East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-11-02

prOclamallOnS muuo III puTsuunCe
thereof shall be established over all
tho people of every State and Terri
tory embraced within the National
Union;n until (in brief) the yar shall
be at an end. Now, we freely avow
to your Excellency, and to the world,
that we earnestly desire the return of
peace and good will to our now un-
happy country; that we seek neither
pleasure, profit, nor honor in the per-
petuation of war; that we should feel
bound as Christians, as patriots, and
as civilized men-that we are bound
by the oaths we have taken--to ooun-
tenance and encourage any negotia-
tons which may be entered into by
the proper authorit es with the intent
to restore peace and union under the
Constitution wo have sworn TO support
and defend. We should be traitors
false, indeed, to fke fkaf.i- primary clssss la:1s Ss
the oath we are now discussing, to-
oppose such negotiations. We cannot
consent to swear at the ballot box
war of determination against our
countrymen and kindred, or to pro-
long by our opposition, for single
day after it can be brought to On hon.
orablo and lawful conclusion, contest
the most sanguinary and ruinous that
has scourged mankind.
You will not have forgotten that in
the month of July last you issued the
following proclamation:
EXECUTIVE MANSION
Washington, July ls, 1864
To trliom IL may concern:
Any proposition which embraces the rcsora-
ton Of peace, the integrity OF the whole Union,
and the abandonment Of slavery, and which comes
by and with an authority that can control the
armies now ut war against the United States, will
be received and considered by the Executive
Government Of the United States, and will be
met by liberal terms on other substantial and
collateral points and tho bearer bearers tAsrscf
shah have safe conduct both ways.
ApnauAx rixrnt~
This is certainly proposition to
treat with rebels in arms-with their
chiefs. Are we now to understand
by this proclamation Of one acting
under your authority, and himself
candidate with you for the second Of
fee, that even the above proposition
is withdrawn--that you will hence
forth have no negotiations upon any
terms but unrelenting war to the bit
ter end? Or are we to understand
that while you hold this proposition
open, or yourself free to act as yonr
| Judgment may dictate, we, the citizens
| of Tennessee. shall Scedr to OPPOSE
your negotiations?
In the next breath, the voter who
ha, already been thus far qualified is
required to swear that he will "heart-
ily aid and assist the loyal people an
whaterer measures may be adopted for the
attainment of these ends" Adopted
by whom? The oath does not say
We cannot tell what measures may be
adopted. We cannot comment upon
the absurdity of the obligation here
imposed without danger of departing
from that respectful propriety of Ian
guage which we desire to preserve in
addressing the Chief Magistrate of
the American people. But this is the
clause of an oath which the candidate
for the Vice Presidency requires ut
the lips Of the loyal and qualified
voters of Tennessee, before these citi-
zcns shall be allowed to vote for or
against you and himself at the coming
election!
For these reasons, and others which
for the sake of brevity we omit, we
solemnly protest against the interfer-
enco of the Military Governor with
the freedom Of the. elective franchise
in Tennessee. We deny his authority
and yours to alter, amend, or annul
any law of Tennessee. We demand
that Tennessee be allowed to appoint
her electors as expressly provided by
the Federal Constitution, which you
have sworn to support, protect, and
defend, in the manner which the Leg
islature thereof has prescribed. And
to that end we respectfully demand of
YOU, as the principal under whose au-
thority .his order has been issued,
that the same shall be revoked. We
ask that all military interference shall
be withdrawn so far as to allow TO the
loyal men Of Tennessee full and
free election. BY the loyal men OF
Tennessee we mean those who have
not participated in the rebellion, or
given it aid and comfort; or who may
have complied with such terms Of am
nesty as have been offered them un-
der your authority.
On the 9Th day of December, 1868,
you, as President issued proclamn-
ton declaring that co full pardon is
hereby granted" "with restoration Of
all rights of property" &c. to each of
our citizens having participated, di-
rectly or by implication, in tho exist
ing rebellion, with certain exceptions.)
"upon the condition that every such
person shall take and subscribe an
oath, and thcnceforward hrep and
maintain said oath inviolatc." And
it is further provided in the Droclama-
ton aforesaid that in the contingency
of the reorganization Of State gov-
ernment in Tennessee, or certain other
States named, tho persons having
taken the oath referred to, being 9TH
orwise qualified by tho election law of
the State, shall be entitled to vote
The undersigned would state that
many Of our citizens have complied in
good faith with the terms of amnesty
proposed in your proclamation nfore-
saul, and are therefore, 10y reason OF
the full pardon granted them, fully
entitled to vote and exercise all other
rights belonging to loyal citizens, with
! out let or hndrancc; and we respect
! fully appeal to you, rs President OF
the United States, TO make good your
PROMISE of pardon to- these citizens by
the removal Of all other and further
hiudranceto their exercise of tho elec-