The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-07-18

The President, by his act'on on the Conh,ca-
ton bill, has immortalizcd hSuself 1t is the
browning act of his career-the death blow to
the hopes Of the revolutionary faction who
brought on tho war, and have ever since done
their worst to defeat its legitimate objects.
Mr.. Lincoln, seeing the unconstitutionalty of
the first Confscation bill, as it passed both
houses Of the national Legislature, requested q
postponement of the adjournment of Congress,
without saying for what purpose he desired it,
The keen scented radicals smelled danger to
their bill, and suspected tie President wanted
the time to prepare veto. Tobreak the force
of the crushing defeat, they prepared q sup
Elementary bill, explaining the first bill, and
rendering it nugatory in its unconstitutional
and obnoxious features. The President, In
order to stand right on the record, and to i'm
pale the radicals, approved both bills, regard
ing them as one-the last being explanatory Of
the first--at the same time sending to Congress
the veto he had prep AIRED for the first bill,
unexplained by the second
The President has thus shown himself to be
tho only man Of moral and political stamina in
the country. The cowardly radicals succumbed
to him beforehand like . pack of whipped
hounds. Mr.. Lincoln is master of the situation,
because he Is determined to adhere to the con-
stitution, and has therefore the people at his
back; whereas the revolutionary radicals in
Congress are only supported by the expiring
remnant of miserable faction, distinguished by
their smoke and stencil and dim light, like
taper blown out by the breath of the storm.
The President is the embodiment Of the rising
tempest which has quenched the political power
Of the radicals. He il the only popular man
in the United States.
The BILL as modified and altered, IL nullity,
and leaves the power where it originally be-
longed, in the hands of the President, who, in
virtue ofhis constitutional Office Of Commander
in-Chief, had right to do the very thing that
Congress now pretends to confer upon
him-the right to confscate the chattels
Of rebels in arms. The bill does not
compe! the Presidentto do anything, but leaves
it in his discretion to issue his proclamation
Of conAscation or not That power he had be-
FORE Nor does the triumph rest here. The
unconstitutional parts Of the bill are stricken
out by the suicidal hand of the crestfallen
radical faction. Like the scorpion girt with
flame, they saw their coming fate, and they an
ticipsted it by an act Of telo de Sc The bill,
as now passed, does not affect the rights Of the
heirs Of traitors. Real estate cannot be for
feited beyond the lifetime Of the guilty indi-
vidaal. Moreover, it is not retrospective in it's
| action. Ex post facto laws and bills of attain
| der arc admitted to be null and void. It only
deals with the future-it has no influence OH
the past. A 1t now stands, it is legitimate
constitutional bill, and its worst severity is
mitigated by the fact that it gives the President
discretion to pardon.
The stunning effect Of this triumph of the
President over the radicals may be estimated
by the fury Of Ben. Wade. who rushes on his
fate like q mad bull upon the deadly steel Of
the matador, while sneaking Sumner lodges
like donkey. Let Wade be squelched by the
people of Ohio; let hypocritical, dastardly
Sumner be spewed out by Massachusetts,, and
| let all the radical leaders be sacrificed by the
people on the altar o: patriotism, to vindicate
| the immortal charter of our liberties, drawn up
by Washington and his compatriots, and to save
from destruction the system of government for
whose establishment the men Of l716 fought
and bled for seven long years.