Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-02-10
OONFIsCATION.

During the Revolutionary war, all the
colonies or States. save New Hampshire,
nassed acts of eonfiscatiou When the trea-
fy of Ghent was about to be signed, the
British Commissioners made strenuous eff
forts to induce the American Commission
ers te pledge themselves to have that ACT OF
confiscation annulled or repealed 1t was
the last labor Of love and gratitude which
the British could preform for the tories.
The British agents felt that they owed this
effort TO their allies 1t was well known
that England would receive or shelter the
wretches who had aided the British ennis
saries in their crusade on the colonies. The
fate Of Arnold was a lesson as TO what would
be the fate Of other tories and traitors: who
would be compelled by fear OF punishment
or loss OF property by confscatI0n, 20 fly to
England for refuge and succor.~ Hence the
British agents al the signing oi the treaty
Of Ghent were anxious that the c0niiscatiOn
act by which hundreds Of tories would be
deprived OF their property, should be annul7
led. They We're anxious for this, because
they were desirous that these torres should
remain in the colonies. possessed of their
property and social standing, tha5 they
might be the better able 20 work mischief
TO the great experiment which was then to
lie tried of man governing himself But
the scheme OF the English failed The to-
ries were compelled to submit to cOntsca-
ton Traitors lands were taken from them,
and the young Republic saved the baleful in
ffGences Of toryism.
There is a coiDcidcnce in the part which
the British Commissioners played at Ghent,
in behalf of the tories of the Revolution,
and that which the Democracy 1--WE mean
the leaders, are playing towards the slave
holding traitors Of the South The Demo
cretic leaders oppose coniscatlon, as the last
act of aid and comfort which they can do
their traitor allies in the South. As in the
days ct the Revolutionary war, great
experiment Is about 10 be tried. The prob
lem as 10 whether the Southern States can
be made prosperous under free labor IS to
be tested Ii the save-holding rebels are
allowed to retain their possessions, OF course
the solution Of that problem viii be untayor-
able to freedom The same would have
been the case AT the end Of the revolutionary
war tsad the tories been allowed ia keep
their positions and property The eSpei-
ment of Liberty and Equality would have
| then failed, had the tories been permitted
| to remain entranchised. The British knew
| this, and hence Their anxiety e. have cOnhs-
cation annulled Aud as the British knew
| what they were after, 50 also are the Demo
cracv Interested In behalf OF the traitors
/ If the Democratic leaders can defeat the
| purposes of coniiscatiof, they will Of course
| fruStrate the designs Of the Government to
reconstruct the Union, and re-establish
peace In all the revolving States. II the
| lenders of the rebellion are allowed their
| possesSi0ns-if they are to be secure in their
! citizenship-if they dare remain at home:
convinced that the Government Is too iplbe-
cile or too lenicnt TO hold them responsible
| for their crimes, the first opportunity which
offers viii find these wretches again ready TO
wage Il bloody war on the peace and prosper
| ity Of the nation The nation understands
! these facts, and hence the earnest desire ON
| the part Of all truly loyal men to enforce
confscation 1t IS the blow not alone to end
the most disgusting barbarism that eveI dis
graced the earth with its presence, bat it is
the effort, also, which is to elevate man
nearer to his God aud secure him govern
ment's sublimest attribute-.free,ionti
II II tcaS necessary and j1sst To confscate
! the property Of a tory danieg md at the end
| Of the Recoi,stioaGlV 1rar, 1T IS THRICE
NECESSARY AND JUST To CoNFIsCATE THF
| PROPERTY or 4 sLAVE-HOLDfNG TRAITOR
williamsburg Taegrapd