Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-03-02
OHIO, FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 1855.

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| dued, and the leaders are either in exile OF
IN captivity orat the feet Of the Executive.
suppiicants for mercy.
That we may the better understand the
path of duty, as well as the policy justice
and wisdom may indicate, it might not be
Improbable for US to go back IN our his
tory to what may be considered the dark
day of the Republic On the first Mon
day of December, 1868, the Thirty Eighth
Congress convened in this Capitol. Up
on its immediate organization a powerful
minority party appeared IN the House Of
Representatives hostile to the national
Administration, more or less IN sympathy
with the rebellion, and representing a
loyal States with sentiments and views
in harmony with their own. Every
measure proposed by the Administration
party to strengthen the financial or mill
tary condition of the country was de.
nounced and assailed by this party as uu-
constitutional and oppressive. The reb-
els, elated By their victories, were conf
1eut of success, and everywhere the war
for the preservation Of the Union and
the suppression of the rebellion was pro
uOunced failure The perils of our sit
uation were greatly enhanced by differ
ences Of opinion among Union men
L
then alarming and perilous condition of
the country President Lincoln, on the 9Th
day of December Of that year, issued his
proclamation of amnesty and pardon, and
proposed his plan for the reconstruction
of order and civil government in the reb
ell States The purpose of the President
in his proffered pardon was to weaken
the power of therebellion by inducing the
insurgents to abandon the bogus govern
ment Of the so-called southern confer
acy'' and return to their proper allegi-
ance to the Government. Good faith on
the part of those in authority and espe-
cially the Chief Magistrate of great ma
ton, is always required. This proclama-
ton of prOffered mercy was unrescinded
and IN full force on the 18th of April,
1860, the day Of his assassination.
| now propose to call the attention of
the committee to some Of the principal
features of the amnesty proclamation of
President Lincoln. The preamble recites
the provision of the Constitution of the
United States declaring that the Presi-
dent shall have power to grant reprieves
and pard0ns for offenses against the
United States, except in cases of impeach-
ment," makes a brief allusion to the law,
Of Congress, declaring forfeitures and
eOnfscatlon Of property and liberation of
slaves, all upon terms and conditions
therein stated, and also declaring that
the President was thereby authorized at
any time thereafter by proclamation to
extend to persons who may have pal tici-
pated In the existing rebellion, IN any
State or part thereof, pardon and amnes-
ty,Wlth such exceptions, and at such times,
and on such conditions as hemay deem eX-
pedient for the public welfare" The pre-
amble then concludes with this impor-
tant averment:
Whereas it is now desired by some per-
sons heretofore engaged in said rebellion
to resume their allegiance to the United
States and to reinaugurate loyal State gov
ernments within and for their respective
States
By reference to this part of the pream
bic it Is plain to be seen that the Presi
dent had in view two objects to accom-
Dlish first to weaken the rebellion by
proffering amnesty and pardon to those
who desired to resume their allegiance to
the United States; and second, to rein
augurate loyal State governments.
[ will now, Mr.. Chairman, by the indUl-
geuce of the committee, read those parts
of the proclamation [ deem the most es-
seutial to proper understanding of It's
import and purpose:
81, Abraham Lincoln, President of the
United States, do proclaim, declare and
rectly, or by implication, participated in
the existing rebellion, except as herein
after excepted, that q full pardon is hereby
granted to them and each ST them, with
restoration Of all rights of property, eX-
cept as to slaves, and in proper cases
where rights of third parties shall have
intervened, and upon the condition that
every such person shall take and subscribe
an oath, and thencefOrward keep and
maintain such oath inviOlate; and which
oath shall be registered for permanent
preservation, and shall be of the tenor and
effect, following, tO-Wit:
81 do sOlemnIy swear, in the presence of
Almighty God, that will hencefOrth faith
fully support, protect and defend the Con-
siitutiOn of the United States, and the
Union of the States hereunder; and that
I Will in like manner abide by and faith
fully support all acts of Congress passed
during the existing rebellion with refer
ence to slaves, so long and so far as not re-
pealed, modified, or held void by Congress,
or by decision of the Supreme Court; and
that I viii in like manner abide by and
faithfully support all prOclamatiOns made
during the existing rebellion, so long and
so far as not modified or declared void by
the decision of the Supreme Court. So
help me God"
The persons excepted from the bsne-
fits of the foregoing provisions are
81. All who are, or shall have been, pre-
tended civil or diplomatic officers or other
wise, or domestic or foreign agents Of the
pretended confederate government.
80. All who left judicial stations under
the United States to aid the rebellion.
SO. All who shall have been military or
naval officers of said pretended cOnfed-
crate government, above the rank of colo
mel in the army, or lieutenant IN the navy.
81. All who left seats in the Congress of
the United States told the rebellion.
''5. All who resigned or rendered resig-
nations of their commissions in the Army
and Navy of the United States, to evade
their duty in resisting the rebellion.
IS. All who have engaged in any way
in treating otherwise than lawfully as
prisoners of war persons found in the
United States service, as officers, soldiers,
seamen, or in any other capacity"
Preident Lincoln further declared;
"And do further proclaim, declare and
make known, that whenever, in any of the
States of Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia,
Florida, South Carolina, and North Caro-
lima, a number of persons, not less than
one-tenth in number of the votes cast in
such State at the Presidential election of
the year of our Lord 1860, each having ta-
ken the oath aforesaid and not having
since violated it, and being a qualified vo-
ter by the election law of the State exist
ing Immediately before the so-called act of
secession, and excluding all others, shall
re-establish a State government which
shall be republican, and in nowise CONTRA
Vening said oath, such shall be recognized
as the true government of the State, and
the State shall receive Hereunder the ben
efits of the constitutional provision which