The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-04-17
The COmnscmiIOm Bill


The COmGscmiiOn Bill
Congress having by decisive vote abolished
slavery in the District OF Columbia, the next
great measure of national importance demanded
by The people of the loyal States, is the passage
of the bill for the confiscation Of rebel property
The immediate passage Of this bill! now before
CONGRESS, is required by the most urgent reas-
ons. Il would prove the means of bringing the
present war to a more speedy termination-a
result which all friends of humanity earnestly
desire. 1t is now nearly year since the Con-
ggess of the rebel States, passed the most sweep
;no confscation laws these laws have been
enforced with the most unrelenting severity
against Union sympathies in the rebel States
Millions of property have been confscated II
the Southern States, and the proceeds apphec
in the prosecution Of the war for the destruction
Of the Union. On the other hand, the ongreS'
Of the United States has been torbearingi the
property Of rebels il arms against the govern
nent, has thus far not been moIestcd, except By
military authority.
The expenses of this terrible war, must bt
paid by this generation or the next, and tn'
question is, shall the burden be shared by thu
Union men and rebels equally, or shall thos'
who inaugurated the war against the govern
ment, pay most dearly for the terrible conse
ouences which the war has occasiOned! Fha
the rswas conceived, pladned and began b,
southern Shareholders and their allies, no sensl
BILE nam presumes to deny that the war IS nov
being waged against the lawful government, b.
the same class Of persons, is equally undenlabl'
Il is not then, unjust, that those who are engag
ed in the daring and bloody attempt to overthrow
the government, shall contribute no more to tn
expenses of the war, than loyal men who hay
from the very beginning of the war ,periled thei
lives to defend and uphold the government Z
Shall those who have been true to the Union
placed on level with traitors Does not u!
tic demand, that the property of such rebels
persist in their wicked purposes to destroy tn
government, should have their possessions d.
clarsd forfeit, and the proceeds applied TO tn
pay ment of the expenses of the war?
The confscation bill introduced by Senate
Trumbull of Illinois, is SO framed as to be ire
froln objection by the most conservative, wh
oern TO have the Union cause triumph II doe
moi pretend to legislate for the past II simpi
declares the property of rebels liable to conf
cation, who persist in aiding the rebellion trol
and after the passage Of the act OF confscatio
by Congress Aside from the absolute lustic
of such law, its influence in restraining yer
many rebel property owners, from further pa
ticipation in the rebellion cannot be doubted
Tie confscaton Of the property Of enemies
times of war, is 10 new theory; it is practic
for which abundant precedent is found, IN til
history of civilized nations in modern times
Why then should measure warranted by pre-
cedent, and so well calculated to bring the We
10 a more speedy and successful Termination
meet with strenuous opposition The reaso
is obvious; somebody is afraid slavery will
harmed by it, We're it not for the fear of dan
aging slavery, no one who is in earnest to hav
the Union preserved, would interpose any oil
lection. 1t is now practicalquestion with I'll
people of the free States how large sacriiC
of human lie, and how great burden Of tax
ton can they afford to incur, to crush the rebe
lou without injuring slavery? That it will co
ali immensely greater sacrifice Of human life al
expenditure Of money, to bring this wicked +
bt lion to an end, by avoiding any interferen'
with slavery, than by resolving TO make no di
elimination III whatever rebels may claim
property, must be manifest to every intelligeI
observer of the condition of the country.
1t is the policy Of those who sympathize wit
the rebellion, 70 let The rebels off as lightly
possible they look forward with expectanC
to the time, when the rebel States shall be 7
ccived back into the Union, with their polite
power unimpaired, and when the slave dynas
/ shall rule the country us heretofore. But Il
mass of the people of the free States and the ts
payers, who are to be saddled with public de
u a thousand millions of dollars, are in no h
mour to allow the nstigators and supporters
the rebellion, to escape the punishment due
their crimes. The people of the north know fl
well, that mistaken lenity now towards trs
tors, will only insure another re belon when Il
present is nominally terminated. If those WI
are now arrayed against the Union, with Il
determined purpose to destroy it, shall be COZ
PEELED to pay no more toward the expense thu
good Union citizens, then it would be offerir
pecuniary reward for treason, for the rebe
have already confscated and appropriated
their own use, millions Of property belongir
TO northern men. II may be well to pardon tt
masses, who have been deluded but the leade
Of the great crime against free government, mu
Do punished.