New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-06-07
THE rENrAss AND THE GOVERNMENT

The Presidents Proclamation seems 10 DC lhtehueu
to modify in one respect the order issued on Tuesday
by direction Of Andrew johnson from the Attorney
Generals Office We pointed out, yesterday the He
Gal extension of power permitted by that order IN Its
direction for the arrest ofperSons who may De guy
of violating the neutrality laws. Inc President
now restricts that loose mandate by eKhorting all
Judges, marshals and officers to employ all tnen
"layful power and authority to defeat and prevent
the Fenian invasion of Canada We presume II Will
be admitted that lawful power does not INCLUDE the
power to arrest peaceabe citizens on suspicion oil an
intent to violate the law. For this modihcatioh OF
his previous ZEAL the President will be sure to escape
rebuke.
But the proclamation comes late Fenan meetings
have been held all over the country for many months
One powerful branch Of the organization openly avowed
its purpose to attempt the liberation of Ireland VIC
Canada and to that end raised money and set on oo
wellknown enterprises without whisper of opposition
from the Government 1t will not be strange II the
numerous body whose proceedngsreceived in this man
ner the tac approval of the Government should now
complain that they lured on to their destruc'
ton. They will have some ground for asserting that
they were encouraged to expect liberation III every
act not openly hostile to the law, and they VIII
criticize the proclamation of yesterday as the late
avowal of purpose on the part of the
Government to stretch its prerogatye Tor
the suppression of movement 1t haC
nursed into activity. Had the Govern
ment interposed when Col. Roberts collected
his followers in public meetings, the enterprise must
necessarily have been arrested at the outset, and
would never have grown into military organization
nor ever have alarmed the househoders of Canada by
nncurson across the border The lives of the men who
were sacrificed in an attempt that assumed the ndif-
ference of the President might have been saved had the
mask of indifference been thrown of earlier or worn
little later. Now, it need not amaze anybody if the
thousands of men who, in this Fenan effort have
put at hazard their lives and fortunes demand to
know the motive of what will seem TO them an unae-
oountable vacillaton in policy, and an unexpected
uncertainty of Executive purpose.
We are far from complaining Of any legitimate vigi-
lance against open nfraction of the neutrality laws.
To take care that the laws be executed is the clear
duty of the Executive. II is equally his duty to alb
stain from any encouragement TO violation OF
them by his agents and subordinates, and it Is the
duty off sound public opinion to resist encroachmcnts
upon the law not less earnestly when they proceed from
the authorities charged with the preservation OF order
than when they spring out of the enthusiasm of those
who owe perfect obedience to the letter of every
statute. And it does seem to rs that if the Admins
tration cherished the intention to execute the neu-
trality laws for the benefit Of Canada-oi
which there can be no doub,-they were
as much bound to observe good faith toward
tie Fenians as toward the subjects Of Great
Britain. If Mr. johnson intended to go beyond the
eser of the law and assume moral obligation "a
binding on him for the guardianship Of the interests
of Great Britain, he should have felt himself still
more strongly obliged to proclaim that purpose, and TO
confess his sense Of responsibility in time to prevent
the consequences that have followed upon the long
continued suppression of his policy.