The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-02-17
HON. =. e. WILSON ON COsFIsCA-
TON.


TON.
readers the speech Of our member of Con-
gress on the Con6scation bill in full, but
our crowded columns forbid, and they
must be content with the following con-
GLIDING portion Of his speech:
Mr.. SPEAKgR--My mind has never en-
tertained a doubt Of the power of Con-
gress to provide FOR the forfeiture, abso-
iutely and forever, of the interest rebel
may have In property Of every kind, char
acier. and description real, personal and
mixed qnadruped and bibed. All may
be reached, and it is mere question Of
policy for Congress to determine how far
the power shall be exercised. He who
raises his trai.orous hand to destroy the
Constitution and Government is entitled
TO little pro eciion from either. Both
were made for the protection Of the loyal,
but neither vas created to shield men
who turn fro loyalty to treason. from
being peaceful citizens to bloody handed
rebels. Such rights as the laws of war
accord to public enemy, an active belli-
eerent. are those which the rebels of this
country can claim, and none other The
constitutional guarantees concerning life,
liberty, aud property, are the just and
fightiul pos ssions of the loyal people !;
but the traitor who would destroy all has
40 right to ~ up these great securities
20 save himself from the rightful infic-
tons which m outraged and imperiled
Government may sec proper TO impose
upon him he Constitution was esiao-
ilshed u organize, protect, and perpetnate
the Republic, not 10 strengthen the hands
Of those VINO would DESTROY il. Traitors
have invoked he laws Of war, and to them
must they lsek for their nights aud pro-
lection. Tney understand this as well
as We ought "a. The rebels do Dot claim
the protection of the Constitution. They
boldly, resoluiely, dehanisy spnrn the
Constitutions, aud reject the theories which
are advanced Ia tins House in their be-
bali. Tuey illly comprehend their posi-.
lion as belligcFen,s. II is their own
creation. and hey ar content with ii. /
vii. not ,nial upon ~ argument 10 sus-
taiu these views. for, a have heretofore
remarked they have nothing 10 do with
the subject beiore Us. Congress has al
ready expressed its opinion upon these
questions by the passage Of the conti,ca-
ton act, so called. OF 1852, which is now
the law OF the land, its policy approved
h.-f III t-.x-
sustained BY the courts.
Ii has been said that it was inexpedient
to pass this Joint resolution; that we
should not do anything which would tend
to the enlarge nent of the forfeiture now
provided by law; that VIC must conci-
hate, not puaish, traitors; that kindness
should be our weapon instead Of the stern
powers which the Constitution has pro-
yided for the punishment and subjuga-
lion OF rebels; that We must win back our
erring brethren" by manifestations Of
forgiveness, charity and love. Sir, what
kind of advice Is this, In view of the fact
that we are now engaged in the organiza-
ton of new army Of tive hundred thous-
and men to complete the overthrow Of the
military power of the rebellion The
recruiting officers are in every county Of
the loyal States, aud the nation is resort
ing to every means it can command in
preparing for the grand campaign of the
coming spring. Treason is forcing into
its army every man and boy between
fifteen and sixty years of age. The war
cloud settles densely upon the nation.
The heavy tread of armies is heard in
every part of the land. Is this the time
for gentlemen in the Congress of the Uni
ted States to talk Of forgiveness, charity,
love, peaceI Our erring brethren
are in arms, and not on their knees asking
for mercy They intend to fight US.
Their rebellion is great military fact
which must be crushed out by the exer-
else OF power and cannot be subdued by
an exhibition of olive branches, or sooth-
ed by honeyei words, even though they
drop from the lips of members of the
American Congress.
While gentiemenin this body have been
talking about cancellation" 'scharity.
Glove, . SOLVE branchea," "peace," and
thousand other ill-timed subjects for the
benefit of our "erring BRETHREN and
"wayward sisters those interesting rel
atives have been employing their time
very differently as regards their present
and future action toward US. On the Esd
day Of last month the rebel Senate, as if
responding to the "peace and concilia-
ton" utterances of gentlemen in this
House, passed the following resolutions BY
a unanimous vote:
'-Resolved, That the thanks of Con-
gress are hereby rendered to all the brig
AIDES and other troops in service who have
taken the patriotic and gallant resolution
to re -en!is, for the war.
"Resolsed. That the manifestation Of
such spirit IN our armies is a happy
omen of the ultimate triumph of our strug-
gle for independence, indicative, as it is,
of the fixed determination Of our people
never to hay down their arms while our
soil is exposed to the hostile tread and
barbarous ravages Of our malignant enc
mica"