The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-03-27
COnfscatiOn.

We publish below the confscation bill in
troduced in. the House, by Mr.. Stevens, of
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.. Steveas and 'hoot at the idea of
confscation. Will these men never learn
any wisdom The Wilson North Cdrolinian,
for example, says:
"Such men as Stevens, and Butler, and
Covode, and Wade, would take Satanic de-
light in visiting this summary punishment
(confiscation) 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 aboye-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 confscation bill, says:
It is scarcely possible to suppose that the
bill will ever meet the sanction of the North
1t is rather more probable that the fendish
spirit OF revenge which characterizes it will
condemn the framer 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.. Stevens billuM certain
ly become a ldw.
The Hon. Thaddeus Stevens has intro
duced the following bill in the House of
of Representatives:
Whereas, 1t is due to justice and as an example
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 the
United States for the purpose of destroying re-
publican liberty and permanently establishing
mannet in which they conducted said war, in yio-
lation OF all laws of civilized warfare and also
to compel them to make some compensation for
the damages and expenditures caused by the said
war; therefore,
Belt enacted de-, That all public lands belong
ing to the ten States that formed the Govern
mcnt 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 enacted, That the Pres
ldent shall forthwith cause the seizure of such
property, belonging to the belligerant enemy as is
deemed forfeited by act of July IL, 1862, and hold
and appropriate the same as enemy's property,
and proceed to condemnation with that already
seized.
SEC. 3. And be IL further enacted, That in lieu
OF the proceeding to eoudemn the property thus
seized, as provided BY the act of July II, 1852,
Two commissioners, or more, as may be by him
deemed necessary, may disappointed by the Pres
ldent for each of the said Confederate States to
consist OF three persons each, one of whom shall
oe an officer of the army and two shall be civil
iEahs, neither of whom shall be citizens of the
etaie Tor which he shall be appointed and the
said commission shall adjudicate and condemn
thc property aforesaid under such forms and pro-
CCeedings as shall be prescribed by the ATTORNEY
Geheral, whereupon the title to said property
slall become vested in the United States
i, eEC. 4. And be 1t further enacted, That ont of
.lle lands thus seized and couiscated the slaves
VINO have been liberated by the operations ofthe
war and the amendment to the Constitution or
SSttherwise, who resided in the said Confederate
States on the 4th of March, 1851, or since. shall
nave distributed to them 40 acres for each adult
1hn'e, and to each person who is head of a family
ia acres TO be held in fee simple but to be inai-
!enaDle Tor the next ten years after they become
seized a, thereof. For the purpose of distributing
hi iallotting the said lands the Secretary of War
os M appoint as many commissioners in each State
III, ne snail deem necessary, to consist of three
bo o;.;e each two of whom, at least, shall not
ed E ofthe State for which they are appoint
soior,, Lacn OF said commissioners shall receive a
ssS VI $4,000 annually and all necessary expen
WI hach commission shall be allowed one clerk
lie to t salary Shall be $4,000 per annum The IT,
;or H. e homestead, aforesaid shall be vested
ne use OF the liberated persons aforesaid in
N''ees, VINO shall be appointed by the Sncretsry