The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-23
RALEIGH, N. e.
SATURDAY, HARCH 2srd, 1867.
COufscation.

PENNSYLVANIA. This bill has been postponed,
but will doubtless come up in due time for
consideration.
We have also received and read with much
care, the speech of Mr.. Stevens delivered in
the House on the 10th, explaining and advo-
eating this measure. 1t is, perhaps, the
ablest and most impressive speech of his
life. We shall lay it before our readers at
an early day.
The rebel leaders of the South defeated
the Presidents plan. They then contemp
tuously rejected the Howard amendment. -
They then opposed the Sherman act to the
last, declaring that to submit to it would be
to degrade and disgrace the South. And
now, after all this experience, they revile such
men as Mr.. Stevens, and boot at the idea of
contiscation. Will these men never learn
any wisdom The Wilson North Carozinian,
for example, says:
"Such men as Stevens, and Butler, and
Covodc and Wade would take Satanic de-
light in visiting this summary punishment
(cOntiscation,) upon men, whose nobler souls
they have not the heart to appreciate. They
would revel in the barbaric luxury of re-
venge, but the majority OF the Radical party
is. we believe, not prepared to consummate
so monstrous wrong"
The gentlemen above-named are among
the ablest and most influential in Congress.
Mr. Wade is the second officer in the govern
ment, unanimously chosen to that position
by the Senate. Messrs. Butler and Covode
WELD great influence in Congress; and when
Mr.. Stevens rises to speak, there is profound
attention in the House, and he is listened to,
and respected, and indeed revered and hon
ored as the Nestor of the body.
The Petersburg Express, speaking of Mr..
Stevens contiscation bill, says:
cit is scarcely possible to suppose that the
bill will ever meet the sanction of the North.
1t is rather more probable that the fcndish
spirit OF revenge which characterizes it will
condemn the Trainer of it to the infamy he de-
serves"
Let these foolish newspapers wait and see
If the people continue to listen to their coun,
sells, and to follow them in their wicked and
rebelious course, Mr.. Stecen's bill ,oM certain
ly become a lao.
The Hon. Tlladdeus Stevens has intro
duced the following bill in the House o.
of Representatives:
Whereas 1t is due to justice and as exampl,
| to future times that some proper punishment
should be inflicted on the people who constituted
| the " Confederate States of America" both be
cause they declared an unjust war against tn,
United States for the purpose of destroying re
publican liberty and permanently establishin!
Slavery, as we'll as for the cruel and barbarou:
| mannct in which they conducted said war, in vic
lation of all laws of civilized warfare and asC
\ to compel them to make some compensation TO
4 the damages and expenditures caused by the Sai(
| war; therefore,
Be it e,lncteti dc, That all public lands belong
! ing to the ten States that formed the Govern
ment of the so-called Confederate States of Amer
lea, shall be forfeited by the said States, and be
come forthwith vested in the United States.
Sec. 2. And be it further enactea, That the Pres
| ident shall forthwith cause the seizure of sucl
property, belonging to the beligerant enemy, as il
deemed forfeited by act of July H. 1862 and hole
| and appropriate the same enemy's property
and proceed to condemnation with that alread,
seized.
SEC 5. And be it further enacted, That in lier
o f the proceeding to coudemn the property thu
seized, as provided BY the act of July II, 1862
two commissioners, or more, as may be by hin
deemed necessary, may be appointed by the Pres
consist of three persons each, one of whom shall
be officer of the army and two shall be civil
ians, neither of whom shall be citizens of til,
State for which he shall be appointed and thu
sal 1 commission shall adjudicate and condemn
the property aforesaid under such forms and pro
Gee dings as shall be prescribed by the Attorney
General, whereupon the title to said property
shall become vested in the United States
SEC 4. Aadbe it further enacted That out O
the lands thus seized and coutiscated, the slaves
who have been liberated by the operations of tn,
war and The amendment to the Constitution o.
otherwise, who resided in the said Confcderat,
States on the 4th of March, 1861, or SINCE shall
have distributed to them 40 acres for each adul
male, and to each person who is head of famil,
40 acres to be held in fee simple but to be inai
ierslbIe tor the next ten years after they become
seized thereof For the purpose of distributing
and aLotting the said lands the Secretary of Wa
shall appoint as many commissioners in each Stat,
as he shall deem necessary, to consist of three
mexlbers each, two of whom, at least, shall no
becitizens ofthe State for which they are appoint
ed. Each OF said commissioners shall receive
salary of 5000 annually and all necessary eXpen
! SEES Each commission shall be allowed one clerk
whose salary shall be 81, 600 per annum. The ii
tie 10 the homestead, aforesaid, shall be vested
for the use of the liberated persons aforesaid in
| trustees, who shall be appointed by the Secretary
of War, and shall receive such salar, as he shall
direct not exceeding $4,000 per annum. At thu
end of ten years, the absolute title to the sait
| homestead shall be conveyed to the said owners
or to the heirs of such are then dead.
| SIC. 5. And be it further enacted That out O.
the balance of the property thus seized and con
tiscated there shall be raised in the manner here
matter provided, sum equal to $50 for each
homestead, to be applied by the trustees, herein
! before mentioned, toward the erection of build
| ings on the same homesteads for the use of the
said slaves, and further sum of $500, 0O0, OO(
which shall be appropriated as follows: SOC, O00
! 900 shall be invested in United States six pei
centum securities, the interest of which shall be
semi-annually added to the pension allowed BY
| law to pensioners who have become Sc BY
reason OF the late war; $500 OoO, QUO, or SO mucf
/ thereof as may needed, shall be appropriated tc
pay damages done to loyal citizens by the civil OF
| military operations of the government of the late
ly so called Confederate States of America
SEC. 3. And be 1t further enacted That the prop
erty of no one shall be seized whose whole estate
on the 4th OF March, 1866, was not worth NOR.
| than s. 200, to be valued by the said commission
unless he shall have voluntarily become an Officer
or employee in the military or civil service of the
&" Confederate States of America," Or in the civil
or military service OF some one OF the said States
and IN enforcing all the confscations, the sum OF
value OF Sc, OC0 in real or personal property shall
:be left or assigned to the delinquent.
SEC. z. Aaad be it further enacted, That the com
mission shall put just and impartial valuation
on all the property thus seized and forfeited, anG
:several States, all the said commissioners shall
meet In Washington and assess the $500, 00O 00(
i aforesaid, as the allowances for the homestead
/ buildings pro rata on each of the properties Of
estates thus seized, and shall give notice of sucf
|: assessment and superintendent by the publica
tion, Tor 90 days, in two daily newspapers in the
capitals of each of the said Confederate States.
SEC. g. And be 1t further enacted That if tn,
owners OF the said seized and forfeited estates
shall, within ninety days after the first of the
said provisions, pay into the treasury of the Uni
ted states the sum assessed on their estates re
spectively all OF their estates and lands not actin
appropriated "A ed s1a oh h.