Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-09-07

1t was the solemn resolve of Congress TO
protect the loyal men of the nation
against three great dangers. (D the re-
turn to power of the guilty leaders of
the rebellion. (2) the continuance of
slavery, and (S) the burden of the rebel
debt. Congress required assent to those
provisions by the Conventions of the |
State; and if refused, it was to be dissol-
we'd. The President "holds for naught" !
that resolve of Congress, because he is /
unwilling .to he inflexibly committed to |
any one plan of restoration" and the |
people of the United States are not to be |
allowed to protect themselves unless |
their enemies agree to it. The order to |
proceed according to the bill, is therefore
mer y ut the will of the rebel States.
and they have the option to reject 1t, &C
cept the proclamation of the Sth of De
cember, and demand the Presidents rec
ognition!
Mark the contrast The bill requires a
majority, the proclamation is satisfied
with one-tenth: the bill requires one
oath, the proclamation another; the bill
ascertains voters by registering; the pro
clamation by guess; the bill exscts adhe-
renee to existing territorial limits, the
proclamation admits of Others; the bill
governs the rebel states by law. equali-
zing all before it, the proclamation COM
mits them to the lawless discretion of
Military Governors and Provost Mar
shals; the bill forbids electors for Presi-
dent, the proclamation and defeat of the
bill threatens us with civil war for the
admission or exclusion of such votes; the
bill exacted exclusion of dangerous enc
mics from power and the relief of the ma
tion from rebel debt, and the prohibition
of Slavery forever, so that the Suppression
of the Rebellion will double our lesour-
ces TO bear or pay the national debt, free
the masses from the old denomination of
the rebel leaders, and eradicate the
cause of the war the proclamation Sc
cures neither of these guarantees. 1t is
silent respecting the rebel debt and the
political excursion of rebel leaders; leav-
ins slavery exactly where it was by law
at the outbreak of the aebellion, and
adds no guaranty even of the freedom of
the slaves he undertook to msnumit. 1t
IS summed up in an illegal oath, without
a sanction, aud therefore void. The oath
is to support all roclamations of the
President, during the Rebellion having
re 'erence to sldves. ANY Government is
to be accepted at the hands of one-tenth
of the people not contravening that
oath. Now that oath neither secures
the abolition of slavery, nor adds any So
curity TO the freedom of the slaves the
President declared free. 1t does not Sc
cure The abolition of Slavery; for the
proclamation OF freedom merely it pro
fesses to free certain slaves while it rec
ognized the institution Every Constitu-
ton of the Rebel States at the outbreak
o. The Rebellion may be adopted without
the change of letter; for none of them
contravene that Proclamation; none of
them establish slavery.
1t adds DO security to the freedom of
slaves, for their title is the Proclamation
of freedom. If it be unconstitutional an
oatn to support it's void. Whether con
stitutional or not the oath if without au-
thority of law, and therefore void. If it
be valid and observed, it exacts no en-
actment 10y the State, either in law or
Constitution, TO add State guaranty to
the proclamation title; and the right Of
the slave TO freedom is an open question
before the State courts on the authority
of the State law and the Proclamation
i If the oath binds the one tenth who take
it, it is not enacted of the other nine
tenths who succeed TO the control of the
State Government; so test it is annulled
instantly by the act of recognition.
What the State courts would say of the
Proclamation, who can doubt? But the
master would not go into court-he would
seize his slave. What the Supreme
Court would say, who can tell? When
and how is the question to get there?-
No habeus corpus lies for him in Uni
tied States Court; and the President de.
fested with this bill its extension of that
writ to this case. ......-. ---
Such are the fruits of this rash and ia
tai act of the President blow at the
friends of his Administration, at the
rights of humanity, and at the principles
of republican government The Presi-
dent has greatly presumed on the for
bearance which the supporters of his Ad
ministration have SO long practiced, in
view of the arduous conflict in which we
are engaged, and the reckless ferocity of
our political opponent. But he must un
derstand that our support is of cause
and not of man; that the whole body o.
Union men of Congress will not be i'm
peached by him of rash and uncOnstional
legislation; and if he wishes our support,
he must cOnfine himself to his executive
duties-to obey and execute, not make
the laws-to suppress by arms armed re
. bellion, and leave political reorganization
to Congress. If the supporters OF the
Government fail to insist on this, they be
come responsible for the usurpatior
which they fail to rebuke, and are justly
liable TO the ..indignationl of the people
whose rights and security, committed t.
, their keeping, they sacrifice.
Let them consider tho remedy TO
| these usurpations, and, having found 1t
, fcarlessly execute it.
= WADE,
a Chairman Senate Committee.
, n. WINTER DAVIS,
!, Chairman Committee House of Repre-
, .aptaiives on Rebellious States.