Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-05-09

was adapted 10 the mans inears, andl would put
the hne large enough to strip any who was
incorrig gbe.
further provide that the elect Of the convic.
tion, shall be that he shall be incapable of hold
ing any Office under the Government, and that his
slaves stal be free, and that this fne shall be le
Wed asd collected out of any property he pcs
sessed at the time the act was committed. | sin
free to acknowledge one purpose that had in this
provision Much has been said about the sub
ject Of forfeiture Of a mans estate beyond his
life. | DO not desire to discuss that l do not
desire that We should be involved in it. What is
forfeiture! 1t is the taking of some specific
thing, as all the visible property a maa now ros-
sesses-his farm, his horse, his ship. That is a
visible, material identity that Is forfeited 4 fns
is but the nulctiag Of the re pondent in a sum Of
money. II be pays it, well if be does nct pay
II, you may levy and collect it out Of his
property. | have created no forfeiture by my
bill. The act creates none, but it enables the
courts to levy and collect the fne cut Of the
vieted traitors property. l involve uo questions
as to whether you can create a forfeiture Of any
thing beyond his life or during his life II is Lo
forfeiture whatever. | avoid that question alto
gether.
1t is next provided in my bill that, in order to
meet this, the President shall have poEer 10 IA ke
possession Cf the property Of persons thus engsg-
ed, wherever situated in the United States, real
ard personal, 10 sequester II to meet this hus To
be holden until the man is triel, sooner OF at.r.
Having done this, propose in the next section
that the President shall be authorized 10 Issue his
proclamation offering indemnity and pardon t. tic
people, with such exceptions and upon such nai-
tons and at such times as he shall point out
Suppose we take possession Of S ate and the peo-
pie remain; the President issues a PROCLAMATION
to the people, saying to them: % have appointed
officers; and D, " if ycu will, Eithin co days a
Of you, except Jefferson Davis, Robert TCOubr,"
OF their genera's-what exceptions he thinks the
public safety requires should be condignly pun
ished--"with these exceptions, if you will come
in to the officers have appointed and take your
oath Of allegiance, l give t. you amnesty an
plrdon-" He has something to offer them.
Pass such bill, and they se by it that they
arc subject to be fined and stripped as we'll as i'm
prisoncd, and 70 save themselves and families from
that they would do what they would not do to e.
cape hanging, which they know VIII never be al
ministerei You can hold cut TO them some pup
pose, some object, some advantage, and in my
opinion the great body Of the people not excepted
would at once avail themselves Of the offer. Ii
you take of the pressure Of your armies from
th5m, if you relieve them Of those armies that
riding over them Of the incubus that is resting
down on them, and give them the opportunity Of
loyalty and allegiance, you viii have il, | have
no doubt; but propose to have the punishment
remain in force, capable Of being executed on all
those who are 50 bad as to be excepted out Of the
proclamation Of amnesty or so obstinate that they
all will not submit.-This it seems to me will be
the practical effect. It will have to be carried in
to execution after possession is had Of the country
after the proper determinations can be made
after our authorities have looked around amongst
the people and seen who it is that needs to te
punished, and who are those whom tie SAFETY Of
the public would permit to be admitted to their
loyalty and allegiance.
Y GU cannot make that distinction by classes now
and here befoIe the thing happens, as IL attempt
ed 10 by the honorable Senator from Ohio. lie |
says by his amendment that the President may |
extend an amnesty If be pleases, to any OF the class
es named. Why, sir, that is not what Is wanted. !
You cannot make the discrimination now. There |
may be men as good as Mathew Hale Who have /
actually taken and held Office under that dc fa.fo
government, ami who, the gentlemen from Ohio |
would have no more desire to hang or 70 strip |
than Charles II. had to hang Chief Justice Hale /
These Determinations can only be made when the /
meaIs AMI opportunity for information exist.
can conceive that there may be found me
parts Of the United States, some section perhaps .
in South Carolina, where tue people would never
submit l haze no idea that any very great sue
cess in the way Of submission and restoration of
the Government will take place successfully 10
tennessee, So long as there is rebel army down
there in the ueishb 5rll0l 90 which tie people .
lock ei-ler with hope or apprehension. II there is
an army Of rebels IN the vicinity, which part Of
them believe j. 60 come back 20 relieve them, OF
part Of them believe will get ba,k to punish them
you can easily see hat Will be the result. Tie
Armed rebellion must be suppressed utterly, aud
ben means like these may be PEI tivei but sir,
suppose you c1I-e O. people that viii lot submit.
That may hap eu, and hence ! have inserted
section looking % such an extremity, authorizing
he President, If he fuls 1t necessary in order 20
bring the war b q close, that is, If 1t becomes a
military necessity, 20 issue proclamation 20 tie
people, fixing a Gay, and saying 20 them: 60 II any
lf yCu are engaged in this rebellion after that day,
your slaves shall az be free" That is 20 give
air notice, an thli may produce effect. You
lavc il IL ycu- La4I5 ls tie means Of Tcc0lciliI-
ion.
cannot but further remark, Mr.. President,
hat in ? u these Us declaring all the slaves Of
hese people free, No pardon or amnesty that the
Executive would have power to render could ever
-estore them to bondage. II the law, as It de-
.lares, makes them free when the owners are gull
y Of being in arms ag1inst Us, they are free Us0
acfO, and they are free from that moment. The
larlon OF amnesty to those people mentioned in
lie amendment of the Senator from Ohio could
lot restore their slaves to bondage. That part Of
hat bill is framed with a view to the freedom Of
he slaves absolutely, without process, without
aw, without proceedin Is pUs0Ham OF IN TciH and
without the possibility Of re-ensavementi and
yet we are tod this is not interfering with
iavery.
l have but one other section 10 my bill which
regard as nothing but an addition to the fugi-
i've slave law. 1t provides that when men IN
ertak5 TO pursue their slaves, they shall In or
er 70 give them status in court, show that they
ave been loyal in this rebellion. l have no OBJ
ecti0u to that as 4 part, an addition, an amend
nent, Of the fugitive slave Law. That ends ny
ill, sir, AID l have more to say.