The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-08-28

candid men, as certainly as they ac-
cent the proposition that we have had
rebellion, or that rebel State Gov
eminent organized under and sworn to
a rebellion, is not Republican Gov
eminent under our Constitution. Not
withstanding this obvious truth, let
me submit single argument to those
who are inclined to attach importance
tothe Presidents views and practices
upon this important matter.
The most recent and able apollo
gist for the Presidents consistency
! (Harper) from whom have heard, in
sists that he ought not to be held re-
sponsible for his stump speeches, be-
cause they are the excited utterances
of an uncultivated mind, swayed by
boisterous and uncomfortable pas
sions. / accept the extenuation, and
shall therefore refer to no speech of his
for proof. Ifg
On May 10Th, 1866, Mr.. johnson
signed his North Carolina proclama-
ton. 1t is by far the most important
paper ever issued by him. 1t was
| doubtless written by the Secretary
of State, and is also signed by him.
To fully realize the significance of
these acts and utterances of the Presi-
dent you must forget that every. one
of them was after the last rebel had
surrendered, and the rebellion was
crushed; and hence, if the overthrow
! of the rebellion alone revived and
restored the old loyal Governments of
these States, then each act of the
4 President was done, in these States,
after and when they had Republican
governments as had New York or
Ohio. Now notice carefully what
this proclamation did and said within
and touching these States.
1t recites and declares as follows:
LIST. 1t sets out by expressly deriv-
I ing the power to do what the procla-
nation orders to be done, in North
| Carolina, from the clause of the Con-
stitution which requires that the
!" United States shall guarantee to
each State in the Union Republican
form of government" Cart 4, sec. 4.
I'd. 1t, in exact words, declares that
| the " rebellion has deprived the people
/ Of The State of North Carolina Of ALL
ciuiI Government Gad
| Sd. That what he did in and under
that proclamation was not to amend
or bring back the old government, but
was to ORGANIZE this was his
word" ORGANIZE y a State Govern
ment. g f
4th. He ordered that convention
be elected to organize" this govern
ment, and to alter the Constitution ;
and that the portion of the people
who were loyal to the United States
should vote, and that only such should
be members of the Convention
9Th. He declared that the powers
/ he therein exercised were such as
eoere necessary and proper to enable the
people Of the State to restore the State
to its constitutional relations to the Fed
erdl Government, and to present such
republican form of State Govern
ment as will entitle the State to the
guarantee of the United States there
for"
Now, this paper is not only not a
frothy stump speech, but it is proc
lamation inaugurating and executing
the alleged authority of the United
States over the rebel States-declar-
ing what is their true legal constitu-
ton, and what their relations to the
Union WERE It also declares from
what source this authority over the
rebel States is deprived.
Now, | aver that language can ex-
press no proposition more plainly, and
no acts can affirm their truth more
solemnly, than these utterances and
acts of the President affirm each other
of the following truths: g
That the rebellion deprived the
rebel States of all civil government,
and of course of republican ones.
That such deprivation took these
States out of their constitutional rela-
tions to the Federal Government.
That they still required to be re-
stored to those relations at the time
he issued his proclamation.
That the power and duty to effect
this restoration was derived from the
guarantee clause of the Constitution,
and was therefore in the United
i States and not in the President
That this restoration must be
1 effected by the " organization of new
Governments Republican in form.
And especially that what he did
were necessary and proper popers,"
which the United States had the right
to exercise with these States, so as
to organize those Republican Govern
ments which would alone 6 restore F"
them to their constitutional relations
to the Federal Government.
HOW OFTEN THE PRESIDENT HAS AS
SERTED ALL THESE POWERS
But do you tell me that this North
Carolina Proclamation was but one
act done when the Presidents knowl-
edge and views were immature; and
is therefore an act by which it is un-
just to hold him bound. | reply to
| ,ro,,- M Sauan times over this act