The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-08-17

: among other things, a plan for restoring the
States in rebellion to their proper practical
relation in the Union, which plan expresses
, the sense Of Congress upon that subject,
and which plan it is now thought At to lay
before the people for their consi1era-
ton"
By what authority Of the constitution !?
In what formsp The result to be dcclar.
ed by whom With what effect when
ascertained?
/ 1t is to be law by the approval of tho
people without the approval Of Congress at
the will of the President?
VIII the President, on his opinion Of the
popular approval, execute it as law?
Or is this merely a device to avoid the
serious responsibility Of defeating law Oh
which so many loyal hearts reposed for Sc
curitye 3D.
But the reasons now assigned for not ap.
proving the bill arc full Of omnous signifi-
canoe. -re
The President proceeds:
Now, therefore, l, Abraham Lincoln.
President of the United States. do proclaim,
declare, and make known. that while am
Gas in December last, when by proclama-
ton | propounded plan for restoraton,)
unprepared, by formal approval of this
bill, to be indexibly committed to any single
| plan Of restoration"
| That is to say, the President is resolved
that the people shall not by lao take any
securities from the rebel States against =
renewal Of the rebellion, before restoring
their power to govern us.
| His wisdom and prudence are TO be cur
sufficient guarantees!
he further says:
"And, while am also unprepared to de-
clare that the free State constitutions and
governments already adopted and installed
| in Arkansas and Louisiana shall be Sc,
aside and held for naught, thereby rv.
pelling and discouragins the loyal citizens
who have set up the same as to further ef
| fort"
That is to say, the President persists ia
recognizing those shadows Of governments
in Arkansas and Louisiana, which Congress
| formally declared should not be recognized
whose Representatives and Senators were
repelled by formal votes Of both Houses of
CongresS--which it was declared formally
should have no Elcctoya! vote for President
and Vice President.
They are the mere creatures of his will
They cannot live day without his support
They are mere oligarchies, imposed on the
pSOpAV w OIUttS uNucI Tue IOE0S VI
, elections, at which Generals, Provost Marshals.
soldiers, and camp followers were the chief
actors, assisted by handful Of resident citi
zens, and urged on to premature action by pri-
vate letters from the President.
| In neither Louisiana or Arkansas, before
Banks defaas, did the United States control
half the territory or half the population. In
Louisiana, Gen, Banks proclamation candidiy
declared: "7he fundamental ld,o Of the State
is martial la,c.''
| On that foundation Of freedom, he erected
what the President calls "the free constitution
anG the government Of Louisiana"
But OF this State, whose fundamental law
was martial law. only sixteen parishes out Of
| weight parishes were held by the United
| States; and in five Of these sixteen we held
only our camps.
233, lS5 inhabitants; the residue Of the State
not held by Us, 575,sl7.
| At the farce called an election, the officers
Of Gen. Banks returned that IL ,346 ballots
were cast; but whether any or by whom the
people OF the United States have no legal as
surance; but it is probable that 1000 were cast
by soldiers or employees of the United States
military or municipal, but none according to
any law, State Or National, and 1000 ballots
| represent the State of Louisiana.
| Such is the free constitution and government
of Louisiana; and like it is that Of Arkansas.
| Nothing but the failure of a military expedi.
tion deprived US of ike one iu the swamps Of
Florida; and before the Presidential eec.
| tion, like ones may be organized in every
| camp
The President, by preventing this bill from
becoming a law, holds the electoral votes OF
the rebel States at the dicta,ion Of his personal
| ambition.
If those votes turn the balance in his favor. is
| it to be supposed that bis competitor, defeated
| by much means. will acquiesce
| If the rebel majority assert their supremacy in
| those States, aud send votes which elect an
| enemy OF the government, will We not repel
| his claims?
And is not that civil war for the Presidency,
| inaugurated by the votes Of rebel States
Seriously impressed with these dangers, Con-
| gress. "the proper constitutional authority"
formally declared that there are no State gov.
e'nments in the rebel States, and provided for
their erection at a proper time; and both the
| Senate and the House OF Representatives re.
jected the Senators and Representatives chosen
under the authority o.. what the President calls
the free constitution and government OF Ar.
kansas.
| The Presidents proclamation "holds for
naught" this judgment, and discards the au-
thority of the supreme Court, AID strides head
long toward the anarchy his proclamation of
| tue Otn OI DcCemDef lOaugur0LSu.
| If electors for President be allowed to be
chosen in either OF those States, sinister light
will be cast on the motives which induced the
| President to ''hold for naught" the will OF Con-
gress rather than his government in Louisiana
and Arkansas.
That judgment OF Congress which the Presi.
dent deties was the exercise of any authority
exclusively vested in Congress by the consti-
tuition to determine what is the established gov
| St,t., .S,xA
by the highest judicial authority binding ON all
other departments OF the government.
The Supreme Court has formally declared
that under the 4th section Of the lVth article
Of the constitution requiring the United States
to guarantee to every State republican form
OF government, sit rests with Congress to de-
eide what government is the established one in
IL State )" and "when enatorS and Represen-
tatives Of State are admitted into the coun.
ellis Of the Union. the authority of the govern.
ment under which they appointed rs welt
as its republican character, is recognized by the.
proper constitutional authority, and its decision
is binding on every other department Of the
government, and could not be questioned in q
judicial tribunal. 1t is true that the contest in
this case did not last long enough to bring the
matter to this issue; and, as no Senators or
Representatives were elected under the author
ity OF the government cf which Mr.. Dorr was
the head, congress was not called upon to de.
eide the controversy. Yet the light to decide
is placed there"
Even the Presidents proclamation of the 9Th
Of December, formally declares that Nv hether
members sent to Congress from any State
shall be admitted to seats, constitutoDally rests
exclusively with the respective houses, and not
to any extent with the Executive"
And that is not the less true because wholly
inconsistent with the Presidents assumption in
| hot nf toll IN inn II