Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-08-17
Reconstruction Of the Rebel States,
The Protest of uessrs. Wade sud Davis.
From The Albany Eveniuc Journal.

usurped, a Republican form of government
This bill he considered of such an important
character that he withheld his signature tenn
porarily for mature examinations, and finally,
altogether, for reasons given IN his proclama-
ton of July sth, 1864 In order that his rea-
sons NAV be fully understood, we give the
material portions of that proclamation:
Now, therefore, 1, Abraham Lincoln, President
of the United States, do proclaim, declare. and
make known that while am (as was in Deeem-
Der last. when BY proclamation I propounded a
plan for restOr8tion) unprepared by formal APP
prevail Of this bin 10 be iuHexhlY 3mmitted o
any single plan 81 rest oraJioui and, while am
also unprepared to declare tina: the Free State
Constitute aud governments already adopt ed
and installed in AR ausas and Louisiana, shall be
set aside and held for naught, thereby repelling
and discouragirg the lUgai citizens who have set
up the same as 60 further effort, to declare a
con stt ionat comp etEucy IL Con ress to abolish
slavery in the states. but at the time sin
cerely hoping and expecting that constitutional
amendment aholisning slavery throughout the Ma
ton may be ad pied; never heesS an fully salts
fed with the system for restoration cont0ine d in
the bI as one vsrY rroper plan for the loyal peo-
pie OF any state choosing to adopt it, and that
am, and all times shall be- prepared 20 give the
Executive aid and assistance 60 any UGH people,
the military resistance TO the United
States shall have been suppressed IN any such
state aud the people thereof shall have sufficient
Iy returned TO their obedience TO the Constitution
and the laws of the Uuited states, in which cases
military governors Will be appointed, with direc-
lions TO proceed according to the bill.
1t appears from this that the following
were the reasons which actuated the Presi-
dent:
First. He was unwilling to commit himself
infexibly to any single plan of restoration.
Second He was unprepared To set aside
the Constitutions of Arkansas al Louisiana.
Third He was not ready TO declare a Con-
stitutional competency in Congress to abolish
slavery in the States.
1t also further appears that he was III favor
Of an amendment TO the Constitution abolish
ing slavery, and that he was fully satisfied
with the system of restoration contained in
the bill as one very proper plan for the loyal
people of any State choosing to adopt it," in
which case he would carry out the provisions
of the bill.
Two individuals, prominent in the passage
Of the bill, have taken umbrage with the
President, because he did not approve the
bill absolutely, and affix his signature to it,
and have addressed Il communication =" to
the supporters of the Government relative
thereto.
One great burden of their complaint is,
that the President deemed it best to issue
the proclamation above given. Common peo-
pie will consider the President justified in
giving to the country his views on question
of such grave moment, especially with the
evidence now before them that designing
fusal to sign the bill.
But Messrs. Wade and Davis are also dis
satisfied that the President does not deem
their bill the embodiment of ali the wisdom
Of the country on the question of reconstruc-
ton. They dismis IS the very strong point first
made by the President in the following
words =
That is to say, the president is resolved that
people shall not by lar 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 our suf-
fcient guarantees!
This extract alone is sufficient to show the
aHimus of the worthy couple who have seen
fit to depart from all precedent, ana in grave
violation of propriety to commit an uncaled
for attack on the President for exercising his
constitutional right. They entirely misrep-
resent the position of the President He
does not say the people shall not by law
take any securities" but that he is unwilling
to commit himself infexibly to any single
plan, whether through legislation, or by vir-
tue of his powers as Commauder-in-C Chief
He does not intimate that ''his wisdom and
prudence are to be our sufficient Cuaranties;n
but that he does not wish to be inf1exibly
committed to the plan which the wisdom
and prudence" of Messrs. Wade and Davis
have devised, and to make that our only and
to take counsel of any ore III the Repub-
lie, and does not propose to be confined to
the narrow road marked out for him by our
offended couple. And herein is the cause of
their grief. Let them mourn, and let the
President hold himself at all times ready TO
take advantage Of any cxigency that may
arise, and to adopt any pan that may give
good reason for belief that it Will result in
a speedy and permanent restoration of the
State to which it Is applied.
These embodiments of all wisdom and pru-
dence next proceed to misrcpresent the posi-
ton of the President regarding the States of
Arkansas and Louisiana, of which the follow
ing is the key note
The President, by preventing TINS bill from be
coming law, holds the electoral votes of the rebel
States ct the dictation OF his personal ambition.
a more unfounded, wicked and maleyolent
charge never was made In what manner
could the President cause the electoral votes
of those States to enure to his persona! am
bition? He has nothing more to do with the
passing upon the validity of such electoral
yotes-if any should be tendered-than the
most insignificant citizen. Those votes would
be opened at the proper time by the Presi-
dent of the Sesate, " in the presence OF the
Senate and House of Representatives, and
this same Congress that passed the bill in
question: NUulu OtClut upon the NdilUlLN Oh
the certificates so presented. The "Meal-
Tub Plot of the President to secure his re-
election may be safely dismissed
The worthy gentlemen next proceed to dis
cuss the third objection of the President,
and on this point they have the effrontery to
say land this, too, IS the substance of their
point:
But the bill nowhere proposes to abolish slavery
in the states.
We submit this is knowingly false. The
bill provides for sUndry elections, and finally
tor d Constitutional Convention. But this
Convention is not permitted to pass or re-
frain from passing such amendments to the
Constitution as its wisdom may direct, but the
superior " wisdom and prudence" of Messrs.
Wade and Davis dictate their action, and
would. if the bill had become a law. have
made the Convention but a mere assembling OF
Secretaries, TO recor} three DEGREES of Con
gress, one of which was the abolition OF
slavery. That our readers may have the full
evidence of this fact before them, we give
entire the seventh section OF the bill
SEC 7. And be 1t further enacted, That the Con-
yeution shall declare, on behalf Of the people OF
the State Their So omission to the Constitution and
Laws cf the United States, and shah adopt the fol
lowing provisions hereJy presC rlbed By the Uatted
to guaranty a Republican form ~ Government to
every state, and incorporate then IN the C0nsttu-
ton Of The STATE, that is to say
First No person who has held OF exercised any