The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-09-24
CONFIsCATIoN ACT
Public No. 1907

Representatives ofhe Uiiiid States Of Aner-
ioa IN Congress assembled, That every person
who shall hereafter commit the crime Of
treason 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 Eve years,
and fined not less than ten thousand dol
lars; said fine shall be levied and collect
ed on any or all of the property, real aud
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 10 the contrary,
Notwithstanding.
Sec. 2. And be 10 further enacted That
IL any person shall hereafter incite, set
on foot, assist, or engage in any rebellion
or instruction against the authority Of
the United States, or the laws thereof, or
shall give aid or comfort thereto, or shall
engage in, or give aid and comfort 10, any
such existing rebellion or instruction,
and be convicted thereof, such person
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 j {
any he have; or by both of said punish
ments, at the discretion Of the court
Sec 3. And he IL further enacted, That
every person guilty of either Of the often
ces described in this act shall be forever
incapable and disqualified to hold any
office under the United States.
Sec. 4. And be 10 further enacted, That
this act shall not be construed in any
way 10 affect or altar 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 I'M
der this act.
Sec. g. Ind be IL further enacted That,
10 ensure the speedy termination Of the
present rebellion, il 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 eff
lects Of the persons hereinafter named
in this section, and TO apply and use the
same and the proceeds thereof for the
support 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 array against the Government
1.-THE United States.
Secondly. OF any person hereafter act
ING as President, Vice-P President, mem
Der Of Congress, judge Of any court cab
met officer, foreign minister commits
soncr or consul of the sO-called COnied-
crate States of America.
Thirdly. OF any person acting as
Governor Of State, member of Con-
venton or Legislature, 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 orpi eft in
the United States, shall hereafter hold an
Office in the so.called Confederate States
of America.
Filthy. OF any person hereafter hold
inc an office or agency under the social
ed Confederate States Of America, or un-
der any of the several States of the said
Confederacy, or the laws thereof, whe-
Their such Office or agency be national,
state, or municipal in its name or char
acter: ProUide1, That the persons thirdly,
Gourthly and Gfthly 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 allegiance TO,
or TO support the Constitution Of the So
called Confederate States.
Sixthly. OF any person who, owning
property in any loyal State or Territory
of the United States, or in the District of
Columbia, shall hereafter assist and give
aid and comfort 10 such rebellion; and all
sales, transfers, or cOnyeyances of any
such property shall be nun and void; and
il shall be sufficient bar to any suit
brought by suchperson for the possession
or use of such property or any Of il, to
allege and prove that he is one of the per-
sons described in this section.
Sec. 6. And be Il further enacted, That if
any person within any State or Terrific
nv of the United States other than those
named as aforesaid, after the passage of
this act, being engaged in armed rebel
lion against the Government Of the Unit
ed States, or aiding or abetting such re-
bellion. shall not, within sixty days after
public warning and proclamation duly
piyen and made by the President of the
limited States, cease to aid, cOuntenance,
and abet such rebellion, and return TO his
allegiance 10 the United States, all the
estate and property, moneys, stocks and
credits of such person shall be liable to
seizure as aforesaid, and 1t shall be the
duty of the President TO seize and use
them as aforesaid, or the proceeds there
of And all sales, transfers or convey
anccs Of any such property after the ex-
piration of the said sixty days from the
date of such warning and proclamation,
shall be null and void; and it shall be
sufficient bar 10 any suit brought by such
person for the possession or the use Of
such property, or any Of II, TO allege and
uroye that he is one of the persons de-
scribed in this section.
Src. z. And he 10 6Otler enacted, That
IN secure the condemnation and sale Of
anv such property, after the same shall
have been seized, 80 that il may be made
available for the purposes aforesaid, pro-
ccedings in rem shall be instituted in
tho name of the United States in any
district court thereof, or in any Terrific
rial court. or in the United states dis
trict court for the District OF Columbia,
within which the property above desert
he'd. or any part thereof, may be found,
ar into which the same if movable, may
first be brought, which proceedings shall
conform as nearly as may be to proceed
ipgs in admiralty or revenue cases, and
said property, whether real or personal,
shall be found TO have belonged to a per-
son engaged in rebellion, or who has Civ.
EN- aid or comfort thereto, the same shall
be condemned as enemies property, ana
become the property Of the United states,
and may be disposed Of as the court shall
decree, and the proceeds thoreotpaid in
a. a 4 IT,tI,N Nf,il