The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1865-08-31
.[From the Washington Republic of Aug. 22.l
ali Pardoning of Rebels Suspended.
The President Has Put His Foot Down.

The President Has Put His Foot Down.
We are glad to be able to state that
President johnson yesterday announced
his purpose to quite crowd OF Rebel ap.
plicants for pardon, that he should grant
no more pardons for the present, and
directed his Secretary, Colonel Brown
ing to notify the Attorney General of
the United States to recommend to him
no more persons for pardon under the
Amnesty proclamation until he so or.
dered.
Quite scene occurred in the Presi.
dents room yesterday. Some fifty per,
sons were present, most of them seeking
pardons. A Mr.. Keitt, Of South Caro-.
lima, mot Lawrence NJ, he having been
killed by a loyal bullet at Fort Wag-
ner, J approached the President and in.
formed him that he desired pardon,
"What have yon done 2" said Mr..
Johnson. 81 opposed Secession until
my State decided to go out of the I'm.
ion, and then | determined to so with
it; I ncver Joined The army; / did moth.
ing to bring OH the rebellion" was the
reply. 81 see," rejoincd the President,
"yoa arc like all the rest--you did moth.
ing. Now" he added, "my experience
is that the men who didn't JOIN the
Rebel army, but who acquiesced in re,
bellion, We're the most mischicvous and
dangerous men we had | cannot par.
don you sir. Keitt made several other
efforts. Among other things he re
minded the President that he had come
all the way from South Carolina had
been in Washington some time that
hotel living there was very high, and
that, altogether, his daily expenses were
extravagantly large, and that he would
like to get away MS soon as he could go.
The President responded that the hard.
ships of (which he complained were the
direct results Of the rebellion that he
did not bring on, nor contribute to bring
on, the rebellion that he was not re
sponsblc for, .and could not cxtricate
Mr.. Kcitt from, the difficulties he com
planned OF, nor hasten his pardon on ac.
count of them. The President was
firm. His answer was a finality, Exit
Keitt
Mr. Keitt retired, evidently satisfied
that MIR. Johnson was President, and
treason was a stain not removed by the
mere asking for signature.
a Mr.. Birch, mombcr Of the late
Rebel Legislature of Virginia, next ap
preached the President and applied for
a pardon, Similar questions were put
to him by the President as were asked
Mr. Kcitt. From the answers it ap
pears that Birch "did nothing" only as
a member of tile Virginia Legislature,
in obedience to Instructions, lie voted
Virginia should secedc from the Union
Of the United States. That is all he
did; that was nothing" Tho Presi.
dent refused TO pardon him. Exit
Birch.
Next came Rebel clergyman, who
asked the President to grant him II par.
don. "What great sin have you com.
mtted that you come here in clerical
rehes and crave Executive pardon 2"
81 was Rebel" was the answer,
"and desire your Emcellcncy to pardon
me that | may be restored to citizen.
ship, and be able to support and live
under the Government Of the United
States" t
| "You Rebel preachers" responded
the President, shave done the Govern
ment great deal of harm you have
| proclaimed devilish doctrines and misled
the people. You forgot that it was
your duty to yield obedience to the
powers that be- You must rest awhile
upon the stool of repentance | de.
cline to grant you pardon at present.
Exit Rebel clergyman.
The President then remarked, ad.
dressing the entire crowd in the room.
that it was a little singular that most Of
the on-combatants who had come here
from the South for pardon assert that
they did nothing, were opposed to the
rebellion at the beginning only ac.
| quiesced, and thought the Rebel Gov.
4 ernment pnOht to have ;n+orfo,n1 Il -