Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-08-24

curity?
But the reason now assigned for not
! opprogiug the bill are full OF ominous sig
niGcanco.
The President proceeds:
Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President
of the United States, do proclaim, declare, and
mako known, that while am las was in De
cember last, when by proclamation I propoundcl
a plan for restoration} unprcpared. by formal
approx al of this bill to bo innexibly committed
to any single plan of restoration
That IS TO say, the President is resolved
that the people shall not By id,o take any
securities from the rebel States against a
renewal Of the rebellion before restoring
their power to govern us.
His wisdom and prudence are to be our
sufficient guarantees!
lie further says:
And, while I am also unprepared to declare
that the Free State Constitutions and Govern
ments already adopted and installed in Arkansas
and Louisiana shall he set aside and held for
naught, thereby repoing and discouraging the
loyal citizens who have set up the same as to fur
ther effort
That is to say, the President persists in
recognizing those shadows OF ofGoyelnmeuts
in Arkansas and Louisiana. which Con-
gress formally declared should not be
,recogni2ed-whose representatives, and
Senator'S were repellcd by formal votes of
both Houses Of Congress it was
declared formally should have no electoral
vote for President and Eice-P President.
They are the mere creatures of his will.
They cannot live day without his sup
port. They are mere oligarchies, imposed
on the people by military orders under
the forms of election, at which generals,
provost-marshals, soldiers, camp-iollowers
were the actors, assisted 10y handful Of
resident citizens, and urged on to prema-
ture action by private letters from the
President
In neither Louisiana nor Arkansas, be-
fore Banks's defeat, did the United States
control half tho territory or half the pop
ulation. In Louisiana, General Banks
PROCLAMATION candidy declared: "YTl
| IItmGamsHta1 lar Of the State is marital iuo.'
On the foundation Of freedom, he erect
ed what the President calls "the free Con.
stitution and Government of Louisiana"
But Of this State, whose fundamental
law was martial law, only sixteen parishes
out of forty-eight parishes were held by
the United States and in five Of the six
teou We held only our camps
The eleven parishes we substantially
held had 233, lSj inhabitants the residue
Of the State not held by us, 5I3,Gl7.
At the farce called an election, the Off
GERS of Gen. Banks returned that II, BAG
ballots were cast but whether any or by
whom the people Of the United States
have no legal assurance but it is probable
| that 1000 were cast by soldiers or en-
/ ployees of the United States, military or
municipal, but none acc ording 10 any law,
State or National, and 900 ballots repre-
/ sent the State OF Louisiar a.
| Such is the free Constitution and Gov
ernment Of Louisiana; and like it is that
of Arkansas. Nothing but the failure OF
a military expedition deprived Us ofa like
one in the swamps of Florida; and before
| the Presidential election, like ones may
be organized in every rebel State where
/ the Untes have a camp.
/ The President 10y preventing this bill
from becoming a law, holds the electoral
votes Of the rebel States at the diclatlon
/ of his personal ambition.
If those votes turn the balance in his
favor, is it to be supposed that his compo-
tior, defeated by such means, will &C
Quiesce?
If the rebel majority assert their su-
premacy in those States, and send votes
which elect an enemy of the Government,
will we not repel his claims?
And is not that civil war for the Presi-
dency, inaugurated Icy the votes OF the
rebel States?
Seriously impressed with these dangers,
Congress, 'the proper constitutional authority"
formally declared that there are no State
, Governments in the robel States, a2d pro-
vided for their erection at proper time
and both the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives chosen under the authority OF
what the President calls the free Constl-
tuition and Government of Arkansas.
The Presidents proclamation "holtS for
naugit this judgment, and discards the
authority of the Supreme Court, and
strides headlong toward the anarchy his
proclamation Of the Sth Of December in
augurated.
If electors for President be allowed to
be chosen in either Of those States, sin.
ister light viii be cast on the motives
which induced the President to "hold for
naugh" the will of Congress rather than
his Government in Louisiana and Ar
kansas
The Judgment Of Congress which the
President deies was the exercise Of an au
thority exclusively vested in Congress by
the Constitution to determine what is the
established Government in State, and in
its own nature and by the highest judi.
cial authority binding on all other de
partments of the Government.
The Supreme Court has formally de
clared that under the fourth section o.
the Fifth article of the Constitution requir
ing the United States to guarantee to ey
r cry State republican form OF govern
ment, ~ rests rui Congress to decide ,cha
; qoueynmeat is tho established ono in q Sta,c
! and "i5hen Senator's aad Representatives Of d
State are admitted into the councils of the
Union. the authority OF the Govsrnmsnt an.
; der which dey are agpsiated, as well as re.
publican character, is recognized By the prop
= or Constitutional authority, and is decision is
binding oa svey other department Of tds Cor