The Placer herald., 1866-04-28

MEANT SoMETHING.-The veracious tele.
graph has informed US Of late that the Presi
dent has said bis Peace Proc lamaton meant
nothing in particular and that martial law
and military interference with the civil au.
thority would continue the rule in the South.
ern States. To have credited this statement
would have been to believe that the official
acts and declarations Of the President had
| been made in the verest spirit of tTiing, uu'
becoming and disgracetul to the high posi-
ton occupied by him. But, as we have before
said, the President must not be judged by
reported conversations or street rumors, but
by his official acts--aDd by the latter we
have now the evidence that the Peace Proc
| !amation was issued in good faith, and in
tended 10 work out the beniticent results
that a return to peace and civil authority
may he expected to produce Recently
civilian was arrested and held by the mill
arv authorities in Virginia. An effort was
made to sue out writ of habeas corpus in
his behalf, in the court of u S. District
Judge Underwood, which was denied. The
question was then taken to the United States
Attorney General, Mr. Speed, who gave an
opinion that the writ should have been al
lowed; thereupon the President ordered the
issuance of the writ and before this time the
accused has passed from the custody of the
military to that Of the civil authorities Of
the State of Virginia.
We understand from this, that when the
President said in his late proclamation that
standing armies, military occupation, mill
tary laws, military tribunals, and suspending
the writ OF habeas corpus, are in times Of
peace dangerous to public liberty, incompat
ibe with individual rights Of persons. and
contrary to the genius Of our free institu
tions" that be meant something, meant what
be said, and that he intends, as far as in him
lies the power, to restore the States, and the
people of the States, to their rights under
the Constitution, and the laws made 10 pur
suance thereof.
EE The Radicals have been loud and
constant in their denunciation of the Presi,
dent and his plan Of restoration, and the
| Congressional Reconstruction or Smelling
Committee have thrown every obstacle in
the way to speedy return of the Southern
States to their proper relation in the Union
If The Presidential plan was so Objectionable,
the natural presumption would be that the
Radicals had better one of their own, that
they were preparing to present to the coun.
| try. But after nearly FIVE months Of Con-
OCCASIONAL session they have failed to present
one for consideration; and after taken vol
| II cf n IN tba .t,J IL; -.
condition of the South, and noseng into the
private affairs of Southern households, the
telegraph at last informs US that this famous
Committee cannot agree upon any plan to
recommend to Congress 10 consummate a re.
s:oration of the Union.
What DO the people of the coultry think
Of thsl The Presidents plan was working
smoothly y,-social and civil organization was
being organized peacefully after the rude
shock sustained by war-and everything
pointed to an early restoration Of the Union
of the States, for which the non seeding
States struggled through four years Of an
uneXampled war-when these Radical dis.
organizers stepped in to thwart and con-
delnn to light anew the fires of section
alism, and set the people Of the country
as"'u W 'uo eais' luteht upon Ieaflpg
down, they yet have no talent for rebuilding,
but hurl analhemas at all who oppose their
mad career.
If the Presidents plan is not good, the
people shonld demand of these fanatics to
produce better, or else hold their peace.
But they will not produce better one, and
the sooner they are forced into retirement
the better for the nation and humanity.
CHANGEABLE WEATuER.-Sunday, Mon
day and Tuesday the weather was hot-the
thermometer ranging as high as 81 deg. in
tha sh ala In tha nniLLla of liz LIZ, .,,..l.;.l-