The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-12-16

HE annual Inc sage OF the ItolutAb - NUN
ed for with interest by the great mass OF read
ers, mainly, We suppose, on account OF the mar
ration it would give Of the progress OF the war
and the views Of the Government concerning its
termination. Such statement would, doubt
less, have been read on both sides Of the Allan
tic. with profound interest, by millions but for
the facts on this subject, the President has re-
ferred his readers to the report Of tina War De
partmeLt.
But the question Of Reconstruction, which u
even more important than the progress Of the
War, is dwelt upon in the message, and the plan
Of the President il embodied in a Proclamation
which accompanies it, and may be regarded as
an integral part Of the document. This is
thought By some to be a mere formal State pa
per, got up to gain for Us a good reputation
among foreign nations, and perhaps, in addition,
TO serve some political end. But we do not see
1t in the light Of mere abstraction. We re
gard it az eminently practical, and we believe it
will hasten theIend OF hostiltis, and be the basis
ON which the return Of tie seeded States will
be effected Let us look at some of its prOvs-
ions.
/. It's addressed 10 rebels and traitors in ten
seeded States. II has nothing TO do with lOya
States, or loyal men in these States. By the
laws of tho United States the punishment oil
treason Is death the punishment of rebellion is
fifteen years in the Penitentiary. and confscation
of all property, real and personal and both
.r1 L. 4 fora rrco
of holding any Office Of profit or honor under
the United States. This is the present legal con
dition of the classes Of persons whom the Pres.
ident addresses. What does he say to them
2. A full pardon is granted to them on certain
conditions, with certain exceptions, with restOra
ton Of all property except in slaves, or where
the rights Of third persons may have accrued.
This, certainly, is changing their condition at
once. But the President does more than remove
their disabilities. He gives them the rights Of
citizens, voters and office holders AS soon as
one tenth of the voters in any rebel State shall
take and register the prescribed oath, all the pO-
litical, civil, legislative, Judicial and executive
power of that State IS put into their hands, and
they can Immediately establish State Constitu-
ton and Government, and set them in operation.
As there will be at the beginning, no other per-
sons who can vote or hold Office in the State
except this tenth part of the voters, and those
who shall afterwards come in on the same terms,
they will ill every State Office, from Governor
to constable, and when the United States Govern
ment wants marshals, judges, attornies, postmas-
tiers, assessors, collectors, paymasters, contract
ors, customhOuse officers, or any other class of
agents, they will be selected from this small por-
ton of the people OF the State. What re-
markable change to be made in ones condition,
at once All the penalties OF crime rewarded
the political power OF citizen increased ten
times, with a monopoly of all State and National
emOluments, and great chance for the amb-
tious and enterprising to get a start on the road
to distinction and wealth
8. The number exempted from pardon may
possibly amount to 5000 or 5000, of whom the
greater part would be postmasters. 1t viii be
observed that the Governors of rebel States, and
State officers of all grades are included in the
paAuVu- III tuiS AtcpGNt, tuc OucI VI llluOu -
liberal enough; and the classes of exemption are
just the ones which need exemption. Those in
the service Of the United States who went over
TO the rebels, and used the knowledge, expert
ence. influence and wealth which they had &C.
quired in the military, naval, or civil service of
their country, for its ACKNOWLEDGMENT, and for the
destruction Of the government which had en-
ployed them, deserve no pardon, present or fu-
ture. If they had a sympathy for personal
friends, or conscientious scruples against a war
fare with the rebels, they might have resigned
in the Federal service, without enlisting for the
overthrow of the government under which they
had been favored and distinguished.
4. The terms on which the pardon is granted
are taking and living up to an oath to support
the Constitution, and TO abide by and faithful
ly support all acts Of Congress respecting
slaves, and all ProclamatiOns of the President on
the same subject which shall not be set aside by
the decision OF the Supreme Court, or by Act Of
Congress. The first part of the oath no LOYAL
man could hesitate to take; and the last part
the President very properly deems necessary for
establishing a division line between the hostile
elements ir each State. Persons who shall take
and live up to their oaths, viii act for IorALrr
and EMANCIPATION and in building anew the
State Institutions, will build on these two foun-
dAtions. 1t viii be remembered that no person
is compelled to take this or any other oath; and
the President is authorized by law TO impose any
conditions to pardon he may deem best. He
has chosen these two; and they seem TO US en-
inenty jus, and proper. The latter seemed to
be called for by the existing state of things. It
would be foolish in the President to put all the
political power OF State into the hands of for
mer rebels, who could take the oath of allepi-
ance merely, and then, in their new State Con-
stitutiOns establish slavery thus setting at de-
lance the action this subject of the President,
and Of Congress also.
In making these propositions, the President,
while he commits himself to no abstract theory.
assumes the same grounds that We argued in this
paper some weeks since that the State Gov.
ernments Of the rebel States had been subvert-
ed, and that it was the constitutional duty of
Congress and the General Government to cause
Others to be established, and afterwards to pro.
tect and defend them. The President, as Com
msnder-in-Chief OF the military forces. takes the
initiatory steps therefor, and declares what kind
OF governments he vii recognize while the adj |
mission OF members of Congress sent bv thass