Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-08-18


The President "holds for naught" that
resolve Of Congress, because he is unwilling
''to be inAexibly committed to any one plan
Of restoration, and the people of the Uni
ted States are not to be allowed to protect
themselves unless their enemies agree to it.
The order to proceed according to the bill
IS therefore merely at the will of the rebel
States; and they have the notion to reject il,
accept the proclamation of the Sth of De-
cember and demand the Presidents ricog-
nition
Mark the contrast The bill requires a
majority, the proclamation is satisfied with
one-tcnth; the bill requires one oath, the
proclamation another; the bill ascertans vo-
tcrs by registering; the proclamation by
guess; the bill exacts adherence to existing
territorial limits, the proclamation admits
Of others; the bill governs the rebel States
Jy lar, equalizing all before it, the procla-
nations commits them to the lawless dis
cretion of military Governors and Provost
Marshals, the bill forbids electors for Presi
dent, the proclamation and defeat of the
bill threaten US with civil war for the ad-
mission or exclusion Of such votes; the bill
exacted exclusion of dangerous enemies from
| power and the relief Of the nation from the
rebel debt, and the prohibition of Slavery
! forever, 50 that the suppression Of the Re-
] DcIlIDi VIII uDuDlc tuT TesOuTctS 10 Dcar or
pay the national debt, free the masses from
the old domination OF the rebel leaders, and
eradicate the cause Of the war; the procla-
nation secures neither Of these guarantees.
! It is silent respecting the rebel debt and
the political exclusion of rebel leaders; leav-
ing ,Sidrery exactly where it was by law at
the outbreak Of the rebellion, and adds
no guaranty even Of the freedom Of the
| slaves he undertook to manumit.
! 1t is summed up in an illegal oath, with
out sanetich and therefore void
| The catch is to support all procamations
| Of the President during the rebellion hav-
/ ing reference to slaves.
Any Government is to be accepted at the
hands Of one-tenth Of the people not con-
travening that oath
Now that oath neither secures the abolit-
ion 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 proclamationo of freedom merely pro-
fesscd to free certain slaves while it recog-
nized the institution.
Every Constitution Of the rebel States at
the outbreak Of the rebellion may be Adopt
ed without the change Of letter. for none
Of them contrarene that proclamation; none
of them establish slavery.
1t adds no security to the freedom Of the
slaves.
For their title is the Proclamation of
| Freedom.
If it be unconstitutional, an oath to sup
port it is void Whether constitutional or
not, the oath is without authority OF law,
and therefore void.
! If it be valid and Observed, it cxacts no
enactment by the State, either in law or
Constitution, to add State guaranty to the
proclamation title; and the right Of slave
to freedom is an open question before the
State courts on the relative authority of the
State law and the Proclamation.
If the oath binds the one tenth who take
it, is not exactcd of the other nine -tenths
who succeed to the control of the State Gov :
e ernment SO that it is annulled instantly by
: the act OF recognition.
What the State courts would say of the
: Proclamation, who can doubt?
n But the master would not 90 into court
he would seize his slave.
: What the Supreme Court would say, who
: can tell
S When and how is the question to get
= there ?
/ No habeas corpus lies for him in United
\ States Court; and the President defeated
with this bill its extension Of that writ to
this case.
Such are the fruits of this rash and fatal
act of the President-a blow at the friends
of his Administration, at the rights of hui
manity and at the principles Of republican
government.
The President has greatly presumed on
the forbearanae which the supporters of his
Administration have 80 long practiced, in
view Of the arduous conflict in which we
, are engaged and the reckless terocity of our
, political opponents
But he must understand that our sup.
port is of cause and not of man; that
the authority OfCongress is paramount and
must be respected; that the whole body of
the Union men Of Congress will not submit
TO be impeached by him of rash and uncon-
= stitutional legislation: and if he wishes our
q support, he must con6ne himself to his
executive duties, to obey and execute, not
make the laws-to suppress by arms armed
Rebellion, and leave political reorganiza-
e ton to Congress.
:, If the supporters of the Government fail
/, to insist on this they become responsible for
d the usurpations which they fail to rebuke,
: and are Justly liable to the Indignation OF
the people whose rights and security, COM
!, mitted to their keeping, they sacrifice.
d Let them consider the remedy for these
Z usurpations and. having found it, fearless
i ly execute it.
B. +. WADE, Chairman Seuate Com
t mittee.
H. WINTER DAVIS, Chairman Com
mittee House Of Representatives on
the Rebeliious States