Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1865-07-21
PRESIDENT JOHNSON AND THE RIGa TRAITORS

On the 8th inst. President johnson
was waited on by several prominent gen.
tlemen as representatives of the smer-
chants and others of Virginia, who wish
ed him to amend the Amnesty ProcIama-
ton, by striking out the Sd Exception
being the SIC, 600 clause. They Tepresen-
ted that tEIs feature interfered with the
development Of industry; by binding up
capital, and thus depressing the poor; that
when they attempted to borrow money in
the Northern or Middle States, they are
at once met by the objection that per-
haps they had over $4,000, and if they
had, the accomm Odation5 could not be ex-
tended, so they were unable 10 give work
to the poor men who called upon them,
&c. The President talked very plainly
to these gentlemen, as will be seen by
what follows 4ls-sz--1 1lI -4s1-1 s-it seq
The President reminded them that the
amnesty proclamation did not cause. this
distrust. 1t was the commission of
treason and the violation of law that did
1t. The amnesty proclamation left these
men just where they were before. 1t did
not add disability to them. If they had
committed treason they were amenable
to the confscation law, which Congress
had passed, and which he as President
could not alter nor amend. d1fT 95f ue
In the amnesty proclamation he had Of
fered pardon to some persons, but that
did not iDJure any other persons Would
they like to have the amnesty proclar5a-
tion removed altogether Would they
feel any easier on that score 9s1bA
One of the Delegation: No, but it
would assist us very much if you would
extend the benefits of of the prociama-
ton to persons worth over $20, 900. fGf3
The President replied that in making
that exception, he had acted ON the nat
hn
bellion according to the extent of their
pecuniary means; did they not know this?
One of the deputation-No, did not
know it, ferH aldrgab bi=eea b is3iw -
The President-Why, yes you do; you
know perfectly well it was the wealthy
men of the South who dragged the ,peo-
pie into secession. lived in the South,
and know how things were done. y our
State was overwhelmingly opposed to Sc
cession, but your rich men used the press
and pullies and your little army to force
the State into secession.
Take the 10000 dollar clause Suppose
man Is worth more than that Now
the war Is over, and the chances are ten
to one that he made it out of the rebel
lion by contracts, &c. We might as well
talk plainly about this matter / don't
think you are so very anxious about re-
lieYing the poor. Are you very eager to
Aclp Tie pOO1s --s..-4.=. 81.
Why don't you take the surplus over
the $40, 600 you own and give it to him2
In that way you will help them and bring
yourselves within the benefits Of the
proclamation. am free to say to you
that, think some of you ought to be tax
ed on all over $4,000 to help the poor
| When I was military Governor of Tenn
| essee, assented such taxes on those who
had been wealthy leaders of the rebel
| lion; it had good effect.
| One of the deputation. It so happens
that none of us were leaders. We staid
out as long as we could. and we're the
last to give in. rs
The President: Frequently those who
l were in last were among the worst after
/ they got in.
Bus be that as it may, understand me,
| gentlemen, do not say personally, am
just speaking of the general working of
the matter. know there has been an
effort among some to pursuade the peo-
pie that the amnesty proclamation was
| iBjuring them by shutting mp capital and
keeping work from the poor. II does no
such thing.
IF that Is done at all it is done in vio-
lation of the law and by the commission
of treason. sHf cs0E .erix -olf
The President concluded by saying
that he would look at the papers they
presented, but so far he had seen no
reason for removing the third exception.