Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1865-12-13

| people, who grant TO the members of the
| Legislative and executive Departments no
! tenure but a limited one, and in that man
ner always retain the powers of redress.
1.-The sovereignty of the Streets" is the Ian
guage of the confederacy, and not the Ian
guage of the Constitution. The latter con-
tains the emphatic words: 1.-The Constitution
and the laws of the United States which shall
be made in pursuance thereof, and all treat.
il made or which shall be made under the
authority of the United States, sh Ill be the
supreme law of the land and the judges in
every State shall be bound thereby, anything
in the constitution or laws of any State to the
contrary notwithstanding.
] found the States suffering from the effects
of a civil war. Resistance to the general gov
ernment appeared to have exhausted ITSELF
The United States had recovered possession of
their forts and arsenals, and their armies were
in the occupation of every State which had
attempted TO secede Whether the territory
within tie limits of those States should be
held as conquered territory, under military
emanating from the President as the head of
the army, was the first question that present
ed itself for decision.
Now, military governments, established for
an indefinite period, would have offered no se-
curity for the early suppression Of -disconterti
would have devided the people into the van
quishers and the vsnquished, and would have
enveuomed hatred rather than have restored
affection. 0uce established, no precise limit
To their continuance was conceivable. They
would have occasioned an incalculable and
exhavsting expense. Peaceful eu:i grafton to
and from that portion Of the country is one of
the best means that can be thought of for the
restoration of harm-ny, aud that emigration
would have been prevented, for what emigrant
from abroad, what Industrious citizen at home,
would place himself willingly under military
rule? The chief persons would have follow
ed. in the train in the army would have been
dependents on the general government, or
men who expected prcft from, the mlseries Of
their erring fellow citizens. The powers of
patrenage and rule which would have been
exercised, under the President, over vast
an populuos, and naturally wealthy region,
are greater than, unless under extreme ne
| cessity should be willing to entrust TO any
one man they are such as, for myself, could
never, unless on occasions Of great emergen-
cy. consent 10 exercise. The willful use OF
such powers. if continued through period Of
wears. would have endangered the purity of
| The general administration and the liberties of
the States which remained loyal.
Besides, the policy of military rule over a
conquered territory would have implied that
the States whose inhabitants may have taken
part in the rebellion had, by the act of those
| inhabitants ceased to exist. But the true
theory is tnat all pretended acts of secession
were from the beginning null and VOID. .ihc
States cannot commit treason, nor screen the
individual citizens who may have committed
treason. any more than they can make valid
treaties or engage in lawful commerce with
any foreign Power. The States attempting to
seoede placed themselves in condition where
their vitality was impaired, but not extIn-
guished-ther functions suspended, out not
destroyed
| Bur if any State neglects or refuses to per-
form III, Offices, there is the more need ihai
the general government should MAINTAIN all
its authority, and, as soon as practicable, re-
sumo the exercises of all its functions. On
this principle have acted, and nave gradual
ly and quielly, and by almost imgerceptlb.e
stems. sought TO restore the rightful energy of
the general government and Of the States
To rat end Provisional Governors have been
appointed for thc Ststes. Conventions called,
Governors elected Legislatures assembled,
AMI Senators and Representatives chosen TO
the Congress of the United States At the
same time, the Courts Of the United States,
as far as could be done, have been reopened.
90 that the laws of the United States may be
enforced through their agency. The blockade
has heeu removed and the custom houses re-
estab b!ishe! in ports of entry, so that the re-
yenuc of the United States may be collected.
Tie Post-otiice Department renews its sease-
less activity, and the general government IS
thereby enabled 10 communicate promptly
with its officers and agents. The couIts bring
security to persons and property; the open
ing of the ports invites the restoration of in
rha off
the facilities Of social intercourse and of bu-
siness. And is it not happy for us all that
the restoration Of each enc OF these functions
of the general government brings with it a
blessing TO the States over which they are ex-
tended Is il not a sure promise of harmony
and renewed attachment tc the Union that,
after all that has happened, the return of the
general government Is known only as bene
ficence
| know very well that this policy is attend
! ed with some risk that for its success ii re-
| quires at least the acquiescence of the States
which it concerns that it implies an invita-
! tod to those States, by renewing their alle-
/ glance TO the United States, to resume their
( functions as States OF the Union. But it is
risk that must be taken; in the choice of diff
| fculties it is the smallest risk : and to dimin-
ish. and if possible, to remove all danger,
]
power of the general govcrnmeni-the power
of pardon. As no State can throw defence,
over the crime of treason, the power of par
don is exclusively vested in the Executive
government of the United States. In exer-
cisinr that power | have taken every precau-
to connect il with the clearest recognition of
the binding force of the laws of the United
States, and an unqualified acknowledgement
of the great social change of condition in re-
gard to slavery which has grown out of the
war.
The next step which have taken to restore
the constitutional relations of the States has
been an invitation TO them to participate in
the hyl. Office of ameniing the Constitution.
Every patriot must wish for general amnes-
ty at the earliest epoch consistent with public
safety. For this great end there is neei Of a
concurrence of all opinions, and the spirit OF
mutual conciliation. All parties in the late
terribleseonhict must work together in har-
mony Il is not too much to ask, in the name
of the whole people, that on the one side, the
rlan Of restoration shall proceed in conformity
with 4 willingness to cast the disorders of the
past into oblivion; and that, on the other, the
! evidences OF SINCERITY IN the future mainten