The Portland daily press., 1865-06-22
The New York World and President John
IL. - sonla Prnclamtiona. - =

The World is much troubledAwe II can the
New York World. The editor Of this Jour
nal has recently looked calmlySinto President
Johnson's proclamations containing the initia-
tory steps Of Reconstruction n the Several
States, and has found something to alarm him
and dampen the hopes be entertained on the
frat reading of these documents The World
and many other Democratic papers have re-
Gently been dsubing the President with sun
tempered MORTAR and hoping to make him a
Democrat after their own hearts, and accord
Ing to their own peculiar doctrines. This
game has been skilfully played for some time,
but 1t is destined to be losing one. They
andthe President is not so easily moved as
they hoped he would be.
b Their appeals have been based on the Presi-
dents Democratic procivities, and their full
some batteries addressed to what they imagin-
ed were his weakest Sides Closely have they
watched the joints in his harness. and wherev-
er they fancied an opening they have sped
their arrows.< ,But we have notion that thus
far they have found him invulnerable; and the
World begins To think SO too. The editor
don't like the wording Of these proclama-
lions. II begins to fear that, the President
has left some "doors open to practises which
nothing. would ever excuse but imminent
public danger, and. which ought to cease at
once when there can be no longer any pre-
tence of serious peril"
The great trouble with the World is this:
it suspects that the views ultimately adopted
at recent meeting OF the Cabinet and en-
bodied 10 these documents are a Substantial
triumph Of the policy Of Mr.. STANTON, un-
derstood 10 be supported by Mr.. SEWARD
"That policy" the World says, lis the inded
mite prolongation Of the reign Of martial law
administered by military tribunals.n
The theory which the World thinks Is
adopted Is this: The rebellion is not deemed
to have ended In any particular State. until
after the adoption in THAT State, of a slos.
Al State government when the President pub
fishes proclamation, declaring the Suppress
sion Of the rebellion within its limits. and ra-
Installing tin It's former rights. Or it NAV be
In other wordss-the rebellion is regarded in
these proclamations. as q unitary whole, whose
suppression Is to take place by the extinction,
at considerable intervals, OF its fractional
parts, and these partial extinctions' being re.
garded as in no degree impairing the extraor-
binary powers vested in the President during
the rebellion.
{ Such are the views ofthe proclamatiens en-
tertained by the World. In the opinion OF
this journal, these documents are artfully
worded. Ia the Tennessee proclamation we
have the following passage in relation to the
former rights Of the STATE, which shall not be
construed "as impairing existing regulations
for the suppression Of the habeas corpus and
the exercise Of military law in cases where ii
shall be necessary for the general public safe
" and welfare during the existing insurrec.
-tion.e Fhis the World considers a very yS care
ful and significant slatement,in which it dis
covers a mares nest HaA8
1t will be recollsctedt BY our readers that
( Congress, March 81, 1858, passed an act sus.
pending the writsof habeas Corpus, and Pres
identlLlncoln issued ~ proclamation In Sep
TENDER following, in which he made known
that "the privilege of this writ is suspended
throughout all the United States, and that this
suspension will continue throughout the du.
ration Of the rebellion, or until this proclams-
ton shall, by subsequent one to be issued by
the President, be modiaed or revoked Here
it will be noticed that the authority conferred
by the act Of Congress, and the power exer-
cised under IL by the proclamation are in
both cases limited by the duration OF the re-
beIlion. EkE 80 - ~ rs
Speaking Of the Mississippi and TennesseeI
sproclamations, the World ssys:s saw E E
I ltis clear, then, that these two proclanda-
lions, taken together, are intended, besides ac-
complishing their more immediate objects, 10
make these two points: first, that the insur-
rection In any particular State can be consid-
cred as terminated only by a proelaInationBof
the President to that effect aud, second. that
until every State is thus purged by proclama-
tion, the rebellion is to be regarded as exist
ing, and the President legally possessed of all
the extraordinary powers conferred by the
act OF March 8, 1868. ssNseN q
From the above we infer the World fears
that the President win fan back on certain
portions Of. these documents as base of
operations against the States in case they
show, BY their votes or the measures they n may
adopt, disposition still to Cypress the ne
groes and deprive them. Of the rights and
privileges to which they are entitled. What
the World evidently wants Is, this, that the
rebellious States shall be reinstated with all
the rights and privileges they had before The
insurrecticn. The rebellion is To go for nofh-
ing, and all things to remain just as thew
were previous to it. III this could be-dene
without any alteration or modification, then
the Democrats OF the North, those whose 10y
atty hung loosely about them during the ma
TONS struggle for its life, could Join their
Southern friends and form quite formidable
party. .-.a , 90
Thus they might hope TO gain the ascenden-
cy IN tne councils OF the nation and again
ride rough5shod over the black population,
saying to the world that negroes have no
rights which the white, man i bound to re-
spect. ~ .
We believe the great sacrifice OF life and
treasure which the loyal people Of this .coun-
try have made the past four years, has some
virtue in itiwhich cannot be ignored SO easily
~ some may dream Of in their philo ;opby.- Il
cannot In the nature ana CONSTITUTION OF tfirnes
be Otherwise. This great baptism OF blood
means something, and its moral force Is hot 10
ee winked out Of sight BY any politician or
political party in this country. The cry.-
7 The Constitution as 1t 10, and the Union as II
was, Ri once so rife In The land has lost a.