The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1865-12-14
WESTMINSTER, MD. THURSDAY DECEMBER Il 1865

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restoration of harmony; and that emf
grafton would have been prevented; for
what emigrant from abroad, what in
dustrious citizen at home, would place
himself willingly under military rule
The chief persons who would have fol
lowed in the train of the army would
| have been dependents on the general
government, or men who expected
profit from the miseries of their errine
fellow citizens. The powers of patron
age and rule which would have been
exercised, under the president, over a
vast, and populous, and naturally wealthy
region, are greater than, unless under
extreme necessity, should be willing
to entrust to any one man they are
such as, for myself, I could never un-
less on occasions of great emergency,
.conseatto exercise The wilful use of
such powers, if continued through a
period of years, would have endangered
the purely of the general administra-
ton 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 inhabi-
tants may have taken part in the re-
bellion had, by the act of those inhabi-
tants, ceased to exist. But the true
theory is, that all pretended acts of
secession were from the beginning null
and void. The States cannot commit
treason, nor screen the individual citi-,
zens who may have committed treason,
any more than they can makevalid trea-
ties or engage in lawful commerce
with any foreign power The States
attempting to secede placed themselves
in condition where their vitality was
impaired, but not extinguished-their
functions suspended, but not destroyed.
But if any State neglects or refuses
to perform its Offices, there is the more
need that the general government
should maintain all it's authority, and,
as soon as practicable, resume the ex-
ercise of all its functions On this prin-
ciple | have acted, and have gradually
and quietly, and by almost impercepti-
BILE steps, sought to restore the right
full energy of the general government
and of the States. To that end, provis-
ional governors have been appointed
for the States, conventions called, Gov
ernors elected, legislatures assembled.
and Senators and Representatives cho
sen to the congress ofthe United States,
At the. same time, the courts of the
United States, as far as could be done,
have been reopened, so that the laws
Of the United States may be enforced
through their agency The blockade
has been removed and the custom
houses re-estahlished in ports of entry,
so that the revenue of the United States
may be collected. The post Office de-
partment renews its ceaseless activity.
aud the general government is thereby
enabled to communicate promptly with
its officers and agents. The courts
bring security to persons and property !;
the opening of the ports invites the
restoration of industry and commerce;
the postofice rcnews the facilities of
social intercourse and Of business
And is it not happy for us all, that the
restoration of each one of these func-
tions of the general government brings
with it blessing to the States over
which they are extended. Is is not a
sure promise Of harmony and renewed
attachment to the Union that, after all
that has happened, the return of the
general government is known only as a
benefcence?
[ know very well that this policy is
attended with some risk; that for its
success it requires at least the acquies-
cence of the States which it concerns;
that it implies an invitation to those
States by renewing their allegiance
the United States, to resume their
functions as States of the Union. But
it is a risk that must be taken; in the
choice of difficulties, it is. the smallest
risk; and to diminish, and, if possible, to
remove all danger, I have felt it in
cumbent on me to assert one other
power of the general government the
power of pardon. AS no State can
throw a defence over the crime of
treason, the power of pardon is exclu-
sively vested in the executive govern
ment of the United States. In exer-
cising that power, 1 have taken every
precaution to connect it with the clear
est recognition of the binding force of
the laws fthe 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. d.sy sd 8
The next step which I have taken to
restore the institutional relations Of the
States has been an invitation to them to
participate in the high office of amending
the Constitution. Every patriot must
wish for general amnesty at the earliest
epoch consistent with public safety
For this great end there is need Of, a
concurrence of all opinions, and the
spirit of mutual Cancellation. All parties
In the late terrible conflict must work
together in harmony. It is not too much
to ask, in the name of the whole people,
that, on the one side, the plan of resto-
ration shall proceed in conformity with
awillingness to cast the disorders Of the
past into oblivion; and that, on the other.
/ the evidence of sincerity IN the futuve