The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1865-06-09
M A N 1T 0 w 90:
The Proclamations of President John
From the milwaukee. News.

Aho isuoiIo' 10 F"oood. "A HOoS VI
doubts are joyfulIy solved Andrew
Johnson, President Of the United States,
has pu. his foot down, aud by the grace
of God, be ha, put it down firmly AID
mainly III the righ. place.
They who thought to make him sec
tional president; they who hoped through
him to establish a new and false Union on
The ruins Of the old Union; they who
plotted to substitute party platform,
backed 5y military power, for the coDsli-
tuition of the United States they who
,hirstsd for Bitter and relentless war upon
a falieu and Illuminated foe the few who
though: to pe'pelualy govern the many
through military force; all who conspired
for the annihilssion of popular rights and
stale sovereigntes in the name of freedom
are defeated At last; we hope forever.
The amnesty proclamation opens wide
the door to the blessings Of Union for the
mass Of The rebel population and it locks
the door against none. It brings some>
thing Of life and liberty and hope to an
empire. 1t tends to restore a galaxy of
states to peace, law, prosperity, and power.
1t recognizes the sovereignty of the PEG.
pie and the inalienabls right of local self.
government. 1t nullifes the confica,ion
laws, reduces executive DEGREES in war to
rightful subordnaton to the law, and
recognizes the exalted policy of Christian
mercy and magnanlmity as more effective
than the bloody and cruel reign of the
sword. l. avowed object is the re-sstsb-
lishment Of "the Constitution OF the
United States and the Union Of the States
hereunder" The people ask no more.
The proclamation providing for the re-
establishment Of the Federal and State
authority in North Carolina, is bu. a
corollary of the amnesty proclaim alton.
The one proclaims in detail what the other
proclailns in general. 1t applies sonsti-
tu,ional principles to-. actual practice
The limited jurisdiction of the federal
government, and the sovereign authority
Of the states under the great Fundamental
law Of the land, are distinctly recognized
The power of the states to make their own
constitutions, to enact their own laws and
control their own ballot boxes, is specG
cally declared 10 he "a poaoer uhich tie
people Of the several states hare righDuily
exercised from the origin Of the gooern-
ment to tie present time" This announce
ment is the end of all the inherently trea
sonsble theories for the reconstruction s"
of the Union, according to the will and
dicta;ion Of an accidental partisan major
ity 10 the cabine. or 10 congress. The
presiden. practically abandons state power,
and disarms southern and northern trea.
son with angle sweep Of bis Jackson
blade
In expressing this approval Of the gem
eral tenor, spirit and apparent purpose of
the two proclamations of the president, as
we understand them, we intend by no
means to endorse every ihing that they
contain without qualification. 1t would
have been better if all reference to the for
mer proclama,ions Of President Lincoln,
concerning which loyal men disagree, had
been omitted from the oath Of aliegiauce.
And j. would have been better for the
country had the exceptions TO the general
amnesty leen less numerous. Blu. these
peculiaiities Of the presidents position IN
rolve no permanent principle of action and
will prove Of little practical consequence
In the end. Allegiance is required from
rebels primarily to the federal constitution
and the Union thereunder,' and all laws
and proclamations conflicting with such
allegiance are of course null end void
And It ls equally clear to US, thst an am
nesty which includes four ffths Of the
rebelIlous population a, once, and points
out definitely the means BY which amnes-
~ for the other fifth NAV be obtained.
viii result in ultimate amnesty to every
honest friend OF Union and law in the
United States. The essential meri, Of
the presidents policy consists in bis vir-
suai surrender Of usurped powers, and bis
distinct recognition Of the right of the
people OF all the States TO form their own
local governments and determine their
own des,inies in their own way. This
concession directly or remotely involves
the concession of all that the real friends
Of free government and of civil liberty
claim, and for this We praise the new
President.
And the reunited people Of the Ameri-
can states will give andrew johnson 70
qualified support, in his endeavor 20 up.
hold the old constitution OF the republic.
In this work, his feet are planted upon
rcck, and in bis safety and strength The
redeemed republic lives again.