Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-08-11

people Of tho States have taken tho oath admustsred
IL VIII be without legal aathory aud void no indictment
VIII lilo Tor false swearing at the election for admitting
bad or rejecting good votes; it will be the of Louis
lana and Arkansas acted again under the forms of this
bill, but not by authority of iaw
But when come to the guarantees of future peace
which Congress meant to enact the forms as well as the
substance of the bill must yield to the Presdents will
that should be imposed.
1t was the solemn resolve of Congress to protect
the loyal men of the nation against three great dangers
% the return to power Of the guilty leaders OF the rebel
on 2) the continuance of slavery and ( the burden of
the rebel debt Congress required assent to those pro-
visions by the Convention of the State and il refused it
was to be dissolved The President holds for naught"
that resolve of Congress- because he is unwilling to be
nhexby committed to any plan of restoration and
the people OF the United States not to be allowed to
protect themselves unless their enemies agree to it, The
order TO proceed according the bill is therefore merely
at the will of the rebel States and they have the option to
reject it, accept the proclamation of the Sh of December
and demand the Presidents recognition
Mark the contrast The bill requires a msjority, the
proclamation is satisfied with tenth the bill requires
OATH the proclamation another The bill ascertans
voters by registering, the proclamation by guees the
bill exacts adherence to exsng territorial limits the pro-
clamaton admits of others the bill governs the rebel
States By taw equazng all before it, the proclamation
commits them to the awless discretion of Military Gov
ernos and rovos Marshals the bill orbds electors for
President the proclamation and defeat of the bill threaten
with civil for the admission or exclusion of such
votes the bill exacted exclusion Of dangerous enemies
from and the relief of the nation from the rebel
debt and the prohibition of slavery forever, that the
suppression of the rebellion will double resources to
bear the national debt free the masses from the
old domination Of the rebel leaders, and eradicate the
cause of the the proclamation secures neither Of
these guarantees.
1t is silent respecting the rebel debt and the political
exclusion OF rebel leaders, leaving sapsry exactly where
1t was by law at the outbreak of the rebellion and adds
guaranty Of the freedom of the slaves he undertook
to manumt
1t is summed up in illegal oath, without sanction,
and therefore void The oath is to support all procama
tons OF the President during the rebellion having reference
TO slaves Any is to be accepted the hands
OF onetenth of the people not contravenng that oath
Now, that oath neither the abolition of slavery
nor adds any security to the freedom of the slaves the
President declared free
1t does not secure the abolition Of slavery for the pro-
clamaon OF freedom merely protested to free certain
slaves while it recognised the institution. Every Cons
tuition OF the rebel States at the outbreak of the
may be adopted without the change of letter for none
of them contravene that proclamaon none of them es
tabsh slavery
1t adds security to the freedom of the slsvss for
their title is the Proclamation of Freedom fit be uu-
constitutional, an oath TO support it ia void. Whether
constitutional or not the oath is without authority of law
and therefore void If be valid and observed exacts
enactment by the State either in law or constitution
to add State guaranty TO the proclamation title and the
right Of slave to freedom open question before the
State courts the relative authority of the State law and
the proclamation If the oath binds the one-tenth who
TAX y - ~tol 49,
coed to the control Of the State Government so that it in
annuled instantly by the act of recognition
What the State courts would say of the proclamation
who doub7 But the master would not 90 into court
he would sexehis slave What the Supreme Court would
say who tell When and how the question TO get
theref No habeas corpus lies for him in the United
States court and the President defeated with this bill its
extension of that writ to this case
Such the fruits ofths rash and fatal act of the Pre-
sidena blow at the friends hs Administration at the
rights of humanity and at the principles of republican
government.
The Presd nt has greatly presumed on the fobearsnee
which the supporters of his Administration have 30 long
practsed IN view of the arduons conflict in which we are
engaged and the reckless erocity of our political onno
nents But he must understand that our support il of
cause and not of that the authority of Congress- il
paramount and must be respected that the whole body
OF the Union men of Congress will not submit to be i'm.
peached by him of rash and unconstitutional legislation
and, if he wishes support he must oonne himself to
his executive duesto obey and execute not TO make
the awsto suppress by arms armed rebellion and leave
political reorganization to Congress If the supporters of
the Government fail to insist this they become respon
sbe for the usurpatons which they fail to rebuke and
are Justly liable to the Indignation of the people, whose
rights and security committed to their keeping they sac
rfce Let them consider the remedy for these usurps
lions, and, having found it, fearlessly execute it,
B. F. WADE,
Chairman Senate Committee
II. WINTER DAVIS,