Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-06-08
The Presidents ProcIamations.


We have carefully examined the Amnesty
dent johnson. From our point of view we
think they fall short of that iberality and
good policy which the full exigency of the
times require. While saying this much, we
ore compelled to admit that they, in no wise
come up to the ferocious and blood thirsty
demands, expectations and hopes ofthe ex
terminating radicals They look in vain
for the establishment Of negro suffrage in
the reorganization Of the seeded States, -
Instead of that President johnson has con-
fined the suffrage to whites alone. They
confidently expected an almost universal
confscation of Southern farms and other
property, and their division among them.
selves. So far from this, with a limited
qualification, restricted to Il comparatively
small number, he expressly guarantees to
the Southern people all their lands, and
every other species of property excepting
slaves. The leading radicals, Sumner,
Chase & Co., have been opposed to the re-
organization of these States, and have in
sisted upon their being held as provinces,
under military rule, for a period Of ten or
twenty years, unless the slaves were imme-
diately enfranchised and the mass of South
ern whites dsfranchised.
From the howls of the pulpit press and
rostrum, the radicals evidently believed a
general harvest of blood was in store for
them-onc that would fully glut their hate
and satiate their revenge. They are amazed
that the prescribed list of victims is so few,
in fact, although, at first sight, it presents
a formidable appearance. When analyzed,
however, it is found that the number Of the
prescribed is but small proportion of those
lo,oara1 - tha Lao tra,ron1n,s o,,,1
Even this number may be seriously reduced
by personal application to the Executive,
who has, in his proclamation, promised a
liberal exercise of the pardoning power in
such cases.
! From this resume, we have no doubt that
the President considers his terms to the peo
pie of the South humane and liberal. 1t il
, apparent that, in these proclamations, he
, has discarded the councils of the cruel anC
b wicked men who have attempted to govern
J his action, to subscrve their own individual
ends and ambition.
He has gone further than this in the righ
, direction. He has thrown open the prison
doors to the captives sent there by Militar,
Commissions to languish during the war. =
We trust and expect that this lenency vii
be made to include those prisoners who arr
confined for definite period since it is log
cal that the greater should be made to in
clude the less, those offenders being regard
ed as the most fragrant who were to be i'm
prsoned for the full term Of the war.
We hope, and have reason to believe, tha
these acts so calculated to restore harmon
and quiet, will at once be followed by tn
abrogation of the unlawful and unconstitu
: tional Military Commissions that hav
= usurped the functions of the civil courts o
, the land Let the President at once, nov
t that the war is ended, give to the people tn
/ great writ of civil liberty, hobeos corpus, 0
4 which they have been so long deprived.
SO long as the President pursues thi
t course, and adheres to the Constitution o
the United States, and seeks to heal tn
8 bleeding wounds of the country by concili
$ atory measures, he is entitled to receive an,
# justly deserves the appreciation of all just
minded and patriotic men.
b We are assured that this proclamation
u n but the beginning of the exercise by Presi
= dent johnson of his pardoning power A
time develops the proprlety, the Prcsiden
will grant amnesty to the various classe
+ excepted now, and embrace within its term
? all who have been engaged in this civil wal
c - Cincinnati Elq,urer