United States, and shall be
adJudged guilty thereof, shall suffer death,
and all his slaves, if any, shall be declared
and made free; or, at the discretion of the
court, he shall be imprisoned for not less
than five years and fined not less than ten
thousand dollars, and all his slaves, if any,
shall be declared and made free: said fine
shall be levied and collected on any or all of
the property, real and personal, excluding
slaves, of which the said person so convicted
was the owner at the time of committing the
said crime, any sale or conveyance to the
contrary notwithstanding.
Sect. 2. And be it further enacted, that if
any person shall hereafter incite, set on foot,
assist, or engage in any rebellion or insurrec-
ton against the authority of the United States
or the laws thereof, or shall give aid or COM
tort thereto, or shall engage in, or give aid and
comfort to,any such existing rebellion or insur-
rectlon, and be convicted thereof such per-
son shall be punished by Imprisonment for a
period not exceeding ten years, or by fine
not exceeding ten thousand dollars, and by
the liberation of all his slaves, if any he have
or by both of said punishments, at the discre-
ton of the court.
Sect. B. And be it further enacted, that
every person. guilty of either of the offences
described in this act shall be forever ncapa-
BILE and disqualified to hold any office under
the United States.
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this act shall not be construed in any way to
AFFECT or alter the prosecution, conviction or
punishment OF any person or persons guilty
OF treason against the United States before
the passage of this act, unless such person is
convicted under this act.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted That, to
insure the speedy termination of the present
rebellion it shall be the duty of the president
OF the United States to cause the seizure of
all the estate and property, money, stocks,
credits, and effects of the persons hereinafter
named in this section and to apply and use
the same and the proceeds thereof for the sup
port of the army of the United States; that is
to say
First, OF any person hereafter acting as an
officer OF the army or navy of the rebels in
arms against the government of the United
States.
Secondly. Of any person hereafter acting
as president, vice president, member of CON
gress, Judge of any court cabinet officer,
foreign minister, commissioner or consul of
the so-called confederate states of America.
Thirdly. Ut any person acting as governor
OF state, member of convention or legisla-
ture, or Judge of any court of any of the So
called confederate states of America.
Fourthly. Of any person who, having held
an office of honor, trust or profit in the United
States, shall hereafter hold an office in the
So-called confederate states of America.
Filthy. Of any person hereafter holding
any office or agency under the government of
the so-called confederate states of America,
or under any of the several states of the said
confederacy, or the laws thereof, whether
such office or agency be national, state, or
municipal in its name or character Proyid-
ed, That the persons thirdly, fourthly, and
filthy above described, shall have accepted
their appointment or election since the date
OF the pretended ordinance of secession of
the state, or shall have taken an oath of ale
glance to, or to support the constitution OF,
the so-called confederate states
SiXthly. Of any person who, owning prop
erty in any loyal state or territory of the Uni
ted States, or in the District of Columbia,
shall hereafter assist and give aid and comfort
to such rebellion; and all sales, transfers, or
conveyances of any such property shall be
to any suit brought by such person for the
possession of the use of such property, or any
of it, to allege and prove that he is one of the
persons described in this section
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That if
any person within any State or Territory of
the United States, other than those named as
aforesaid, after the passage of this act being
engaged In armed rebellion against the gov
eminent of the United States, or aiding or
abetting such rebellion, shall not, within sixty
days after public warning and proclamation
duly given and made by the President of the
United States, cease to aid, countenance, and
abet such rebellion, and return to his allie
glance to the United States, all the estate and
property, moneys, stocks, and credits of such
person, shall be liable to seizure as aforesaid,
and it shall be the duty of the President to
seize and use them as aforesaid or the pro-
ceeds thereof. And all sales, transfers, or
conveyances of any such property after the
expiration of the said sixty days from the date
Of such warning and proclamation shall be
null and void; and it shall be sufficient bar
to any suit brought by such person for the
possession or the use Of such property, or any
of it, to allege and prove that he is one of the
persons described in this section.
Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That to
secure the condemnation and sale of any of
such property, after the same shall have been
seized, so that it may be made available for
the purpose aforesaid, proceedings in rem
shall be instituted in the name of the United
States in any district court thereof or in any
territorial court, or in the United States dis
trict court for the District of Columbia, within
which the property above described, or any
part thereof, may be found, or into which the
same, if movable, may first be brought,
which proceedings shall conform as nearly as
may be to proceedings IN admiralty or revenue
cases; and if said property, whether real or
personal, shall be found to have belonged to
person engaged in rebellion, or who has
given aid or comfort thereto, the same shall be
condemned as enemies property and become
the property of the United States, and may be
disposed of as the court shall decree, and the
proceeds thereof paid into the treasury of the
United States for the purposes aforesaid.
Sec. s. And be it further enacted, That
the several courts aforesaid shall have power
to make such orders, establish such forms of
decree and sale, and direct such deeds and
conveyances to be executed and delivered by
the marshals thereof where real estate shall
be the subject of SALE as shall fifty and eff
GENTLY effect the purposes of this act and
vest in the purchasers Of such property good
and valid titles thereto. And the said courts
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