The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-04-03
EBENSRURG:
ture and Comascati0S Of Rebel
Property.

ever brought before our National Con-
gress is the bill to coniscate the property
and free the slaves Of the rebels. 1t
came up in the Senate, as the special Or
der of the day, on Tuesday, the 4th of
March last, on which occasion it was op-
posed by Senator CowAN in speech of
extraordinary force and ability. As this
speech has not yet been published in any
of the papers of our county, [ have
thought that, with your permission, It
might not be amiss to bring some Of its
prominent points 10 the notice of your
readers, through the medium of commu-
nication. There may be many, indeed,
who viii disagree with Mr.. CowAN in the
construction he places upon the Constitu-
tion, but it should be generally borne in
mind that that instrument IS only to be
fairly interpreted BY lega. minds ike his,
acting, as he does, under the sanction Of
most solemn oath to support it.
The distinguished Senator begins By
stating that the bill under consideration
involves the grayest questions and most
momentous issues, and that upon the dis
position made of it may, perhaps, depend
the fate of the Republic He asks most
pertinently : Shall we stand or fall by
the Constitution, or shall we leave it and
adventure ourselves upon the wide sea Of
revolution? Shall we attempt to liberate
the slaves of the people OF the rebellious
States, or shall we leave them to regulate
t heir domestic institutions the same as
before the rebellion? Shall we 90 back
to the doctrine of torfeitures, which mark
ed the middle ages, and introduced feuds
which intervening centuries have not vet
suficed to quiet? All these questions,
he maintains, are involved in the bill, and
he then proceeds to their consideration
Moderately estimating the number of
actual rebels at one-half the white popu,
lation of the so-called Confederate States
say four millions-he declares that the
bill proposes, at single stroke, to strip
all this vast number ofpeople of all their
property, and reduce them at once to ab-
soiute poverty. The value of this prop
erty Is enormous-to be computed by bill
lions-and embraces their property in ne
gro-slayes which, when forfeited, cannot
be put into the Golfers of the Federal
Government. Comparing them with the
results Of this bill, he demonstrates that
the forfeiture and confscatlons of William
the Conquerer and of the English Con.
que1ers of Ireland, were utterly insignif-
cant, inasmuch as dey were intended only
to affect the nobility, and not to strip the
people or increase their burdens If car
ried out, the measure would virtually lib
crate the whole four millions of slaves.
aud be the most stupendous stroke for
universal emancipation ever before at
tempted in the world. The people of the
South. loyal and rebelious, seem to agree
with wonderful unanimity as 10 their
right to slave-property, and TO resent with
an excessive sensibility any Interference
with it whatever. They are now at war
with us, with four hundred thousand in
the field opposing US desperately. What
will be thc effect Of this bill upon the
war? asks the Senator. viii we be
stronger after it than before or will we
fnd we have doubled the number of those
n arms against US? They have now no
cause of war viii not this measure fur
nish them one, and one they think more
just and holy than any other?
Referring to the project for procuring
a home for these emancipated millions in
some tropical country, and of transpor-
ting, colonizinG and settling them there,
with guarantees for their protection-al
which is imposed upon the President.
!. aud provided for in single section Of
i,iEe lines the Senator demonstrates
most clearly, that, However magnificent
the scheme ,nay 10 in ttoory, it is one
which would in7o!re Us ia a cost more
heavy than even the present war, and in
the emergency now upon u.s. would re-
4uire tie miraculous, ,interpasitien' Of Hea-
= : tos H. Accomplishment