East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-08-17

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did he not indulge his sincere hopes
with so largo an installment Of hi
blessing as his approval Of the bill
would have secured.
After this assignment Of his reasons
for preventing the bill from becoming
a law, the President proceeds to de.
declare his purpose to execute il as q
law by his plenary dictatorial power.
He says:
"Nevertheless, / am fully satisfied
with the system for restoration con.
tanned in 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 as soon as the
military resistance to tho United
States shall have been suppressed III
any such State, and tho people thereof
shall have sufficiently returned to
their obedience to the constitution and
laws of the United States in which
cases military governors will be ap-
pointed, with directions to proceed ac-
cording to the bill"
a more studied outrage on the leg
islative authority of the people has
never been perpetrated.
Congress passed bill; the Presi-
dent refused to approve it, and then
by proclamation puts as much of it in
force as he sees fit, and proposes to
execute those parts by officers un-
known TO the laws of the United
States, and not subject to the confirm
alton Of the Senate
The bill directed the appointment
of provisional governors by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate.
The President, after defeating the
law, proposes to appoint, without law,
and without the advice and consent of
the Senate, military governors for the
rebel Statesl
He has already exercised this die
tatorial usurpation in Louisiana, and
he defeated the bill to poevent its lin
itation.
Henceforth we must regard the fol-
lowing precedent as the presidential
law vf tl-e -.L Il ct.4--. -------------
EXECUTIVE MANSION.
Washington March Is, 1864.
ellis Excelency Michael Hahn, Gov
ernor of Louisiana:
"Until further orders you are here
by invested with the powers exercised
hitherto by the Military Governor of
louisiana Yours,
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
This Michael Hahn is no officer OF
the United States /; the president, with
out law, without the advice and con-
sent Of the Senate, by private note,
not even countersigned by the Sccre-
tary of State, makes him Dictator OF
Louisiana.
The bill provided for the civil ad-
ministration of the laws of the State
till it should be in fit temper to
govern itself-repelling all laws rec
ognizing slavery, and making ell men
equal before the law.
These beneficial provisions the
President has annulled. People will
die, and marry, and transfer proper
ty, and buy and sell; and to these
acts af civil life courts and officers OF
tho law are necessary. Congress leg
islated for these necessary things, and
the President deprives them Of the
protection of the law.
The Presidents purpose TO instruct
his military governors "to proceed
according the bill"--a makeshift to
calm the disappointment its defeat
has occasioned-is not merely grave
usurpation, but transparent delusion.
He cannot proceed according to the
bill after preventing it from becoming
q law.
Whatever is done viii be at his
will and pleasure, by persons respon.
s!ble to no law, and more interested
to secure the interests and execute the
will of the President than of the peo-
pie; and the will of Congress is to be
''held for naught" "unlcss the people
of the rebel States choose to adopt it.
If they should graciously prefer the
stringent bill to the easy proclama.
tion, still tho registration will be made
under no legal sanction it will give
no assurance that majority of the
people Of the States have taken the
I oath if administered, it will be with
out legal authority, and void; no indict-
mont will lie for false swearing al
the election, or for admitting bad, OF
rejecting good votes; it viii be the
farce of Louisiana and Arkansas acted
over again under the form of this
bill, but not by authority Of law.
But when we come TO tho guaran-
tees of future peace, which Congress
meant to enact, tho forms, as well as
the substance of the bill, must yield
to the Presidents will that none should
be imposed
1t was the solemn resolve of Con.
gress to protect the loyal men of the
nation against three great dangers
first, the return to power of the guilty
leaders of the rebellion second, the
continuance of slavery, and third, the
burden of the rebel debt.
Congress required assent to those
provisions by the convention of the
State and if refused, it was to be
dissolved. The President holds fol
naught that resolve of Congress, be.
cause he is unwilling 'to be inhexible
committed to any one plan of restora'
tion," and the people of the United
States are not to be allowed to pro
tect themselves unless their enemie.
agree to it.
The order to proceed according Il
the bill, is therefore merely at the viii
of tho rebel States and they have
the option to reject it, accept the pro
clamation of the sth of December
and demand the Presidents recogni
ton.
i rtt