North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-08-17

plan it is now thought fit to lay before the
people for their CONSIDERATION a-'
By what authority of the Constitution :?
In what forms The result to be declared
by whon 2 With what effect when ascer-
| tanned ....r.-.s
Is it to be a law by the approval of the
people without the approval of Congress at
the will OF the Presidident ?
Will the President, on his opinion of the
popular approval. execute il as law?
Or is this merely device to avoid the
serious responsibility of defeating law on
which so many hearts reposed for security ?
| But the reasons now assigned for not ap
proving the bill are full of ominous signif-
canoe.
The President proceeds
Now, therefore, | ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
Pr esilent Of the United States, do proclaim,
| declare, aud make known that, while | am
| (as | was in December last, when by prncla-
mrtIon pIoppnndeh plan for restoratInn)
unprepared, by formal approval 0f this bill.
| to he Intfexbly c0amILted TO any single plan
Of restoration
That is to say, the President is resolved
that the people shall not by La1o take any
securities from the rebel States against a
| rene wal of the rebellion before restoring
! their power to govern Us.
His wisdom aid prudence are to be our
sufficient qua rantees !
lie further says:
And, while am also unprepaFcd, to de
clare that the Free State Constitution and
| Governments aIre ady adopted and installed
| IN Arkansas and LOUISIANA shall be Set aside
and held tor nuught, thereby repelIiug and
Encouraging he loyal citizens who have set
up the same as TO further effort -"
That is to say. the President persists in
recog nizing those shadows Of Governments
III Arkansas and Louisiana, which Congress
| formally declared should not be rccpgnzed-
whose Representatives and Senators were
| repeled by formal votes Of both Houses OF
| Congress which it was declared formally
| should have no electoral vote 70. Presi den,
and Vice President
| They are the mere creatures of his will.
They cannot live day with out his support
rhey are mere obIig chies, imposed on the
people by military orders under the forms of
election, at which generals. provost-mar-
Shals, soldiers and camp followers were the
chief actors, assisted by handful of resident
citiz as, and urged on to premature action
by private letters from the President.
In neither Louisiana nor Arkansas, before
Banks defeat, did the United States control
half the territory OF half the population. In
Louisiana, General Banks proclamation can
drdy declared "The Jundametnal la1r Of tie
State is marshall iap."
On that foundation Of freedom, he erected
what the President calls ' the free Constitu,
ton 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 tn United
States and in five Of the sixteen we held
only our camps.
The eleven parishes we substantially held
had l23, ,l85 inhabitants the residue of the
State not held by US, SIS ,G17.
At the farce'caied an election, the officers
of Gen Banks returned tnat 1886 ballots
were cast but whether any or by whom
the people of the United States have no legal
assurance but it is probable that 4 900 we're
cast by soldiers or employees of the United
States, military or municipal, but none ac-
cordng to any law, State or National and
1000 ballots represent the State of Louisi-
ana.
Such is the free Constitution and Govern
mept of Louisiana and like it is that of Ar
kansas, Nothing bur the failure of military
expedition deprived US Of a like one in the
swamps of Florida and before the Preslden.
tlal election, like ones may be organized in
every rebel State where the United States
have camp .
The President by preventing this bill
from becoming a law, holds the electoral votes
of the rebel States at the dictation of his
personal ambition. .a
If those votes turn the balance in his favor |
is it to be supposed that his competitor, de- |
feated by such means, will acquiesce
If the rebel majority assert their suprema !
cy in those States, and send votes which |
elect an enemy Of the Government. will We
not repel his claims ?
A nd is not that civil war for the Presi- |
dercy, inauguratcd by the votes of rebel |
States ?
Seriously Impressed with these dangers,
Congress, "the proper Constitutional au |
thorify," formally declared that there are no |
State GOVERNMENTS in the rebel States, and |
provided for their erection at q proper time;
and both the Senate and House Of Represen-
tatives rejected the Senators and Represen
Iatives chosen under the authority of what |
rhe President calls the free Constitution and
Government of Arkansas. -
The Presidents procTsmation "holds for
nou1ht'; this Judgment, and discards the al