American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-11-23
An Amnesty.

In the Pittsburgh Comm~cjalof Mon
day, we find the following:
While there is nothing positive on
which to base it, the belief seems to be
general, that the. President will, without
much delay, make to the rebels an offer
Of peace. 1t seems to be understood that
some of the'leadiug points in Gen. But
lor's late speech will be embraced in it, and
that Commissioners, selected from both
parties in the late Presidential canvass,
will soon he on their way to Richmond
bearing the ulhmatum Of Mr.. Lincoln"
For our own part, We have not seen suf-
licient evidence to induce us to believe
that such an amnesty is to be offered to
the Richmond Authorities We don't
believe that the people ever thought Of
such a result attending the great victory
just achieved over both open and covert
treason. 1t is within our memory that
the CommcrcjH became strongly impress
cd that, as Il matter IF policy, the Ad-
miuistration should have made an offer of
Amnesty before the election, so that VIC
could have the benefit of this special plea
before the people. Still the Government
preferred abiding by its TO whom it
may Concern" Mr. Lincoln said that
the restoration Of the Union and the de-
struction Of the corner stone of the re-
bollion-Slavery, should be made the ba-
sis of negotiation Tor adjustment, while
3. Little Mac" and his Chicago friends de-
clared that the restoration Of the Union
should be the only condition. Between
these two positions the people have deci-
ded-and by a yoire too emphatic to be
misunderstood We don believe the Ad-
ministration would. for moment, think
Of compromising away the verdict of the
people, thus emphaticaFy expressed. Not
because the people wish a protracted war
for the purpose of liberating the slave !;
but because they believe that a lasting
peace aud permanent reunion never can
be had while Slavery, as the support of
an aristocratic cast in society, remains
And on this point, it will not do to tell us
that the Proclamation of January Go,
has abolished Slavery, and that the courts
will SO declare. On this point there is
quite a difference of opinion, some hold
ing that the Proclamation is unconstitu-
tional and therefore void others that it
operates so far as the Armies advance and
give practical effect to it by actual lib
Grafton, while others still insist that it has
from its date, given legal liberty to every
slave who was embraced in its provisions
these different opinions will be enter.
tanned by Judges, as others is it right
to leave this yexed question in this un-
settled way ? We, think not; and on
this point we'are pleased to know, that
the people have spoken-their voice can
not be misunderstood
Our neighbor of the Commercial, has
failed to guess at the Democrats who shall
be the bearers of dispatches-whether
Seymour Yallandigham, or Ben Wood
but time will tell. For our own part we
don't believe that there will ever be an
amnesty offered to the whole people of
the South, including their leaders. JEFF
ferson Davis, spent at least eight years of
his public life as Secretary of War under
the Administration of Pierce, and United
States Senator during that of Buchanan,
preparing for the destruction ofthe Union,
aud the violation of the Constitution, both
of which he had sworn to protect and de-
fend He and those who encouraged him
both North and South are responsible for
al tba x.-i.ab bo,.a Iaf.l1a,,