Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1864-08-20

practical relation IN tue On1On, HOtcu pUO
expresses the sense Of Congress upon that
subject, and which plan it is now thought
6t to lay before the people for their con-
sideration-"
By what authority Of the Constitution ?
In what forms? The result to be declared
by whom? With what effect when ascer'
tained?
Il 10 to - = lew BY the approval of the
people without the approval Of Congress
at the will Of the President?
Will the President, on bis opinion Of the
popular approval, execute it as law7
Or is this merely device to avoid the
serious responsibility Of defeating law on
which so many loyal hearts reposed for
security2
But the reasons now assigned for not
approving the bill are full Of ominous sig.
nihcaace.
Tire President proceeds:
Nov, therefore, l, Abraham Lincoln,
President Of the United States, do pro-
claim, DECLARE, aud make known, that,
while l am las in December lAst, when by
proclamation l prrpounded plan for res
tora'on) unprepar.d, by formal appro-
val Of this bill, to be inaexibly committed
to any single plan of restora,ion-'
That is TO say, the President is resolved
,ha. the people sba! not by lao take any
securities from the rebel States against u
renewal Of the rebellion, before restoring
their power to govern Us.
His wisdom and prudence are to be our
sufiicien, guarantee
He further says:
"And, while am also unprepared to
declare that the free State Constitutions
and governments already adopted and in.
stalled in Arkansa and Louisiana shall
be set aside and held for naugh., thereby
repeling and discouragine the loyal citi
zens who have set up the same as to fur.
thor effort" .r.
That is to say, the President persists in
recognizing those shadows Of governments
in Arkansas and Louisiana, which Con
eress formerly declared should not be rec.
ognized-whose representatives and Sen.
ators we're repellsd by formal votes of both
Houses Of Congress--which it was de-.
clared formally should have no Electoral
vote for President and Vice President.
They are mere creatures of his will--
They cannot live day without his sup.
port They ere mere o'irsechies, i'm pessd
on the people by military ordsrs uadar,
the forms Of election, at which Generals,
Provost Msrshals. soldiers, and camp fol
lowers were the chief actors, assisted by
handful Of resident citizens, and urged on
to premature action by private letters from
the President.
In neither Louisiana nor Arkansas, be.
fore Banks defeat. did the United States
control half the Territory or half the pop.
ulation. In Louisiana, Gen. Banks pro.
c'ama,ion car didly declared The fun.
damental la,c IF the S'ate is martial lam.'
On that foundation of freedom, he erect.
ed what the President calls "the free
constitution aud the government of Louis
lana
But of this State, whose Fundamental
law was martial law, only sixteen parishes
out Of forty eight parishes were held by
the United States; and in Eve of these
sixteen We held only four camps.
The eleven parishes we substantially
held had ga, lSo inhsbisan,s; the residue
of the State no. held by us, 575,6I7. --
At the farce called su election, the off
GERS Of Gen. Banks returned that IL ,346
ballots we're cast; but whether any or by
whom the people Of the United States
have no legal assurance; but it is proba.
BILE that 1000 wers cas-. by soldiers or
employees of the United States military or
municipal, but none according to any law,
State or national, and 1000 ballots repre-.
sented the State Of Louisiana.
Such is the free constitution and GOV.
ernment of Louisiana and like it is that
of Arkansas. Nothing but the failure Of
q military expedition deprived US of like
,Ane OF in the swamps OF Florida and be.
isre the Presidential election, like ones
may be organized in every rebel State
where the United States have camp.
The President, BY preventing this bill
from becoming q law, holds the electoral
votes Of the rebel States At the dictation
Of his personal Am mbition. .~.g 3. .
Ii those votes turn the balance in his
favor, is it TO be supposed that his compel.
itor, defeated BY such means, will ac-
quiesce
II the rebel majority assert their su
premacy in those States, and send votes
which elect sn enemy Of the government,
will we not repel his claims? r..
And is not that civil war for the Presi.
dency, inaugurated BY the votes OF rebel
S,ates2
Seriously impressed with these dangers,
Congress, "the proper constitutional au.
,hor',y,' formally declared tha. there are
no State governments in the rebel States,
and provided for their erection st proper
time and both the Senate aud the House
Of Representatives chosen under the au.
thority Of what the President calls the
free constitution and government Of Ar
kansas.
The Presidents proclamation "holis for
naught' this judgment, and discsrds the
authority Of the supreme Court, and
strides hsadlong toward the anarchy bis
proclamation Of the 8th Of December
innugurated. ~
If electors for President b. allowed to
be chosen 10 either Of these States, . sin.
lister light will be cast on the motives
which induced the President to 'hold for
nausht'' the will Of Congress rather than
hi. eo'ernm'ns in toai..iana and Ar
kausas. ~~%*