An Important Bill -- The Punishment of Rebels, their Aiders and Abettors

The bill introduced by Mr. Sherman in the United States Senate on Wednesday, is as follows:

Section first authorizes the President to take possession of all property and persons as follows:

First.  Of the persons hereafter acting as officers in the army and navy of the rebels.

Second.  Persons hereafter acting as President, Vice President, Members of Congress and Judges of the so called Confederacy.

Third.  Governors of the States, members of the Legislature, and Judges of the States in rebellion, who hereafter take the oath to support the rebel Constitution.

Fourth.  Persons holding offices of honor under the United  States who may hereafter hold an office under the said Confederate States.

Fifth.  Persons owning property in the loyal States who may hereafter assist or give aid to the rebellion.

Section second provides that to recover the possession of such property in the loyal States proceedings shall be instituted in the name of United States in the district where the property is found; and if the property be sold the proceeds shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States.

The third section provides that the property seized, where judicial proceedings are obstructed, shall be held till judicial proceedings are restored, when the suit shall be instituted. – Articles of a perishable nature to be sold or used as the service requires, and no person described in the first section shall hold any person to service or labor after the passage of this act who is held by him before.

Section fifth gives the District Court the power to issue all processes to carry out this act.

Section sixth authorizes the President, by proclamation of amnesty, to release either of the five classes of persons described in the first section from the operation of this act.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 22, 1862, p. 3