The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-03-27
CONFISCATION.
Tho Measure Proposed by Thaddeus Ste.

example to future times that some proper
punishment should be inflicted on the peo-
plewho constituted the Confederate States
Ut America" both because they declared
an unjust war against the United States Tor
the purpose Of destroying republican liber-
ty and permanently establishing slavery,
as we'll as for the crueland barbarous man
ner in which they conducted said war, in
violation OF all laws OF civilized warfare;
and also to compel them to make some
compensation for the damages and expen-
ditures caused by the said war; therefore.
BE it enacted &C., That all public lands
belonging to the ten States that formed
the Government Of the so-called Conted
crate States Of America shall be forfeited
by the said States, and become forthwith
vested in the United States.
Section =. And be it further enacted,
That the President shall forthwith cause
tie seizure of such property, belonging to
the belligerent enemy, as is deemed forfeit
ed by the act OF July II, 1852, and held
and appropriate the same as enemy's p:o-
perty, and proceed to condemnation with
that already seized.
| Section 3. And be it further enacted.
That in lieu of the proceeding to condemn
the property thus seized, and provided by
the act Of July II, 1862, two commission
ers or more, as may be by him deemed ne
cessary, may be appointed by the Presi-
dent tor each OF the said Confederate
States. to consist Of three persons each,
one of whom shall be an officer Of the
army and two shall be civilians, neither
of whom shall be citizens Of the State for
which he shall be appointed; and the said
commission shall adjudicate and condemn
/ the property aforesaid under such forms
and proceedings as shall be prescribed by
the Attorney General whereupon the little
to said property shall become vested IN
the United States.
Section T. And be it further enacted,
That out of the lands thus seized and
confscated, the slaves who have been Ii
berated by the operations Of the war and
the amendment to the Constitution or
otherwise who resided in the said Con-
federate States on the 18th Of of March,
1852, or since, shall have distributed to
them forty acres for each adult male, and
to each person who is head Of family for
ty acres, to be held in fee simple but to be
inalienable for the six years after they be-
come seized thereof. For the purpose Of
distributing and allotting the said land the
Secretary of War shall appoint as many
commissions in each State as he shall
deem necessary, to consist Of three mem
bers each two of whom. at least, shall not
be citizens Of the States for which they
are appointed. Each ofsaid commission
ers shall receive salaryof S. 90 annual
ly and all necessary expenses. Each COM
mission shall be allowed one clerk, whose
salary shall be 50 900 per annum' The
title to the homestead, aforesaid, shall be
vested for the use Of the liberated persons
aforesaid, in trustees, who's shall be appoin-
ted by the Secretary of War, and shall re-
ceive:such salary as he shall direct, not ex-
ceeding SO 900 per annum. At the end
of ten years, the absolute title to the
homestead shall be conveyed to said own
CTS or to the heirs Of such as are then dead.
Section 5. And be it further enacted,
That out of the balance of the property
thus seized and confscatcd there shall be
raised, in the manner hereinafter provid-
| ed, a sum equal to fifty dollars for each
homestead, to be applied by the trustees,
hereinafter mentioned, toward the cree
ton Of buildings on the said homesteads
for the use of said sleeves, and further sum
of s50O,000,000, which shall be appro-
priated as follows, viz: $2000,000,000
shall be invested in United States six per
centum securities Of which shall be semian-
ually added to the pension allowed by
law to pensioners who have become so by
reason of the late war. $500, 00O,0 900, or
SO much thereof as may be needed, shall
be appropriated to pay damages done to
loyal citizens by the evil or military oper-
alton Of the government of the lately SO
called Confederate States.
Section g. Aud be it further enact
ed, That the poperety Of no one shall be
seized whose whole estate on the 18th Of
March. 1895, was not worth more than
$4,000, to be valued by the said commits
sion, unless he shall have voluntarily be-
come an officer or employee in the militia
ry or civil service of the confederate
States of America" or in the civil or mil
itary service of some one Of the said
States and in enforcing all the confsca-
tions, the sum or value Of $1,000 in real
or personal property shall be left or as
signed to the delinquent.
Section Z And be it futher enacted
That the commission shall puta just and
impartial valuation. on all the property
thus seized and forfeited. and when such
valuation shall be completed in the sever
al States, all the said commissioners shall
meet in Washington and assess the $780,
100000 aforesaid, as well as the allowan-
ces for the homestead buildings, pro rata
on each of the properties or estates thus
seized, and shall give notice of such assess
ment and appointment by the publication,
for sixty days, in two daily newspapers
in Washington, and in two daily news
papers in the capitals of each of tho said
Confederate States.
| Section s. And be it further enacted,
That if the 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 United States the
sum assessed on their estates and lands
not actually appropriated to the liberated
slaves shall be released and restored to
/ their owners.
n y r. Y