Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-01-25
Iron the View York Verdi
A Republican Pubitcist ON the Presi-
dents Proc amation.

individual writer when they are supported OY
skill Of statement and force OF logic which d:
them make po~erful impression on tie pub
lie mind
DR. Orestss A BrowDson. the eminent and
learned, but someshat cratic. Catholic publicist.
announces IN the January number OF his q srierly
Review that he will not hereafter discuss thee
logical questions in its page which will be de
voted 20 philosophy, science. politics. literature
and the interests OF civilization. especially Amer
lean civiIiz itOn. We take pleasure in com
mending his Review 20 our readers NJ worthy Of
their attention-not a guide Of opinion. but as
provocative Of thought. Dr. BrowDson though
a Republican and a partisan. has a mind too
teeming and vigorous 10 be the seryle echo OF
any party or administration, aud. like all inde
pendent thinkers. he strikes out views worth con-
s.deration even when he is in the wrong
In the January number Of the review there IL
a bold discu s-On Of the Presidents message and
proclamation of amnesty, which 40 riddles the
scheme of reconstruction therein presented that
there is little left of 1t but logical shot holes.
Dr. Brownson is an advocate of Senator Sum
ners State suicide theory, aud has in this same
number n long article on the Federal Constitu
ton. in which he wanders through a maze Of
political metaphysics to find authority for that
doctrine. We do choose TO follow him into
this labyrinth but thought il necessary to state
his position in order to show that he looks upon
Il
point of view His article ON the message is
valuable ~ demon strating the eercgious absurd
~ OF the Presidents scheme on the suPposition
that the seeded States are still IN the Union. He.
indeed, equally demonstrates its absnrdity on
more general grounds; but in the part of the
gumeBt Just alluded 10, he shuts up the President
and his supporters in a corner from which there
is NJ escape without accepting the State suicide
doctrine. This is a valuable service. a it re
and make il turn the truth, OF the new croichet
of which Mr. Sumner is the inventor aud sole
plentee. d. BrOwnson's positions cannot be so
well stated as in his own language, and no reader
will regret that So large portion of what follows
Is ia quotation marks.
d.. Brownson :. on the whole rather an al
mirer of Mr.. Lincolns character or at least he
credits him with as large share of ability and
good intentions as most OF his Republican
friends would claim for him. But he regards
the Presidents plan as all the more dangerous
from the strong hold he has the respect of his
party Nv honestly believe the plan uncOnsti-
tuti0nal aud frlught with hardly less danger To
our republican institutions than the Southern re-
beIlion itself. and all the more DANCE. because
il is not unlikely To enlist ia its support large
portion of The most fearless and devoted friends
OF the Union" He considers il ingenious ana,
astute ''but it seems to "a the plan OF the poll
tcian rather than OF the Statesman. and TO look
more 10 the Presidential election than to the re NJ
welfare of the nation !"
DR. Brownson does not object to the plaa on
account of its be ring the Presidential cleo
ton. But he objects 10 putting forth so imp0r
tant a plan with such view and for such rei
SON.
Dr. Brownson diskes the Presidents plan
primarily because il Is an assumption by the
executive Of powers which belong to Congress =.
If he had simply recommended the etSure to
Congress. and given his reasons he would have
proceeded To the full extent OF his constitutional
powers What we object to is the attempt hv
executive action. to iorestall the action of Con
gress, or 10 place the whole question in such a
position ~ to render it next to impossible for
Congress To refuse its sanction. The President
proceeds the assumption that he is clothed
with the whole power of the nation; and as
the war power is unlimited while the war lasts
he may do anything he judges proper" The
following paragraph sets in clear light the
essential absurdity OF the Presidents assump-
ton:
1.-The civil organization of government cannot
be done even by Congress under the war power.
and if done at all. must be done under its pence
powers. specified in the Constitution. The
seeded States are still States that is civil and
political organic atoms in the Union, they are
not. If they are, the executive, neither under
the war power, nor any other power, has any
authority To establish military any other gov
ernmenis within their limits. IL they are not
their reorganization is the work of Congress
under its peace powers. The executive hts then l..
IN either case nothing to do with their civil reor-
ganz ition till Congress has acted, and then only
To carry out the law of Congress Congress il
competent To reorg inize them under the peace
powers OF the government or II rs not, Tor under
the war power only military governments can be
instituted The institution reorganization of
ctril Il al he ct a. q
political power, of the sovereign authority OF the
State or nation and it is the work of pc zee. not
Of wlr. The Presideat, then, when he tells
Congress il must bold on 10 the war power. ~
the power under which the rebelious States are
to be reorsanized forgets that neither he nor
Congress can reorganize them under that power
The moment We came to the civil reorganization
OF cDuquerel territory the beigerent rights
have ceased, an1 only the rights of peace are in
operation.
DE- Brownson having thus cOnclu-ivey, a il
seems To US, disposed of the Presidents claim To
act At all and OF every claim TO reorgauize state
governments under the war power. he turns TO the
pretense OF dong it under the pardoning power
and M kes nearly clean work of IN II. He
claims, by virtue Of his power to plrlon gener-
al dispensing power. for daring to exercise which
James III OF England lost the crown of three
kingdoms The writer says he j. the last MN
in the world who would deprive the President of
the power 10 pardon and OF the attribute OF mer
cy, but" he adds With significant cmph isis.
I've do not wish TO il very grossly
abused The practical absurdity of Mr. Lin
coins use OF il is placed in novel aud striking
light 'All he asks of anv rebel rs the con-
dition of full pardon and full restoration to
his political and civil rights. i that he take the
oath OF allegiance. All the prisoners of war we
now hold under the rank of Colonel have the
right under the Presidents proclamation To lie
mand the ,th and to be treated as free and 10y
al citizens the moment they have taken it On
the practical effort of the amnesty, if carried out
as proposed, DE- Brown sous reasoning is marked
by vigorous sense. We quote
I'VE said We objected primarily to the execu-
tive plan. because il is an executive paL. Every
feature OF il is marked by what seems to us an
extraordinary assumption of power on the part of
the executive The President prescribes the
oath. prescrbes on what conditions the States in
rebellion may recognize State Governments. and
be recognized and represented in Congress rs
loya States in the Union ANY one Of them,
with not less than tenth OF the number OF
persons who voted in the Presidential election OF
1861. may recognize themselves as the State and
have the full Feds al represent tion in G lngre>ss
10 which the State under the census of 1850 was
entitled Why the President could easily, by
the distribution OF Federal offices and patronage
ia any seeded State. unless there are lever Union
men than is pretended. induce At least one in ten
II assured Of Federal protection. 10 swallow
without scruple the prescribe oath. or anv mum
Der OF oaths he might prescribe. and elect State
and Federal officers. whom he NAV choose to
lT.st 81