The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-04-04
The Proclamation Of Peece'

Five wears aao in the month of April, the
President of the United States proclaimed to
the country that the execution of the laws
was INSTRUCTED in certain States by combina-
tons of citizens too powerful to be suppress
ed by the ordinary course of judicial proceed
ings On Monday last a proclamation from the
President formally announced that the insur-
rection ip the designated States is at an end.
We do not purpose now to consider the argu-
ment in favor Of his 'poiicy," which the Presi-
dent has foisted into the centipedal preamble
to his proclamation. Wewish now SIMPLY to
call attention to the effect Of the proclamar
ton upon the Presidential Office ng
The intention of the founders Of the Ameri-
can constitution was to guardje lousy against
the concentration of great powers in the
hands of single man. The functions. OF the
Executive in times Of peace are almost purely
ministerial. He has, to be sure, the veto pow
era prudent check upon excuses into which
a mere majority might be tempted. But If
| two-thirds Of the representatives of the peo-
pie assembled in Congress, after such deliber-
alton as Presidential veto calls for, do never
! theless decide in faver Of the proposed mea-
| sure, it becomes law and the President must
obey it like any other citizen. This is the ex-
| tent of the veto power, and this is all the
| President has to do with legislation. % y
In time of war the President becomes a
Dictator. Wherever martial law is proclaim
ed, the authority of the Commander-in-chiet
is absolute. It is this feature of our govern
ment which has-e chiefly disappointed our Eu-
ropean critics. Looking at the constitutional
letters, which encountered our Chief Iagis-
trate, they failed to foresee that when the
time for prompt, decisive action should arrive
our Executive officer would be clothed with
powers compensurate with his great duties.
The Dictators Of the ancient republics laid
aside their extraordinary powers when the
crisis for which they We're granted was past
and President johnson has initiated their ex-
ample. The proclamation which announces
the return of peace, is an announcement that
4 henceforth the Executive authority viii be
confined to its ordinary channels. Hence
forth the President has no shadow OF right to
I interfere with the purely legislative business
4 of recognizing the Southern States, except as
the authorized agent and minister of Congress
r. Town Elections.
LINNEUs.-The following officers were elect
ed at the annual town meeting, holden on Fri
day, March Both: GOISOa brs AG0X va
| Moderator, Edward s. f. Nickerson.
Clerk, Edwin C. Burleigh. "A H"
! Selectmen, ,LeHerett E. Estabrook, Bennett
| P. Stimson, jonathan d. Cove. d - -Ss
4 Treasurer, Frank c. Nickerson.
I" Town Aghnt. John c. Carpenter. -,..s-.--.,-i
experimenting School Committee, Edwin G.
Burleigh.
/ Collector, Israel S. Vail.
K Constables, Benjamin F. Hutchinson, Israel
S. Vail. All Union. .rs.----.-,.,.
HARpswELL.-Town Clerk, Sylvester Sto.
yer, I'd. -+-, g. -.
j. Selectmen, Overseers of the Poor and As
SCISSORS, Thomas Penneil, E. G. Simpson, Steph
en- burlington. T. Q A4zs ~ az
4 Superintending School Committee, Lorine
Bea1s, T7ieo1,,as pennen s. Q. Srnullen.
[ Collectors and Coii5tabIes, Joseph #. Law
son, Francis lIs 1osztb 81 1sllu i II
Treasurer, VIM. c. Eaton. trns,
| All Republicans except Simpson and Eaton
Harpswell has been under copperhead rulefol
d long time. .o2I "a IA