The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-08-24

seS, by reDelllOD Juey nave lOSL
L.. status as citizens Of the United st ties,
and stand before the Government as TRAIT
oRs and CRIMINALS! Hence to enable them
to do the first act towards reorganization,
they must have the redeeming fat of the
President, III whom alone the power to par
dom is vested-absolvin them from
crime And this act they cannot claim as
u right, but must sue for, as a boon Of grace
and mercy.
But me know that this sovereign function
Of cletnency has already been exercised by
the President, as to certain large classes OF
the rebels They, therefore, stand absolved
from crime, and, sc far reinstated in their
former condition. But let us not msunder-
stand. The Executive pardon simply wash
es out criminality, and leaves the masses,
SO absolved, as mere settlers and inhabi-
tants, within the geographical bonds Of
Federal jurisdiction. 1t does not restore
constitution or laws State institutions or
State officers and it will hardly be con-
tended that the power to pardon includes
the power to direct or authorize, the forna-
ton Of State constitutions or laws. 1t may
be doubted whether the President has that
power at all. Besides the pardon power, the
Constitution clothes the President with two
other important powers: first to command
the army and navy, militia, when called into
the service Of the United States; and second,
''to take care that the laws be faithfully ex-
ecuted" And it leaves to his broad discre-
ton the mode in which these important
powers shall be exercised.
But, it is not easy to see how these, any
more than the power to pardon, authorized
the President to make, or to direct the MAX
ing, Of State constitutions and laws. 1t
would seem that Congress-that the Gov
eminent itself-by laws passed for the pur-
pose, alone has power to authorize and di-
rect the inhabitants of rebel States, in the
process ofre-habilitating themselves in State
organizations; and the more so, because
Congress, finally, IS to pass upon the ques-
ton, of admitting each State into the Union.
If not exclusively in Congress, it must rest
with the inhabitants" and settlers" them
selves.
In the interim, it becomes the duty of
the President to make such arrangements,
military or civil, or both, as will complete
the determination of all armed bands of
rebels, secure the faithful execution of all
laws of the United States, maintain peace
and preserve the rights of persons and prop
erty; and i'll the absence of Congressional
provisions he may appoint military govern
ors, or other officers for this purpose, and
direct their action. La every community
there must be government, and in all of the
national territory, it is not only important,
but necessary, that the President should
hold the people under~a quasi military rule,
until local government shall be established;
and this becomes indispensable, where lar ge
bodies Of men, possessing arms, receatly at
war with the government, Still hostile in
their feelings and tending toward violence,
are left without local or civil control.
How long, i'll the rebel States, this Exc
cutIve rule may become necessary, must de-
pend upon the dispositions and conduct of
the people themselves. Most certainly, the
public peace, the future safety of the Union,
aud the preservation Of constitutional liber-
y. require that the President, or Congress
shall hold the dsloyal States under the
strong hand of Federal power, until the
elements Of genuine loyalty among the peo-
pie shall be so manifest and certain, as to
render them safe participants, with other
members Of the Union, III the important
right of self-government.
In future article something may be
said of another class of the inhabitants of
the rebel States, who have never been dis
loyal, but who have never been allowed to
exercise the right of sef-government, or
share In the privileges of citizenship. II.