Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1864-08-23
VOL. % NO. II.

sI7tirg ON that condition. Nor will the
country tolerate its abaHdoument-yet he
defeated the only provision imposing il :!
But when he describes himself, 10 spite
OF this great blow at emancipation, as
sincerely hoping and expecting that a
constitutional amendment abclishibc sla-
very throughout the milton NAV be afop,.
co. we euriously inquire on what hi. ex.
pectatlon rests, after the vote of the Uouse
OF Representatives at the recent session
and 10 the face Of the political com,Is1ion
of more than enough of the States 20 nre-
vent the possibility of lite adoption within
any reasonable time and HhJ he did not
indulge his sincere hopes with so large an
installment OF the blessing of his approval
of the bill would have secured.
After this assignment of bis reasons for
preventing the bill from becoming q law,
the President proceeds to declare his pur-
pose to execute it as law by his plenary
dictOriorical power.
lie says: -se
Nevertheless. am fully satisfied With
the system for restoration Contained 10
the bill as one very proper plan for the
loyal people of any State choosing to adopt
it; and that am. and at all times shall
be. prepared to give the Executive aid and
assistance TO any such people so sOOD as
the military resistance to the United States
shall have been suppressed in any such
State, and the people thereof shall have
sufficiently returned to their obedisnce to
the constitution and tn laws OF the United
States; IN which cases Military Governors
will be appointed. with directions to pro-
coed according to the BILL
A mo'e studied outrage on the legis,a-
tive authority oil the people has never been
perperated.
Congress passed a bill the President re-
fused to approve it. and then bV procIama-
ton puts as much Of il in force as he sees
tit. aud proposes to execute those parts by
officers unknown to the laws Of the United
State and not subject to the confirmation
OF the Senate.
The hill directed the appointment Of
Provisional Governors by and with the ad-
vice and consent Of the Senate.
The President, after defeating the law,
proposes TO appoint without law. and with
oui the advice and coDsent Of the Senate,
Military Governors for the rebel States
He has already exercised this pictorial
usurpation in Louisiana. and he defeated
the bill to prevent it's limitation.
HencefOrth we must regard the follow
ing precedent as the Presidential Law of
the rebel States.
EXECUTIVE MANSION.
WashingtoD, March Is, 1864.
"His Excellency Michael Hahan, Gov. of Louisiana.
Until further orders, you are hereby
! invested with the powers exercised bitbei.
to by the Military Governor of Louisiana.
Yours.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN"
This Michael Hshan is no ,ficer of the
United States; the President, without law
| without the advice aud consent of the Sen.
ate, by private note not even counter
signed by the Secretary Of State, mases
him Dictator Of Louisiana!
The bill provided for the civil admins
tration of the laws of the State-tl II (
should be in O f. temper 10 gcvern itself
repeating all laws recognizing slavery aud
making ell men equal before the law.
These bene6ceDt provisions the Presi-
dent bias anpollsd. People will die, and
marry and transfer property, and buy and
sell; and 10 these scis Of civil life, courts
and Ulcers Of the law are necessary. Con.
grPss i'gisiated for these necessary things.
ard the President deprives them of The
pfoteetinn Of the law
The Presidents purpose to instruct bis
MiiItar Governors ito proceed according
to the bile makesbift to Gala the dis
appointment it's defeat has cccssioned-is
not merely grave usurpation, but trans.
parent deIusion:
He cannot proceed according to the
bill" after preventing it from becoming
law.
Whatever is done will be at bis will and
pleasure. by persons responsible to the
law. and more interested to secure the 10.
terests and execute the viii Of the Presi.
dent than of the reoIle; and the will Of
Congress is to be held for naught." "un-
less the loyal people of the rebel States
choose to adopt It."
If they should graciousIy prefer the
stringent bill TO the easy proclamation,
still the registration will be made under no
legal saactiou; it will give no assurance
that majority Of the people of the State;
have taken the oath; if administered, it
will be without legal authority and voids
no indictment will lie for false swearing at
the elections, or for admitting had OF re-
! jecting good votes; it will be the farce of
Louisiana and Arkansas acted over again,
under the forms Of this bill, bu: not by
authority Of Law
But when we come to the guarantees of
future peace which Congress meant to en-
act, the forms, as we'll as the substance Of
the bill. mast yield to the Presidents will
that none should be imposed.
1t was the solemn resolve of Congress to
protect the loyal men Of the nation against
three great dangers ~ the return to pow
er Of the guilty leaders of the rebellion,
(2) the continuance of slavery, and t3T the
eurden Of the rebel debt.
The President ''bOlds for uaught" that
resolve of Congress, because he is unwill-
ing ito be iDht xibly committed to any one
plan of restoration" and the people of the
United States are not to be allowed TO pf7-
tect themselves unless their enemies agree
to il.
The order to proceed according to the
bill is therefore merely at the will Of the
rebel States; and they have the option to
reject it, accept the proclamation of the
9th Of December, and demand the Presi
dents recognitiOnl
Mark the CONTRAST The bill requires a
majority, the proclamation is satisfied With
On"tenth; the bill requires one oath, the
proclamation another; the bill ascertains
voters by registering; the proclamation by
guess; the bill exacts adherance t. existinK
territorial limits. the proclamation admits
of others; the bill governs the rebel States
by lac, FquailZIng sll before il, the procia.
nation commits them to the lawless DIS
cretien Of Military Governors end Provost
Msrshsls; the bill forbids Electors for
President the proclamation and defeat of
| the bill threaten US with civil var for the
admission or exclusion Of dangerous en-
emies from power and the relief Of the na.
ton from the rebel debt, and the prohibi-
ton of slavery forever, so that the suo-
preston Of the rebellion will double cur
resources to bear or pay the national de I.
free the masses from the old domination Of
the rebel leaders, and ersdicate the esuse
Of the war; the proclamation secures meth.
| er of these guarantees.