Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-06-06
The AmnettY Proclamation.

PROCLAMATION Of amnesty from which all VINO at
the South have been in any way the upholders
Of rebellion can determine with tolerapIe
degree of certainty the consequences OF their
treason. The proclamation, which we PRINT
entire on our outide, is supplementary TO- ana
will henceforth take the place Of, the one Issutu
by President Lincoln. Like that 1t puts but
one cond tion in the pardon offered, VIZ 'ha'
those who wish to take advantage of the amnesty
shall take and keep the oath prescribed Inc
most important part Of this amnesty Is Its emu
mcration Of persons excepted from its beneht'
All officers, foreign or domestic, Of the Con
federate Government Federal judges WHO
Joined rebellion officers in the rebel service
above the rank of Colonel IN thearmy and Lieu
tenant in the navy members Of Congress leav'
ing their positions toad treason officers IN the
q 5. army and navy who joined the enemy
those who have maltreattd Union prisoners
those who have gone abroad TO aid rebellion
all rebel military aud naval officer. educated al
West Point Governors Of rebel States all
persons who have left the loyal. States TO and
treason the rebel pirates and Canadian thieves
and murderers all persons under arrest or
under bonds for trial or for any oiiense, civil or
military, against the Governments all rebels
worth more than $40 900; and all persons who
having taken the amnesty oath have violated IT.
have no part in this pardon.
The rebels will thlnk-or their leaders and
managers wlll--that this amnesty is rather CIR
cumscrbed and they will have reason to come
to that conclusion. Bot 1t is none too much so
and we would prefer that the exceptions should
bs increased rather than diminished. The guilt
of the South has been Of the most hslnous char
acter, and it Is necessary to make an example oil
it. The managers-in short all men Of lnliu-
Once, wealth and position ut the South, who
Voluntarily gave ad and comfort to treason
ought to be visited with some punishment.
The ruling classes must be disarmed, ma lie harm
loss Tor further mischief, and their guilt gVes
the government the opportunity to do this and
we rejoice that the President has excepted them
from this general pardon. They should now be
prosecuted for treason-as government seems
disposed to do in the cases Of the chief rebels
already IN its hands. When they are convicted
let them be forever disqualified from taking part
in any of the affairs OF government, either State
or ederal, and their poger for mischief will be
in great measure destroyed.
The clause excepting rebels whose taxable
property exceeds $40 900 will create some com
motion among the landed aristucracy oil the
South, as well as among those who have taken
advantage Of the rebellion to make fortunes
1t is in keeping, however, with the spirit OF all
the exceptions, and its obvious object, like that
Of the other, is to leave it in the power OF the
government to punish by Observation-Disclosures
BY such other measures as may be deemed best
adapted to weaken the future influence Of these
influential tTaitors-the men whose wealth has
gwen them Importance as rebels, has aided IN
great degree the cause of treason, and VIII, II
they remain unrepentant, make them the rult
ul SOuICes Ol Hiecnlcl III Vho icot B"niNSN p'"'N'
1t is blow at the aristocraoy Of the South
which we hope will prove fatal to 1t and 1t IS
ust VIVA, might have been expected from PreSl-
dent johnson d .mocratie anIecedents, and his
experience OF the domneerlng and dangerous
principles of those who have in years past, 10y
their wealth either in lands or slaves, been able
to direct and control political parties, make and
unmake officials, and at last plunge the whole
South into rebellion.
The p esident has wisely ntimated, however,
that he will always hear applications for elem
ency and amnesty from persons included in the
excepted Glasses and undoubtedly there will be
8 many persons in these glasses who will present
such facts to the President as to secure thell
!, own pardon. But for such persons as Hunter
Benjamin, Mason, Letcher, Vance, lsham, snC
thousand of others, as guilty as, though perhap
i less notorious than they, the proclamation give
C no CLEAN Of hope Of pardon With them tn
, law must take its course and ii al ter c)nyc
ton Of trea 'on it shall appear to the Preslden
A. that some portion OF the penalty can be remttc
IN in their cases, i; will undoubtedly BE- done unde
D, his general pardoning power. But the salot
, Of the State requires that such as they sho Ill
never be restored to those rights of person an
N property which this proclaim ton holds out
of the great mass Of the dlsarme1 and now peace'
ID Bile rebels