Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1864-01-16

tsw ssSkaII hsse bsen civil Or diplomatic
oGlesrs Or sgssts Of the % called Confeder
ass 0ovssn0snt ell Who have left judieiN
ssatioos uedsr the United States TO ssd inc
febslIioo oil who ere or ahslI have been
0ilitary o. uavei ofioers Of aid so-eslieq
Oouledsrsts 00vesnmsot, above the rank 9
Ooloasl 10 The army, Of Lieutessnt 10 tne
navy; ell who lels seats In the Unieee
States Congress to cid the rebellion ~
Who resigned commissions in the army o.
navy Of the Usissd States, and afterwares
sided IN the rebellion end oil Who haze
engsged in any way, 10 treating coIoPd'
persons, or white persons In charge Of suen,
otherwise than lawfully - prisooers Of wsss
end which psrsons may have been found 10
the United States sefvice % soldiers sea-
men, or in any other capacity" are ex'
copied IRON the benefits Of tho Proclame
tioo oil others complying With the term
and conditions, have extended TO them
full pardon "with restoration OF oil rsghsss
Of property except - TO slaves and 10 prop.
srsy Gases where rights Of third parties,
shall have intervened." =
The President, in his Proclsmstions
further declares shat sny provision which
may be adopted BY such State Govern
uent in relation to the freed people Of such
State, which shalt recognise and declare
their permanent freedom, provide for their
education, and which may yet be consist
ent. - temporary arrangement, with their
present condition - . lsboring, iandlets.
and homeless class, will not be objected 80
BY tho National Executive. And It %
suggested - not improper, that In con
seructing loyal State Government 10 any
State, tho name Of the State, the boundary,
the Subdivisions, the Constitution and the
general Code Of Laws, - before the rebel.
lion, be maintained, subject only to the
notifications made necessary by tho con.
ditions herein before stated, and such 9th.
ers, il any, not coDtrsvening said conditions.
and which may be deemed expcdient BY
those framing the new State Government"
II seems to me these terms and conditons
arc eminently just and proPer-fair and
liberal 10 those to whom they are offered,
and such - the permanent peace Of tn,
country requires.
All the people in tho rebel States, per.
hsps, 10 law, certainly, . great minority,
both in law and IN fact, have committed
treason-ars guilty OF that crime before
the law, and are liable to punishment aflix-
ed, by law, to the commission OF that
| crime.
It would not be safe and judicious, either
to punish oil or to permit oil to escape pun
! isbment. The leaders, the most guilty,
should DO punished. The mass, the least
guilty, should be pardoned. Az inspection
Of the exceptions from pardon, made BY the
| President. will show he has made this dis
| tinctitn.
But, in extending pardon to tho mass, 1t
is just and proper that reasonable terms
aud conditions should be made.
Tho terms and conditions proposed BY
the President are, that the party guilty Of
treason shall swear, LIST, THAT he will faith.
fully support, protect and defend the Con-
stitution Of the United States, and the
| ZION Of the States Hereunder" "a, That
b will "abide by aud faithfully support oil
acts of Congress passed during the existing
rebellion, with reference to slaves, so long
and 80 far % not repealed, modified or held
void by Congress or BY decision Of the Su..
preme Court" And 81, That he will
"a,ide by and faithfully support oil procla-
nations 81 the President, made durin, the
existing rebellion, having reference to slaves,
90 long and 80 far as not modified or de.
clared void by decision Of the Supreme
Court"
Are these terms and conditions reasons
ble7 No possible objection can be taken
to the frat requiremeut-thas these men
| shall support the Constitution and the
| Union. The second aud third requirements
are, that these men shall abide by the laws
Of Congress and the proclamations Of the
President concerning slaves, until those
laws shall be changed BY Congress, or those
laws, or the Presidents proclamations, be-
decided void by the Supreme Court. This
is just what it 10 the duty Of every loyal
citizen to do-to abide BY and support tho
law until changed by tho law making pow
or. or declared void by the Courts. rs
1t may be said that the proclamation Of the
President are not laws; that he had not the
Constitutional power to issue such Proclama
tons But the President believes he had the
Constitutional power SO to do, and has 80 done,
and he only proposes that these acts shall
stand in law $50 long and so far as not mOdi.
fed or declared void by decision Of the Su-
preme Court" In imposing these terms and
conditions on those in rebellion against our
Government, who may desire to lay down their
arms. the President is but requiring Of them
the performance of . duty required Of all men
who have remained loyal.
| Upon accepting these terms and conditions,
the men now guilty of treason and liable to
punishment ~ criminals, are at once pardonad
ARE restored to their rights a. citizens and
again permitted to take part in admin STEERING
our Government, and, at the same time, are
restored to all their rights Of property, except
as to slaves, and where the rights Of third par
ties have interviewed. These excep tions are
inc vitablc. If the acts Of Congress and the
Proclamatons Of the President concerning
slaves, are Const itutonal, then, 80 far - these
acts and Proclamations reach, the slaves have
become free. and cannot be restored to their
former masters. Where property has been
disposed of to third parties, under the Confis
cation Act. it cannot be restored. Whatever
has been lost to these men has been lost BY
reason Of their own crimes; whatever yet re-
mains will be restored il they will cease to bt
criminals.
Aside from the consideration, that, If the
laws Of Congress and the Proclamations OF the
J | President concerning slaves are valid rs law
e taose who have been freed thereby cannot b.
D again enslaved- aside from the consideration,
that, even if this could be lawfully done, tn,
doing Of it would involve such breach Of hon
or or good faith, - would justly render US, q
|. . nation, infamous throughout ChristeEdom-
: aside IRON all considerations connected will
9 alaycry. ~ . social or moral QuestOn-asid
from all considerations connected with its pc
: liticsl effects upon the particular communitie
{ Ia which it exists, and looking upon It only il
J. lie bearing upon the present condition Of on
!; country. Il seems to me that no man, who doe
b mot set the institution Of slavery above th
: Union Of the States, can now fail to do all tina
!. he lawfully may to aid in removing this ours
i. from our nation.
I / A. Il H. Ill