Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1864-08-11
10 Tie ,supporters OF thc Gosernme7 &:

10 tie Supporters Of Me Gorernme'':
We have read without surprise, but not
without Indignation. the proclamation o! The
President on the 9Th Of July. 1864.
The supporters Of the administration ere
responsible TO the country for its conduct;
and it is their right and duty TO check Inc
entertainments Of the Executive upon the
authority, and to require it to confinc itself
to it, proper sphere.
II is impossible to pass in silence this
proclamation without neglecting that duty;
and, having taken as mnch responsibility
rs any others III supporting the admins ra-
ton, we are not disposed 10 fail in the other
duty Of asserting the rights Of Congress.
The President did not 81 gn the bill 'io
guarantee to certain States whose govern
,nents have been usurpcd republican form
Of government passed by the supporters
Of tins administration in both houses OF
Congress after mature dcibcration.
The bill did not therefore become tue,
and it is therefore aotdthg.
The Proclamation is neither an approval
nor veto OF the bill, it is Therefore doc
ument unknown to the laws and constiiu-
ton Of the United States.
90 III az ~ ttlithhS iVi No.
signing the bill, it is political manifesto
against the friends of the government.
SO far as it proposes to execute the bill
which Is not a law, it is a grave Executive
usurpatlon
1t is fitting that tie facts necessary to en-
able the friends Of the administration to APP
preciatc the apology and the usurpation DC
spread before them.
The proclamation says:
"And whereas the said bill was presented
to the President of the United States for lbs
approval less than one hour before the sine
die adjournment Of said session, and was not
signed by him."
II that be accurate, still this bill was pre-
scented with other bills which were signed
Within that hour the time for the sane dc
adjournment was three times postpon d l.,
the votes of both Houses, and the least in
timation Of a desire for more time by the
President to consider this bill would have
secured further postponement.
Yet the committee sent to ascertain il the
President had any further communication
for the House Of Representatives reported
that he had none; and the friends of the
bill, who had anxiously waited on him to
ascertain its fate, had already been informed
that the President lad resolved not to sign
it.
The time Of presentation, therefore, had
nothing to do with his failure to approve it,
The bill had been discussed and consil-
cred for more than month in the House Of
Representatives, which it passed on the It'll
Of May: ii was reported to the Senate on
the 9th Of May without material amend
ment, and passed the Senate absolutely as
it came from the House, on the I'd day Of
July
Ignorance of its contents is out Of the
question.
Indeed, at his request draft of a bill
substantially the same in all material points,
and identical in the points objected to by
the proclamation had beer laid before hi.n
for his consideration in the winter Of 1861
1868.
There Is, therefore, no reason to suppose
the provisions OF the bill took the President
by surprise.
On the contrary, We have reason to be-
lleye them to have been 50 we'll known that
this method ofprcvcnting the bill from be
coming law without the constitutional re-
sponsbility Of veto had been resolved on
long before the bill passed the Senate.
We are informed by a gentleman entitled
to entire confidence, that before the 22d OF
June in New Orleans it was stated by
member of Gen. Banks staff. in the pres
encc OF other gentlemen in official position.
that Senator Doolittle had written a letter
TO the department that the House recon
struction bill would be saved off in the
Senate to period too late in the session IN
require the President to vote it in order IN
defeat It, and that MIR. Lincoln would 70.
tain the bill, if necessary, anl thereby de-
feat it.
The experience Of Senator Wade, in his
various efforts TO get the bill considered in
the Senate. was quite in accordance with
that plan; ami the fate of tho bill was &C.
curatciy predicted by letters received fro:n
New Orleans before it passed the Senatv \
Had the proclamation stopped there it
would have been only one other defeat of
the will Of the people by an Executive per
version Of the constitution.
Butt goes further. The President saws.
And whereas the said bill contains
among other things, plan for restoring Tho
States in rebellion 10 their proper practical
relation in the Union, which plan expresses
the senses of Congress upon that suh;ent
and which plan it is now thought fit to law
before the weople for their consid,ra.
ton"
BY what authority of the constitution
IN what forms? The result TO be declare,
oy whom With what effect when rscer.
tanned? sa@ N ''>e'
It Is to be law BY the approval Of the
people without the approval Of Congress at
the will Of the President. =
Will the President. on his op;n;o,, ,e...
popular approval, execute it as law,
Or is this merely device to avoid Tho
serious responsibility Of defeating = Law a.
which SO snlany .losal hearts reposed for "a q:
But the reasons, nov assigned for No, =,
proving The bill ass full Of ominous s;cn;s
canoe. ehsfE IN = -''> s'Su'u-
The President proceeds:
"Now Therefore, l, Abraham rsr.o,.
President e the United Stafes. do nr ,,.i
declare, add make knewn, thst. whiis 7 .rs
e. in Dedib 1ast vhsn - proclamstio In
I peopund y 6)en fr lrsltcsation) 1nsfr
pagsd b g. hq4aevol u tfas Ait i
= issssl Sss1 > J 4. 4 4 nv ~ ihc!