Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-07-22
The Conflseation Bill.

hue ioio"iuR Is d SYNOPSIS OF the con-
fscation bill which passed Congress:
Every person who shall commit the
crime of treason against the United States.
and shall be adjudged guilty thereof, shall
suffer death, and all his slaves, if he have
any, shall be declared and made free. or he
shall be imprisoned for not less than FIVE
years, and fined not less than $40 900. and
all his estate, real and personal, excluding
slaves. snail be levied upon, any sale or
conveyance TO the contrary notwithstapd-
ing. If any person hereafter shall incite,
set on foot, assist. or engage in any rebel
lion or insurrecticn against the authority
oil the United States or the laws thereof. or
shall give aid or comfort to any such re.
bellion or iDsurrectioD, and be convicted
thereof, such person shall be punished by
the forfeiture ofall his personal property
OF every kind whatever, or shall be punish,
ed by imprisonment ten years and fined
not exceeding $40 600 and his slaves. if he
has any, be liberated at the discretion of
the court. and all such property, excluding
slaves, shall be Forfeited to the United
Statea. ....
Every person guilty. of either of the
offenses described in this act, shall be for.
ever incapable and disqualified to hold
any Office under the UDited States. This
act IS not to be construed in any vay 10
affect or alter the prosecution, conviction
OF any person guilty of treason against the
United States. To insure the sreedy ter
minstlon of the resent rebellion, the
President is authorized to cause the seizure
OF the property. real aud personal, and
apply and use the proceeds of the same for
the support of the United States. Five
classes OF persons are affected by this bill.
l. vi every person who shall act as
President, member of Congress, judge of
cour., cabinet officer, foreign minister,
commissioner, or consul of ,he SO called
Confederate States.
z. Vi every person who shall act as
Governor OF State, member of conven
ton or legislature, or judge of any State
court Of the SO called Confederate States.
8. Otevery 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.
4. OF every person who shall hold any
oflce or agency under the SO called Con.
federate States, or under any Of the States
thereof
.. Of every person who shall act as an
officer Of the rebel army and navy.
The President is authorized to issue a
proclamation calling on every rerson not
within the above classes; who,' after the
passage of the act. being wilfully and with.
out compulsl1n engaged in armed rebellion
shall not within sixty days lay down their
arms and return to their allegiance. that
their property shall be confiscated.
The bill also disqualifies said Eve classes
from holding Office under the United States
government The President is authorized
to negotiate for the acquisition, BY treaty
or Otherwise, of lands or countrys in Mexi-
co, Central America or South America. or
IN the islands in the Gulf of Mexico. or for
the right of settlement upon the lands of
said countries for all persons liberated un-
der this act. TO be removed with their own
consent. For the purpose of paying the
expense-of purchase Of lands and the re-
moval, tie president shall use money as
cen :ress may from time to time direct
arislng ont OF the sales of the property for
merly owned by rebels, and which shall
have been confscated to the use Of the
United States.
All slaves of persons hereafter engaged
IN rebellion, or who shall in apyw av five
aid or comfort thereto, escApin1 10, and
taking refuge within the lines Of our armv
and all slaves deserted by their masters
and coming under control of the govern,
ment OF the United States, and all slave,
found at places occupied by rebel forces.
and afterward by United States troons
shall be held to be captives of war and he
forever free from their service. and no
longer held as slaves. No slave escaping
from one state to another state shall he.
delivered up except for crime or some 9th
or offebse against the laws of the United
States, until the claimant shall first make
oath as to his lawful ownerehip. and tha,
he has not borne arms in the present re-
bellion, or given aid end corf3rt thereto
No person engaged 10 naval or miIi,arv
service shall decide or the VALIDITY Of the
claim or surrender such slaves, on pain Of
being dismissed from the service.
The president is authorized to emplov "a
many persons of African descent for the
Suppression Of the rebellion, and nss than
in such manner as be may deem hest for
the rubilc welfare, and the presidept il
also authorized to make provisions for COL
onizing the blacks beyond the limits OF the
United States. The president is <au,bor
ized to extend to prisoners in rebellion
pardon and amnesty On such conditions as
ne may deem expedisnt for the public
The title of the bill was amended an as
70 read. for the suppression Of insurrec-
{len, and the punishment and seizure of
the property Of The rebels, and for other
pnrposes.