Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-12-07

them. Ihe loyal people Woblh Lot sustain OF
allow IT,
Ifquestons should remain We would %
lust them by the powerful means Of legisla-
ton, conference, courts and votes, operating
only Ia constitutional ard lawful channels -
Save certain and other possible questions nre
and would be beyond he Executive power TO
adiust--for instance, the admission Of mem
bers OF Congress, and whatever might require
the appropriation Of money. The Executive
power il elf would be- greatly diminished by
the cessation OF actual war Pardons aud re-
missions OF forfeiture however would still be
within Executive c0nliol.
In what spirit and temper this control would
be exercised, can be fairly judged by tho
past
PARDON AND AMNESTY.
A year ago general pardon and amnesty
upon specified terms wcre Offered to all, ex.
cept certain designated classes, aud il was at
the same time made known that the exca,trd
classes we're still within couiemp platon OF
special cleme1cy. Duri, e the year many avail
themselves 9f the general ptoYsionsRld many
more would only hat the signs of bad faith IA
some, led to such precautionary measures, Hs
rendered the practical process less easy aud
certain During the same time, also, spec
ial parions have been granted 10 individuals
Of excepted classes, and no voluntary appica-
ton has been denied ...s.l
Thus, practically, the door mas been Rot a
full year, open to al except such as were not
in condition 10 make tree choice that il.
such as were in custody or nnder oonstraint.
1t is still open 10 oil, but the time may come,
probably will come, when pnblc duty shall de-
mand that it be closed and that instead, more
vigorous measures than heretofote shall be
adopted ...s..
W l. NO RETRAoTioNs NADRsl o. .A
In preeeniing The abandonment Of armed
resistance to the national authority on the
part of the insurgents, as the only indispensa-
bic condition 10 ending the war on the part OF
the (ioverumeni, retraet nothing hertlgore
said as to slavery repeat the declatfion
made year ago, and that white remain in
my present position, shall not nlterpisto re
tract or medifs the Emancipation proelama.
tion, nor shall return to slavery any person
who ia free by the terms Of that Proclamation,
I or by any OF the acts Of Congress! ll the
people should, by whatever mode or means :,
make it my Executive duty to rc,enslaye such
] persons, another, and not |, must be their in.
strument to perform il In stating a single
condition Of peace, mean alppiy 70 say that
the war will cease on the part OF the Govern
ment, whenever il shall have ceased on the
part Of those who began it.
[Signed ABRAHAM LINCOLN
...-
i Public MORALS -Theie are times when
crime seems TO be epidemic. 1t is one OF
the curious things in hiaory, both local and
general We are often startled bv the ac
count OF some terrible crime and scarcely get
over the horror which it occasions, when an
other and another oi the same kind is brought
to notice. The last lew months have been
prolific of great OGenses both in England and
America The papers chronicle an unusual
number Of murders, and some ofthem oithe
most fearful and appalling kind, The public
, mind is 80 much occupied with the war and
wur news that they do not produce the et-
feeis which in another stale Of affairs would
f be naturally caused by such occurrences
It becomes us toihink seriously Of the con.
l dition Of public morals iiithe country, and to
( see to it Tint mons of the good Influences are
allowed TO be Withdrawn. II will not do to
devote all our energies to the war, and meg
. ect the ordinary messfa Of public education
and civilization, On the contrary, tho strength
4 Of the nation consists in the virtue OF the peo.
pie, and he is doing most excellent service IN
: the public cause whe devotes himself 10 the
!. moral elevation of the people around him -
y There is always danger in the time OF war
}, aud especially in time Oi civil war, that u {
,, morals OF a nation, the whole charaGter Of The
-. people, may undergo change for the worse
4 Bat this is no necessary result. 1t can be
guarded against, aud the relapse prevented
n 1t becomes us M people 10 see to 1t that th1
h high character We have borne IS rot lost in
} these trying tin'cs Our chorclies, lourA col
. legos, our public schools, our style Of popu
o lar books and public ri.ls, our newspsPc
press, all shOuu ,.u hcpL at the highes
# mark, and no one OF the refining iRHu
!. euces OF our civilization should be permit
;. ed to fall of or dsteriorats, N Il. Jplgnd
!. Of Commerce,
u The Dan Ro0k indnlpes in the followinI