American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-11-22

/ 80 d uCuitSidli Sohiu ouotdtu tHc fe-Coh-
struction policy Of President Johnson
To our interrogatory he replies at great
length in the Herald of the 18th inst.
This article seems to be written upon the
assumption that we were opposed to the
President and his policy too This is a
great mistake 1t is true, we may not
see the wisdom OF every movement of the
President, nor may we have entire faith
in his reconstruction policy, as it is call
ed, being successful. But our object was
not to combat either the policy in general
or any particular part oft. We belong
to the party in power. We have always
believed that whatever was necessary to
be done for the preservation of the unity
of the ceuatry was constitutional. The
leading question with US was what
policy would best secure the great end in
view-the preservation of the country
and its free institutions. We never ad,
hcred to State Sovereignty" We are
not fanatical on the subject of " State
Rights Our object in calling the atten-
ton of the Herald to this matter was
simply to see how he, as Estates Right
Dessocfat' could sustain the arbitrary
acts which the President is perpetrating
,,,,,,, tl,o ,oloI Cf,4o. IT., -, =, -
half so arbitrary Lincoln was, by the
same authority, declared a tyrant. We
never believed the pretentions OF the
HerdM and its friends, in sustaining the
President, sipcere; nor do we now believe
them So The reason assigned in this
article for the arbitrary ruling of the
Executive has the merit of novelty at
least; hear it. "Tho freeing of the
slaves, was an act, $50 the President sta
ted, and so his adherants proclaimed, of
military necessity. If this were true,
then it is the duty of President JOAN
son to see that it is faithfully carried out.
er to show that a permanent necessity
exists for its withdrawal We believe
it is admitted on all hands that, in time
of war, each beligerent can do whatever
tends to weaken tho other, avoiding cru
city. AN invading army may burn des-
troy, and confscate whatever it can be-
longiRg to the enemy-so can retreating
army. In the rebel states were found
horses, mules, cotton, sagar and negroes,
all used by public enemy ia obtaiaing
materials to carry on long war. They
were all contiscated But as the negroes
had-if not mind-at least a higher or
der of instinct than the horses and mules;
for the purpose therefore, of reaching
him more effectually a Proclamation Of
Emancipation was issued, declaring him
hcnceforth and for ever free, in the local.
ties mentioned. This was intcn ded to
weaken pvbtic enemy That enemy, in
military point Of view, don't nor exist
What right, then, has any executive to
follow the matter any farther? The status
of these persons would seem to be prop
er subject for the courts, or the Legisla-
ture of the respective states. But we
are at loss to see how a proclamation
issued by Mr. Lincoln, should hsEe any
Legitimate influence upon Mr.. Johnson's S
reconstruction policy, now that the war
is over. These persons are either free or
not free. If free, they need not the
amendment, and if slaves yet, certainly
no military necessity now exists for their
liberation. But tbese is another view of
the matter which our Reighbor seems to
have quite overlooked The Emancipa-
tion Proclamation, only affected persons
and made no pretcnsions to affect the ia.
stitution of slavery at all To confscate
all the horses found in an enemies coun-
try is good commoa ssnse, but to decree
that, in addition to that, the people of
that country should never after own hor-
ses is quite different matter. Slaves are
ono thing, and the institution Of slavery
is quite another. The proclamation
of freedom was military measure in
time Of war. The constitutional amend.
ment is political measure in time of
peace and there is no comparison betwcsl
them whatever. Our neighbor will
have TO find some other reason for the
Presidents position, and will have to fnt,
his power somewhere else than in militia.
ry necessity. But the President not only
| requires the adoption of this amendments,
but also that they put similar provision
in their own constitution, and that they
lrepudiate portion of their state debt
Where does these poSers come from.
For ourself, We are free 10 say That we
are at all times for freedam to all men,
HEa..lld much prefer that the his.
Hlld not have TO write, thai
peut Of .,yee'tom had been