The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-04-11
COLUMBIA.
Wednesday Morning, April IL, 1855.
Eneets OF tho Proelamation m.

nalS IN relation to the legal eHect OF
the "peace proclamation Of Presi-
dent johnson. A few contend that
it has no legal, binding effect, whilst
the larger number of the ablest jour
nails in the country take the ground
that every civil right is restored to
the States "lately in rebellion
And there can be no question of
the justice of this conclusion, for
were it otherwise, the document
would be useless waste of paper in
publishing string of official decla-
nation AS the New York Tribune,
even, says, "those who imagine that
President Johnson's proclamation an
nouncing peace is of no value, but is
mere expression of Executive OPT
Mon, are mistaken" No; Andrew
Johnson is not the man to place the
great seal of the United States to
meaningless document-to a mere
expression of Executive opinion. He
is not the man who would attempt to
deceive; every sentence he has ut
tered, every official line he has writ
ten, bear the stamp Of frankness,
honesty and infexibility; and when
he proclaims over his hand and official
seal that the war is over, he means it,
The New York World has a well
considered and forcible article in re-
lation to the legal effect of the pro-
clamation. That paper says ''the
proclamation, like treaty of peace,
makes a great change in the legal
aspect of important Acts 1t fixes a
date of which all the courts must
take notice, and marks the termina-
ton of all laws having especial refer
ence to the state of insurrection.
The joint resolution OF Congress,
approved February 8, 1863 excluding
eleven States from Participation in
the presidentialelec.ion, was ground
ed on . 'sohereas setting forth that
Those States had been declared in
rebellion which had not terminated
at the date of the presidential cleo
ton. No such exclusion is hereafter
possible, inasmuch as the termination
of the rebellion has been declared,
by the branch of the Government
having legal authority to make such
proclamation. Congress can no moro
exclude those States from the next
presidential election than if they had
never rebelled. A joint resolution to
: that effect would be null, for the
same reason that all pretended laws
&c opposition to plain provisions of
Constitution have no binding
&c. Their exclusion from the pre-
kntial election would be revolu-
ton; and such a revolution would
have to be met by revolutionary
methods.
The Act of March 3, 1865, estab-
lishing the Freedmen's Bureau, was,
by its terms, sto continue during Me
present aca, Of rebellion, and for one
yeo,' Meregfze,.., The date of its de-
mise being fixed by the late procla-
nation, the. Freedmen's Bureau will
cease to hayo:any legal existence on
the Cd Of April, 1867.
By the Act>of March 3, 1868,
during the present rebellion, the
President, whenever, in his Judgment,
the public safety may require it, is
authorized to suspend the writ of
ha5eas co,pms in any case throughout
the United States, or in any part
.a..sereef BIZ the same Act, sany
order Of the President, or under his
his authority, made at any time
during the existence Of the present
rebellion, shall be a defence in all
courts to any action, civil or crimi-
nal, pending or to be commenced for
any search, seizure, arrest or impri-
sonment, made, done or committed,
-or acts omitted to be done under and
by virtue of such order The pro-
clamation takes away the shelter for