The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1863-08-08
a QUESTION ANswERED.

We have been asked what our opinion is
in reference to the property of persons sus-
pected of entertaining sympathy for the
rebels-whether we would favor its being
taken from them by unauthorized persons
or not
This is fair question and we answer it
unhesitatingly. We do not favor the taking
of property under any circumstances, by
unauthorized and irresponsible parties.
If man is a rebel at heart, and the fact
can be ascertained, let him be sent down
South and his property con6scated to the
Government. We will 60 as far as any one
to aid the Government in this kind of work
A man who wishes to destroy, or to see
destroyed, the benefeent government of the
fathers, under which we have become great,
prosperous and happy, has no just right to
claim the protection of that government he
desires should be destroyed.
By his act of treason he cuts himself of
from any just claim to the shielding arm of
the Government He deserves Punishment
and the confscation of his goods.
But his sin gives us or our neighbor no
right to his property. We have done moth
ing to give US any legal or just claim to it.
Hence We have no more right to take his
property than some other man has to take
ours.
Thus much on the naked question. But
there is another feature of the subject which
is worthy of the candid attention of every
man, aside from the abstract question Of
right 1t is this: A man owns farm; he
has il under cultivation; is improving it,
| &c. He is suspected of being a traitor by
another man who has nothing, and does
| IL lI1yiO hv1t ubc 0la c
to be loyal, and on that claim predicates q
claim to the others property. Which o.
these two shall have the property in ques-
ton ? We unhesitatingly answer, the owner
Not only is it right, but it is exPedient fol
him to hold it until it can be seized by The
Government. And why?
He is developing the country and addin!
to its wealth and prosperity. He is thus
indirectly (almost directly beuefting every
other man who lives in the same communi
ty. He IS aiding to bring out the resource
Z of the county or State, and in as far as h
does this is benefactor to tie communit,
at large.
But let the other take his property, hi
stock, and he is thus deprived of means 0
aiding to enrich the land and render it NOR,
valuable. Here is a plain, unmistakabl,
evil, which wrongs everybody.
But, more than this, the property, wher
in the possession Of the owner, is taxable
but when run off by the thief, it is gone
Hence, the man who takes and runs off
horse from Jefferson county-or any othe
property, takes from the wealth of the coun
ty, and from the pockets of the tax payers
who have to pay an additional amount int
the treasury, corresponding with the amour
which would have been collected on the prop
erty run off.
4 Is it not clear as the sun at monday, then
that the man who steals horse or othe
property, and run it off from this county, il
an enemy to every honest tax payer ant
property holder in the boundaries of tn
same? 1t certainly is. He not only retard
the development of the country, but be take
the money out of the pockets of the citizens
And the same is true of every other count
in the State where such unlawful acts ar
perpetrated.
If these views are not sound, if there i
not justice. right, good policy and SCUM,
sense in them, we know not what thes
} things are OsEoIoosa Independent.