Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-05-02

There is nothing in the Federal Consttu.
ton, as ace read it, that forbids tn, confisca-
ton of the property of rebels to defray the
heavy burdens they have wantonly thrown
upon the country; and we ere amazed that
loyal Members OF Congress should seem to
admit that there is no power in the Govern
ment to conscate absolutely and forever. A
bill Of attainder is an instrument whereby
one person is punished for the crime Of an
other, as when the children Of traitor are
| held answerable and made to suffer for their
parents otfense. This is contrary to the
genius of our institutions, and very properly
| forbidden by the Constitution. II an estate
is held by a life tenure, with an indefeasiblc
entail to the holders postcrity, Congress can
not break that entail because of the present
holders treason but property held in Zee
simple may be confiscated absolutely and for
ever. Such, at least is our understanding of
the Constitution.
We who stand for the Union believe il has
| right to exfst-that the conspiracy and eff
forts to overthrow it by force and violence
are ,crong. IL we are beaten, we understand
that the Rebels, triumph supplies the needed
justification OF their revolt, and excmpts them
from penalties. But suppose they are beat
en- and forced to submit Internationally to
tie Union What then? Are the expenses of
this costly, sanguinary struggle to be born
wholly by the loyal? Or shall the Rebels be
required, so far as may be- to pay them p
What is the answer of justice and common
sense?
1t IS suggested by some Members of Con
gress that we must trump, before we can
contiscate. That is true in very narrow
IN, 1,,r - e.,
e ranks are filled by CONSUMPTION and terror
ism. They coniiscatc ruthlcssly they strip
every Unionist to the skin, and thtH tn Y
shoot or hang him if he does not profess to
be converted to treason. OF their three or
four hundred thousand men now in their
ranks to war against the Union. fully half are
there because they have no alternative but
death by violence or starvation. Their Ar
mics are fed by systematic robbery their
currency moves ON By write Of the bayoncts
behind it in short, they compel a unity Of
expression if not of sentiment throughout
the region under their sway, and thea siezc
whatever they need to sustain and advance
their cause. Their system has al he fearful
energy Of tire worst days ofthe French Reign
of Terror lie must be hero who dare pro-
claim himself Unioni.t within their bound
ai'cS "itlcNtI tteS 50 III tHiit ifoit'ou pi Tue
Slave States now held by OR armies knows
well that he will lose eryIh.ng if the Rebel
cause shall triumph. Every coward every
trimmer, naturally says in cffec:: IF COM
PEELED to declare for one side or The other, |
must pronounce for jeff. Davis, for he shows
no mercy, while it is otherwise with the dc.
Tenders of the Union.' Thus there are to-
lav not less than One hundred Thousand
fighting for the Rebellion whose Judgment
and hearts incline them to the side Oft Tn
ion; but they are still anxious to live, and
they shun the most obvious and inminenl
peril.
We would have Congress do nothing that
the Humanity Of the age will not fully approve;
but we feel that extreme tenderness toward
willfu,, malignant: Rebels = treason TO the Re-
public If the Government shall much long
cr hesitate to deal sternly with fragrant Reb
els, they are very likely to deal stcrny with
the Government Milk and honey are excel
lent in their place but they will rot cue
tie cancer now gnawing at the yi,als Of the
Republic If our rulers hesitate much long
or to convince the Southern p"opnc that they
are determined to crush out the rebellion,
they may awake to the magnitude Of The per
il too late ". 7. Tribune.