The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-01-05
THEEAECHETER JOURNAL
The Iteeeptlaa 81 TIC Amne.t,


To tht iaia IA sge e peairM
Lincoln herr nst sppe 8el prtela-
msiioa = amaear by mesas q shset
he great BODY # the santhern Prev
l.ls ooall, On certain ooaaiiont, re-.
rsiyc pardon fof sbeir crime u lrea.
san 4 sho7 time after Mr. Foals
iniroslaesa preamble ard resolution
Is she rebel Consress from ihe fast
a whkh i sppeafs tliM copies q ihe
proclamation had been read hy mem.
Der, e that body The resolution 81
she doughty Feoie proposed % meei
ihh insidious a'iemp' 81 tie "imbeeile
and unprineiplea usufPer, vho how
ats cntbroned upon the
ruins q constitutional liberty 10
Washington city by declaring eibal
there has never beeu day nor an
hour nhen The people Of tie Confyd-
crate States we're more infexibly Re.
solyed than They arc n the present
time, never to reinquish the sirug.
sc in which hey are engaged" &c
On 10 the cod Of the last ditch song -
A brief discussion followed The intro
duelion II this resolution, after which
il was tabled A. the best manner IN
which 10 indicate the supreme eoa-
tempt fel' by that body for the pro-
clsmaiion and It's author.
i is quite evident that the mem.
lers q tie rebel Congress aud the
Southern officials generally. are in
eardly troubled by this last stroke of
President Lincoln, and are endeavor-
iug 10 conceal their unpleasant feel
ings, by sn outward show Of inefIable
e'otempt. II is quite natural that
these Southern gentlemen Of promi-
hence should greatly dislike this re-
organizing scheme Of the President.
By special provision Of the amnesty
proclamation, they are forever shut
olt from ia mercies, and no rogue
has ever yet, even IN imagination,
--''felt the halter draw
With good opinion ofihe law"
They are aware that they have a
9 cd prospect of being hung under this
proclamation, and that if they escape
il viii only be by accepting the
wreiched alternative Of exile. With
Ills before their minds, the procIama-
ton will not, Of course, be favorite
document with them. They will not
be very apt to eulogize il from their
paces, or print ten thousand copies
iar circulation. When they read the
amnesty proclamation, containing a
good deal Of mercy and some justice,
they End themselves peculiarly inter-
ested in the justice part Of the plan.
While il opens the door Of the warm
ratcrnal mansion to humber peni.
tents, il leaves them h cpelessly out in
lie cold. Their names being in the
saving clause, they are naturally dis
rusted with the whole thug.
OF the men who tabled that resolu-
lion as token Of contempt, not one
ever had anything to hope from it,
u turns them over to the punishment
. the law for the high crime Of trea-
sin. II marks them out as a sacrifice
70 the justice Of the law, and the fu-
iurc safety Of the nation, in order that
others may experience the mercy Of
the one, aud enjoy the continued bles
sings Of the other II certainly was
bot an exhibition Of peculiar forli-
tuje and devotion IN them to hasten
to refuse the profier Of an amnesty,
the provisions Of which were not for
them. II was fine opportunity for
item 10 show their deathless deyolionl
20 the Southern cause without any
cost Their heroic determination was
very much like the grace with which
people, The world over, make virtue
Of necessity,
In the peculiar constitution 81
Southern government and society,
the members Of the rebel Congress
arc not in any way intimately connec-
ted with their constituents. Their re-
sponsibiliiy TO them is so remote and
uncertain that their legislative meas
ures are adopted with little or 10 ref
erencc 10 their wishes or views. Tie
amnesty proclamation Of President
Lincoln, with master policy, separates
even more widely the interest. Of the
governors and tie governed. II holds
out 10 the inclinasions Of one a fair
way to escape from evils which they
acknowledge press them soreIy. III
49,. a. ~ fa