The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-04-09
The Peace Proclamation and Its Con-
sequences.


portan, chapter in the history of the country
ono which could not be- omitted from our co
lumns without causing hiatus that chronicle
of events which il renders complete.
It's impossible TO over-rate the importance
of this proclamation TO the people of the South
particularly. or to those of the country Al
large. 1t means the subordination OF the mil
itary to the civil authority. IL means that the
glorious privilege OF the writ OF hdbedS corpus
which has been the birth right of every Eng
ushman and American since the reign oil
CHARLES II, though occasionally suspended
in both countries, is now once more the shield
and protection of the Southern people. 1t
means that there shall be no more arbitrary
arrests, no more incarcera,ions upon false pre-
texts, no more iailors whose keys even a Judge
cannot cause 10 unloose prison doors, no more
military commissions for the trial of civilians,
NO more men or women sentenced to an igno-
minious death without judge or jury or war
rant of law.
But this proclamation also has great slgnin-
canoe in its relations TO the restoration of the
Union 1t indicates that the President mas
confidence in the professions of fidelity to the
Union and the Constitution which the south
ern people have made. II is q full, free and
cordial acceptance of those promises III the
shirt in which they claim to have been made
not in the spirit i'll which the Radicals declare
,ba, they should have been received. And in
this view of it, the proclamation should bind
us to peacefulmeasures and conciliatory teach
inss AS if with hooks of steel SHAKESPEARE
characterizes the man of honor as one whose
"oaths are oracles, and whose "word Is ms
bond" Such this proclamation assumes the
people of the South to be, and such IL Will be-
come them 10 prove themselves. Who can
doubt that they will justify the Presidents
confidence? The great NAPoLEoS was once
warned that in one portion of his grand army
there was so much disaffection coupled with so
strong spirit of INSTRUMENTATION and OF nos
lility to himself in person, that it would be
dangerous for him TO expose himself where the
disatfected could have an opportunity TO wreak
their vengeance upon him, since 1t was almost
certain that his life would be sacrificed. Al
WAYS great, NAPOLEON ordered parade OF the
malconten1s, and, without an aid and on foot,
marched slowly mp and down the column
Finally, he seized one man by the collar ana
gave him a tremendous shaking, as If he would
Jerk him out of his boots. Vice mpoieoa. rang
along the line. SO with President JOHNSON.
He has been told that the Southern people are
hypocrites that they plot rebellion ana trea
son that they cannot be trusted even to have
representatives in Congress and that TO en-
pose the Union where they would have an OPP
portunity 10 wreak their vengeance upon 1t,
would be 10 sacrifice its very life. Yet his faith
knew no diminution. He ordered Il parade of
the insurgents, and after calmly reviewing the
entire line reiterates his entire confidence i'll
their fidelity, while he ut the same time takes
Texas by the collar gives that State sha-
king, and orders it temporarily TO the rear
Tice Jotnsoa. say we.
To show the light III which the President
himself views the proclamation, we copy the
remarks of the New York TtmeS:
.sThe manifold pleas for exceptional legisla-
ton predicated upon a continuance OF u state
of war and its alleged constitutionality under
the war making power, will be henceforth in
admissible There will be no tenable pretence
for talking of or dealing with the South rs SUI
in rebellion for the President in the exercise
of an incon ties Ia BILE aut hority has declared the
rebellion ended. There can be no excuse for
debating terms 10 southern States as conquered
Provinces, or imposing conditions upon their
people as subiugated rebels, 1T the mercy OF
the conqueror; for the Executive of the nation
has proclaimed that the rights of States III the
South are as valid rs those OF States Ill the
North that the civil authority of Georgia Is
AS perfect in its sphere as that of Massachu-
sets, and that the Southern people are, rs II
whole, Loyalty intent upon doing their duty as
citizens of the United States. There can no
longer be a decent pretext for excluding South
ern representatives from Congress, or for en-
acting laws applying peculiarly to the south
ern States and enforcing provisions which
their authors dare not attempt to enforce in
their own States. To this extent, therefore,
the proceeding OF the President cannot fall to
exercise a potent influence upon the sayings
and doings of Congress. 1t deprives the agita-
tors and mischief-makers of their only apollo
gy, and blunts the weapon with which they
have hitherto fought They must either accept
the fact promulgated by the President, with
all it's logical consequences, or assume an atti-
tude of resistance TO the authority lawfully
vested in him. In one case their tactics must
undergo a change, which can hardly be Tor the
worse In the other, they will seal their con-
domination before the country, and convict
themselves of q desire to usurp power with
held from them by the Constitution
1t will be seen that the President is not at
all disposed to back down from his position.
On the contrary, the proclamation is q direct
challenge TO the Radicals TO do their worst, and
an earnest that the President will do his best
1t tells them, by an act which speaks louder
than words, that they must either meet him
in open war upon this question of restoration,
or acknowledge that they have been wrong,
and proceed TO retrace their steps.
The issuing of the proclamation fixes the du-
ration OF the existence OF tho Freedmen Bu-
reau in the South, inasmuch as the law pro-
yides that it shall continue only twelve months
after the official declaration Of the fact that
the rebellion is Ut an end.
But what Of Mr.. DAVIS? He Is in Fortress
Monroe, where writ from Virginia Judge
cannot legally reach him, even were there one
disposed TO release him. We do not ques ton
that any Judge Of q United States Court would
Issue writ in his case were it applied for, and
cause him TO be brought up. 1t need not, how
ever, be added, that II the Judge consider him
20 be lawfully held in custody, he would be
remanded 10 prison. The only good result that
could reasonably be expected TO follow the issu-
ing OF the writ Of habeas corpus In his case
would be his transfer from military TO acivil
prison 1t IL not TO be presumed that the law
officers Of the Government have not provided
for such an emergency.
The array of presidents with which the Pre-
sident has justified his position shows that he