Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1865-07-08
Treatment of Tories i'm the Reyo.
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Inc following summary, complied from
the statutes Of several States, of penaltie.
inflicted upon persons who had taken u,
arms on the side of the enemy, or in any
way rendered aid and comfort to that enc
my, is very interesting at this tin,e. l"
New Hampshire passed an act in l777, de
claring all persons resident within the
State, who either levied war, or aided the
enemy IN carrying on the war; against the
United States, to be guilty of treason, and
fofieiting their good aud schattels to the use
OF the State
In Connecticut it was made treason, pun
islable with death, to aid or comfort the
enemy.
Massachusetts,, in 1777 declared all per.
sons abiding within that State, and deriving
protection from its laws, to owe allegiance
to it, and that all such persons guilty of
levying war, or conspiring to levy war,
against any of the United States, should
suffer the pains of death Ii further en-
acted, that any concealment of treason
should forfeit all the goods and chattes OF
tue offender to the use of the State during
his life. H..
In Rhode Island, death and the entire
coniiscation of property were the penalties
Va p'tuN'iOh w tue royal Chuse.
Pennsylvania, early in 1910, enacted that
all enemies resident within the State. or
those who should aid or assist the public
enemy, should be held guilty of high trea-
son, and suffer death. Their estates were,
hy the same act, declared forfeited to the
Commonwealth.
New York passed laws, authorizing her
Governor ito remove certain disaffected and
dangeroue persons" from the limits of the
State; also an act to remove neutral per-
sons to the enemys lines, upon their re-
fusal to take the oath of allegiance Also,
in 1779, an act for the forfeiture and sale of
the estates OF persons who had adhered to
the enemies of the United States. Also an
act for the Punishment of all tories
New jersey, in 1875 passed IAN act to
punish traitors and disaffected persons" by
death or imprisonment, according to the
nature of the offense, and ioriciting their
property to the State.
Marylan passed, in 1777, ''an act to pun
ish certain crimes, and to prevent the
growth of toryism," which enacted that all
person proved to have adhered to the enemy.
should be adjudged guilty Of treason, and
should suffer death, without benefit of clergy,
and forfeit all their estate.
In Delaware, by an act passed in 177S,
the real and personal estate of all aiders and
abetturs of the enemy, was declared abso-
lutely forfeited. 81
Virginia, in I7T6, defined by statute what
should be treason in that State, and de-
creed for all convicted of levying war
against the Commonwealth, or of adhering
to its enemies, the punishment of death with
out the benefit of clergy, and forfeiture OF
all lands and cnattels to the Common
wealth.
III iSUi ia Carolina, the law OF 1777 de
clared all persons in the limits of that State
to owe allegiance to it, and adjudged the
| penalties of death and contscation TO al
such persons rs aided the enemy.
| Georgia, in 1878, forfeited and coufsca
ted the estates of a multitude of persons who
had been guilty of inciviism.
South Carolina, the modern hot-bed o.
| sedtiun, passed, early in l776, "An act tt
| prevent sedition, and punish insurgents and
| disturbers of the public peace" in Nhicl
capital punishment was denounced against
! all taking up arms, or aiding Or abcttine
the foreign enemy. 1t also declared thai
all lands and .enements, goods and chattels
| of such persons, should be sold within one
month, and the proceeds deposited in the
Colony Treasury at Charleston.
Such is the record of the legislation o
the "old thirteen against traitors and do
nestle enemies. II is CONSTANT, thougl
severe testimony, to the necessities which
every civil war has imposed upon Govern
ment. .