Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-08-20
Reconstruction Of The Rebel States.
The Protest of messrs. Wade and Davis.
From the Albany Evening Journal.

placed In his hands bill 'lto guaranty 10
certain States whose Governments have been
usurped, Republican form IF government"
This bill he considered of such an important
character that he withheld bin signature tenn
porarily for mature examination, and finally,
altogether, for reasons given IN his proclama-
ton of July sth, 1854. In order that his rea-
sons may be fully understood, we give the
material portions of that proclamation:
Now, therefore, 1, Abraham Lincoln, President
of the United states, do proclaim, declare, and
make known that while / am Gas was in Decem-
Der last, when by proclamation propounded a
plan for restoration) unprepared by formal APP
proyal OF this bill to be infiexblY committed to
any single plan of restorati)n; and, while am
also unprepared to declare that the Free State
Constitution and governments slready adopted
aud installed in Arkansas and Louisiana, shall be
set aside and held for naught, thereby repelling
and disco uraging the loyal citizens who have set
up the same as to further effort, or to declare a
constitutional competency in Con2ress to abolish
slavery in the States but at the same time sim
eerely hoping and expecting that constitutional
amendment abolishng slavery throughout the Ma
ton may be adopted; nevertheless am FULLY salts
fed with the system for restoration contained in
the bill one very proper plan for the loyal peo-
pie of any state choosing to adopt it, and that
am and all times shall be, prepared to give the
Executive aid and assistance to any such people,
soon the military resistance to the United
States shall have been suppressed in any such
State, aud the people thereof shall have SUFFICIENT
ly returned to their obedience to the Constitution
aud the laws of the United states, in which cases
military governors will be appointed, with direc-
tons to proceed according to the bill.
1t appears from this that the following
were the reasons which actuated the Presl-
dent:
First. He was unwilling to commit himself
infexibly to any single plan of restoration.
Second He was unprepared to set aside
the Constitutions of Arkansas and Louisiana.
Third. He was not ready to declare Con-
stitutional competency in Congress to abolish
slavery in the States.
1t also further appears that he was in favor
Of an amendment to the Constitution abolish
ing slavery, and that he was fully satisfied
with the system of restoration contained in
the bill as one very proper plan for the loyal
people of any State choosing to adopt it." in
which case he would carry out the provisions
of the bill
Two individuals, prominent in the passage
of the bill, have taken umbrage with the
President, because he did not approve the
bill absolutely, and affix his signature to it,
and have addressed a communication " to
the supporters of the Government relative
thereto.
One great burden of their complaint is,
that the President deemed it best to issue
the proclamation above given. Common peO-
pie will consider the President justified in
giving to the country his views on question
of such grave moment, especially with the
evidence now before them that designing
persons stood ready to misrepresent his re-
fusal to sign the bill.
But Messrs. Wade and Davis are also dis
satisfied that the President does not deem
their bill the embodiment of all the wisdom
Of the country on the question of reconstruc-
ton. They dismiss the very strong point first
made by the President in the following
words -
That is to say, the PRESIDENT is resolved that
the Rebel states against renewal OF the rebellion,
before restoring their power to govern us.
His wisdom and prudence are to be our suf-
fcient guarantiesl
This extract alone is sufficient to show the
animus of the worthy couple who have seen
fit to depart from all precedent, and in grave
violation of propriety to commit an uncalled
for attack on the President for exercising his
constitutional right. They entirely misrep-
resent the position of the President. He
does not say the people shall not "by law
take any securities ;" but that he is unwilling
to commit himself infexibly to any single
plan, whether through Legislation, or by vir-
tue of his powers as Commander-in-Ch Chief
He does not intimate that "his wisdom and
prudence are to be our sufficient guarantees"
but that he does not wish to be infexibly
committed to the plan which the wisdom
and prudence" of Messrs. Wade and Davis
have devised, and to make that our only and
sufficient guaranty. He holds himself open
to take counsel of any one in the Repub-
lie, and does not propose to be confined to
the narrow road marked out for him by our
offended couple. And herein is the cause of
their grief. Let them mourn, and let the
President hold himself at all times ready to
take advantage of any exigency that may
arise, and to adopt any pan that may give
good reason for belief that it will result in
a speedy and permanent restoration of the
State to which it is applied.
These embodiments of all wisdom and pru-
dence next proceed to misrepresent the posi-
ton of the President regarding the States of
Arkansas and Louisiana, of which the follow
ing is the key nOte:-
The President, by preventing this bill from be-
coming law holds the electoral votes of the rebel
States at the dictation of his personal ambition.
A more unfounded, wicked and malevoIent
charge never was made. In what manner
could the President cause the electoral votes
of those States to enure to his personal am
bition? He has nothing more to do with the
passing upon the validity of such electoral
votes-if any should be tendered-than the
most insignificant citizen. Those votes would
be opened at the proper time by the Presi-
dent of the Sesate, in the presence of the
Senate and House of Representatives" and
this same Congress that passed the bill in
question, would decide upon the validity of
the certificates so presented. The "Meal-
Tub Plot" of the President to secure his re-
election may be safely dismissed.
The worthy gentlemen next proceed to dis
cuss the third objection of the President,
and on this point they have the effrontery to
say land this, too, is the substance of their
point:
But the bill nowhere proposes to abolish slavery
in the States.
We submit this is knowingly false. The
bill provides for sundry elections, and finally
for Constitutional Convention. But this
Convention is not permitted to pass or re-
frain from passing such amendments to the
Constitution as its wisdom may direct, but the
superior wisdom and prudence" of Messrs.
Wade and Davis dictate their action, and
would, if the bill had become a law, have
made the Convention but mere assembling OF
Secretaries, to record three DEGREES of Con-
gress, one of which was the abolition OF
slavery. That our readers may have the full
evidence of this fact before them, we give
entire the seventh section of the bill
SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That the Con-
vention shall declare, on behalf of the people Of
the State their submission to the Constitution and
Laws Of the United States, and shall adopt the fol-
lowing provisions, hereby prescribed By the United
States in the execution of the Constitutional duty
to guaranty a Republican form of Government to
every state, and Incorporate them an the Constitu-
tion Of the State, that is to say
First No person who has held or exercised any