Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-07-29
The Conascation B1lr.

me republican radicals are everywhere
reloicing over the confscation act. Upon
the bill our republican senator, Mr.. Brown.
ing. made the following remarks in reply
70 Trumbull:
s Now. sir. If We were at war with Great
bfitain, the passage Of law ny us to con-
nscats the property of the citizens of Can
ada to ths same extent and 10 the same
manner that this bill proposes to confiscate
the property Of she citizens of the states
would bring upon US the ridicule of the
world and il we execute the Law, as it
could only be executed, by marching On
army into the enemy's country, and by the
strong hand of war. robbiDg and plunder-
ING ell the people, in the language of the
Dill, OF all the property, real and pers nal,
O every kind Whatever, and wheresoever
stinated. and reducing them TO abject pov
| efty. 70 the pinching of want. to the horrors
of faniins, we would Bring upon ourselves
the deserved exeerations of mankind
Could We do it? VIII any one contend that
We would have the power TO do it? And
would our own people consent to such an
act ct barbarism if we had Che powerf
And now, sir, | respectfully ASA of nv
colleague, and all other senators who sup
| port this bill, whether, IL we regard the reb
els as belligerents and public enemies, we
are not bound to deal with them under the
laws o: nations as lpng as the war continu
| es, precisely az we would be bound TO deal
with foreign natiun with which we might
be at war ; and further, whether, il we were
at war with foreign ma tim, we could pass
such bill as this in regard to its people,
and whether We would have any right 10
execute II upon them even il we did pass it
A correct answer to these inquiries will
dispose OF the questions before US, provided
we recognize the rebels as belligerents and
public enemies.
But if we do not recognize them as bels
| ligerents and public enemies, then the law
of nations will have no application, but we
will be obliged to treat them as insurpent
citizens, and deal with them under the cons
stitutiOn and municipal laws made 20 carry
into effect the provisions Of the constitution.
And what, in this event, would be the course
of proceeding? What, in that event, would
We have power 10 do in respect 10 the con-
fscation of their property? If they we're
shot down On the battle field nothing; there
would be an end of 1t. If they were cap
tured alive they would be subject to imme
date trial and punishment Tor treason,
| without waiting Tor the end of the war, ac-
cording to the provisions of the constitution
and laws 10 that regard. and in no other
way. and TO no greater extent. And what
would that punishment be The second
clause of the third section of the third arti 8.
Gle of the constitution declares:
"The congress shall have power to de-
clare the punishment of treason, but no
attainder of treason shall work corruption
of tl'od. or forfeiture, except during the
life ofthe person attained
The law declares that the punishment of
the persnn shall be death Forfeiture of
property may be suspended, but the iu-
slant the sentence of the law is executed
upon the person it is RENTED against the
property, which descends to the heir precise
ly as If the ancestor had never committed
treason at all. Thus, when you treat the
rebel as a citizen, and indict, try and con-
vict him of treason, you cannot forfeit or
coniscate bis property absolutely. The
constitution fort ids it. But this bill at
tempts do that very thing-to forfeit the
property, and all the property, both real and
personal. of every kind and character, and
wherever situated, and tina. forever.