The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-08-24

snail nave been suppressed in any sucl
, state, and the people thereof shall have
sufficiently returned to their obedience tc
the constitution and the laws OF the United
States; in which case Military Governors
will be appointed, with directions to pro
ceed according to the bill"
} A more studied outrage on the legisla-
tive authority of the people has never been
perpetrated. J.. s-.4 z.:...,. ...f. r-5--
Congress passed bill the President
refused to approve it, and then by proc
lamation puts as much of it in force as he
sees fit, and proposes to execute those
I'parts by officers unknown to the laws of
the United States and not subject to the
confirmation of the Senate.
The bill directed the appointment of
Provisional Governors by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate iz5
The President, after defeating the law,
proposes to appoint without law, and with
out the advice and consent of the Senate,
Military Governors for the rebel states
He has already exercised this dictate
rial usurpation in Louisiana, and he de-
teated the bill to prevent its limitation.
Henceforth We must regard the follow
ing precedent as the Presidential law of
the rebel states:
''ExEcUTIvE MANSION } %
"WAsHINGToN, March l5, 1864 a
ellis Excellency Michael Hahn, Govern
or of Louisiana
"Until further orders, you are hereby
invested with the powers exercised bith-
erto by the Military Governor of Louis
ana. Yours, .3 ...r ..s.l r-.t
| "ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
This Michael Hahn is an officer of the
/ United States the President, without law
without the advice and consent Of the
Senate, by private note not even count
ersigned by the Secretary of State, makes
him Dictator of Louisiana!
The bill provided for the civil admins
tration of the laws of the State-till it
should be in fit temper to govern itself
repeating all laws recognizing slavery, and
making all men equal before the law.
These benefccnt provisions the Presi
den. has annulled. People will die, and
marry and transfer property, and buy and
sell and to these acts cf civil life, courts
and officers -ofthe luw-are necessary
Congress -lagislatad- for the sssarF
things, and the President deprives them
of the protection of the law es
The Presidents purpose to instruct his
Military Governors "to proceed according
to the bill'-a makeshift to claim the dis
appointment its defeat has occasion cd
is not merely grave usurpation, but a
transparent delusion. ii 1 I7
He cannot "proeeed according to the
bill" after preventing it, from becoming
law. .l.s- t-+f.st ta-
Whatever is done will be at his will
and pleasure, by persons responsible, to no
law, and more interested to secure the in
tcrests and execute the will of the Presi-
dent than the people and the will Of
Congress is to be "held for naught," "uu7
less loyal people of the rebel States choose
to adopt it.'' ...-L..-.
IF they should gracously prefer. the
stringent bill to the easy proclamation,
still the registration will be made under
no legal sanction; it will give no assur-
ance that a majority of the people of the
States have taken the oath if administer
ed, it will be without legal authority and
void no indictment will lie for false swear
ing at the elections, or for admitting bad
or rejecting good votes;it will be the
farce of Louisiana and Arkansas this bill,
but rot by. authority OF law. r,.---- . |
But when we come to the guarantees of
future peace which Congress meant to en-
act, the forms, as, we'll as tie substance of
the bill, must yield to the Presidents will
that none should be imposed. -. ga .r
1t was the solemn resolve of Congress |
to protect the loyal men of the nation
against three great dange4s, Cd the re-
turn to rover of guilty leaders of the re-
bellion, (2) the continuance of Slavery !
and (3) the burden of the rebel debt.
The President "holds for naught" that |
resolve of Congress, because he is .unwil-
ling "to be infexibly committed to only
one plan of the restoration, - and the peo-
pie of the United States are not to be al
lowed to protect themselves unless their |
enemies agree to it, I'll
The order to proceed according to the
bill is therefore merely at the will of the /
rebel States and they have the option to
reject it, acccptithe proclamation of the
Sth of December, ard demand =, the Presi-
dents recognition .-......g y = 4t
Mark tn, contrast ! The bill requires
a majority, the proclamation is satisfied
with one tenth; the bill requires one oath
the proclamation another; the bill ascer-
aims voters by registering; the procla-
nation Ly guess tie bill exacts adher-
,nce to existing territorial limits, the proc
amation admits of others; the bill gov
rms the rebel States by lam, as eaqualiz-
nr all before it, the proclamation COM
nits them to the lawless direction of the
Military Governors ana Provost Marshals; ;
he bill forbids Electors for President; the
PROCLAMATION and defeat of the bill threat
IN us with civil war for the admission or ;
,xclusion of dangerous enemies from pow )
,r and the relief of the nation from the
,ebel debt, and the prohibition of slavery ]
-orever, SO that the suppression OF the re- {
oellion will double our resources to bear ]
,r paw the national debt, free the masses
rom the old denominations of the rebel /;
eaders, and eradicate the cause of the
var the proclamation secures neither of
,hese guarantees. ol--5' 4'- ''1..
r. is silent respecting the. rebel debt {