Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-06-27
II the Confiscation of sgebcIPrOperty
Con titutiOnalt

As protection To every citizen. the Constitu
ton of the United States provides:
"No person shall be held to answer for CAPT
tal or otherwise infamous crime unless on an in
dictment OF grand jury, nor
be depri, ell of life, liberty. or property with
out due process OF law; nor shall private prop
erty he taken for public without just com
pensation."
The trial of all crimes except in cases Of i'm
ne ichment, shall be by jury. and such tTit shall
be held in the State where the said crimes shall
have been committed"
mo bill OF attainder or er post fucto law shall
he passed"
The Congress shall have power to declare the
punishment OF tire ,~on; but no attlinder of tret-
son shall work corruption OF blood or forfeiture
except during tie lie of the person attainled."
These plain provisions. and all commenta-
ries upon them 10y the able judicial minds OF the
country agree with the deductions OF plain com
mon sense. that Congress cannot usurp power
over the lives liberties or property OF the people
4 way OF punishment is here provided and re-
Stricted. and nobody. till the anaticism of abO-
tionism in It's pursuit OF the shareholders had bru
talized the judgment. the heart and the soul OF
it, vot iries, ever dreamed OF turning Congress
into Star Chamber, from which to send forth its
cd c's oil desolation. murder and annihilation.
Let the advocates OF confiScation tell Us how
MN is to be deprived of life Ii erty or property
without due process ct law that is, first 10y IAN
indictment OF grand jury" and trial by in-
~, and. after such trial aud conviction. how are
his children be robbed OF their parents estate
when it is expressly provided that mo attander
of treason shall work corruption of blood or for
. feiture except during the lie OF the person at
tainted" and the property of tho parent becomes
constitutontlly invested in the children. 1T "A
man IL charged with tire iSon or any other crime,
the first process il an Indictment then trial. and
in no case can his property be taken from him
except in cases of conviction for tire lsOn and
th,n only during the life time OF the convicted;
and 10y no other process can he be punished.
But say the advocates OF the brutal code of
barbari-m the bills before Congress are not bills
OF attlinder Whatdo these bids propo.e to do?
Why, to confscate the property OF certain per
sons by legislative action. The essence of Il
bill of attander" says distinguished iuri>t. lis
legislative judgment OF conviction" =" \ bill of
attiinder." SAYS Chief Justice Marshall, "may
affect the life OF person or may conhscate hi
property. or may do both In this form the power
of the Legislature over the lives and fortunes OF
midi, iduIls i expressly restrained"
But, say the blood thirsty advocates of contis-
cation. the bills before CongreSs name no par
( ticular person, therefore they punish noD0dy. 2"
I This is an admission that Congress could not
name any rebel and pass a bill contiscating hi
properly But Congress can designate By classes
millions of men AMI conhscate their property,
What monstrous absurtity.
Bur. continue those who propose to visit the
sins of the fathers upon thsir children To the
third and fourth generation. these bills no not
proceed against the psrsoas. they are only after
Their property. Cases OF taxation, smuggling
and the like are held up - proofs that c0nhs
cation bV Congress is iu>th,ele aud constitu-
tional The right OF taxation is bised on the
duty OF every citizen to contribute, according TO
his pr pperty tor the support of the tipvernm at
that projects h., rights. In the ease of snug
Cling and the like the property is used directly to
infringe upon the revenue OF tue country. In the
case OF the property now proposed To be couh.-
cttei. il l. not employed in the cor IN resist
ance to tie Laws, aud j. not. under the Con-
stitution. Or unde. the laws of nations sub
ject Ia prize--it Is not booiy or contraband of
war
Again. these revolutionary advocates declare
"t.,ese - nothing ia the Constitution against
making conhsciti0n a penalty OF any crime "
Then the country has been living under a most
( fatal delnson from the day OF the adoption OF
the Feiers Constitution. Then '.nrivate prop
erty" eau lie taken for public use without just
compensation"
But il i idle 10 pursue this question further
Every sensible man knows the object and pur.
port of the Constitution under which he lives
Every sensible man knows that the attempt "a
confscate the property OF rebels is only de
signed TO extspeFate the prosecution OF the wal
A. complete the revenge of blood thirsty Abo
litionism bl bringing upon the South war OF
Races and a VAR OF determination Ia Shareholders
to mike il war OF such terrible proportions
that the restoration OF the Union wilfbe all lm
posSihdty.-Caieago Tunes.