The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-08-19

BY what authority of the constitution
In what formsf The result to be declar-
ed by whom! With what effect when as
certained3 -''''' 0 -,.7 ''1' 'i .
Is it to be a law by the approval of the
people without the approval of Congress
at the will of the President 0'@.1
Will the President, on his opinion of the
popular approval, execute it as law3
Or is this merely device to avoid the
serious responsibility of defeating law
on which so many loyal hearts reposed for
security 1u t r1. y--
But the reasons now assigned for not
approving the bill are full of ominous sig
nificance. =-sl r'a,. ~ .9e,.s.--.- a,.r
The President proceeds: y ..,
Now, therefore, l, Abraham Lincoln, Presi.
dent of the United States, do proclaim, declare
and make known, that. while am Gas was in
December last, when by proclamation pro-
pounded plan for restOration) unprepared,
BY formal approval of this bill, to be infexi-
bly, committed to any single plan OF restora.
ton
That is to say, the President is resolved
that the people by law shall not take any
securities from the rebel States against q
renewal of the rebellion, before restoring
their power to govern US. r --.:a... D..
His wisdom and prudence are to be our
sufficient guarantees.
He further says:
And, while am also unprepared to declare
that the free State constitutions and govern
ments already adopted and installed in Arkan-
sas and Louisiana shall be set aside and held
for naught thereby repelling aud discouraging
the loyal citizens who have set up the same as
to further effort ....-. .s....... f.
That is to say, the President persists in
recognizing those shadows of governments
in Arkansas and Louisiana, which formal
ly Congress declared should not be recog-
nized; whose Representatives and Sena-
tors were repealed by formal votes of both
Houses of Congress, which it was declared
formally should have no electoral vote for
President or Vice President.
They are the mere creatures of his will.
They cannot live a day without bis support.
They are mere oligarchies, imposed on the
people by military orders under the forms
of election, at which generals, provost
marshals, soldiers and camp followers
were the chief actors, assisted by hand
full 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 popu-
lation. In Louisiana, Gen. Banks procla-
nation candidly declared. s'The funda-
mental law of the State is martial law"
On that foundation of freedom he
erected what the President calls the
free constitution and government OF Lou
isiana." ..-.
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 five of the six
teen we held only our camps.
The eleven parishes we substantially
held had 233, 1856 inhabitants; the residue
of the State not held by us, 575,6l7.
At the farce called an election the Off
GERS of Gen Banks returned that II, 346
ballots were cast; but whether any or by
whom the people of the United States
have no legal assurance but it is prob
able that 1000 were cast by soldiers or
employees of the United States, military
or municipal, but none according to any
law, State or national, and 1000 ballots
represent the State of Louisiana. ...
Such is the free constitution and gov
eminent of Louisiana; and like it is that
of Arkansas Nothing but the failure of
military expedition deprived us of a like
one in the swamps of Florida; and before
the Presidential election like ones may be
organized in every rebel State where the
United States have a camp.
The President, by preventing this bill
from becoming law, holds the electoral
votes of the rebel States at the dictatiOn
of his personal ambition.
If these votes turn the balance in his
favor, is it to be supposed that his COM
petitOr, defeated by such means. will ao
quiesce7
If the rebel majority assert their su-
premacy in those States, and send Votes
which elect an enemy of the government,
will we not repel his claims?
And is not that civil war for the Presi-
dency inaugurated by the votes Of rebel
Statess
Seriously impressed with these dangers,
Congress, "the proper constitutional au-
thority," formally declared that there are
no State governments in the rebel States
and provided for their erection at proper
time; and both the Senate and the House
of Representatives rejected the Senators
and Representatives chosen under the au-
thority of what the President calls the
free constitution and government Of Ar
kansas.
The Presidents proclamation "holds
for naught" this judgment, and discards
the authority of the Supreme Court, and
strides heading toward the anarchy his
proclamation of the 9Th of December in
augurated.
If electors for the President be allowed
to be chosen in either of these States, a
sinister light will be cast on the motives
which induced the President to ''hold for
naught' the will of Congress rather than
his government in Louisiana and Ar
kansas.
That judgment of Congress which the
President defies was the exercise of an
authority exclusively vested in Congress
by the constitution to determine what is
the established government in State, and
in its own nature and by the highest judi
cial authority binding on all other depart
mnnta of thA OOvorpyoo%