Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-09-11
The Proclamation of Amnesty.

We print elsewhere the proclamation OF
President johnson, pardoning most Of the
rebels who had been excepted from the opera
ton 81 the previous proclamations issued by
President Lincoln and by himself. The for
mer proclamations We're issued in conformity
with 81 law which authorized the President
to issue prJclamations of amnesty and par
don. That law has. however, been since
repealed, and this proclamation rests for its
authority upon the clause of the constitu-
ton which gives the President power TO
grant reprieyes and pardOns for offenses
against the United States, except in cases OF
Impeachment Lawyers and judges ds.l-
gree - 70 whether this power TO reprieyc
and pardon can be rightfully used before
trial and conviction and it is quite clear
that il ought not to be so used. as it is liable
&, the greatest conceivable abuse If par
dors NAV be granted in the lump 10 all those
who commit murder on the high seas, all
c1unterieters. all mail robbers. all revenue
swindlers. without any investigation Of the
crime before tribunal constituted expressly
60 try such offenses, the public have no sc
elritv AGAINST cri,no except in the integrity
IF the Chief Magis trate and our expert
snce Tor the last two years shows us that we
may have an executive who uses power to
crafty his political animosities and serve
lis political advancement. and may pardon
scouHdrels to give them power for further
mischief. But as Buckley, and probably
more respectable lawyers, will be ready to
show that the power to pardon after convic-
ion includes the power to pardon before
trial, the President can only be said to have
stretched his authority no more in this procla-
nation than often before
s. far as the pardon proclaimed in this
state paper is concerned, it is of no great con-
sequence although it is noticeable as com
ng from the man who ostentatiouslv an
nUuuced some months since that treason
should be made odious and traitors punished.
Nobody has supposed that the persons par
doned by this act of executive clemency
would ever be prosecuted, or otherwise be
brought to grief by the federal authorities
for their treason The proclamation is main
" important in view Of what use Mr. John
son expects to make Of it. The last Congress
was careful 10 provide, in the DISTINGUISHING
clauses Of the reconstruction acts. that GER
tain rebels should not vote, and the same law
also provided that no presidential amnesty OF
pardon granted to such disfranchised rebels
should make any difference about their voting
The law is plain, and person who is as
5norant of law as Bincklev. cannot fail to
understand it. Yet it has been stated by
well Informed Washington correspondents
6 lat the President and his entire cabinet
zen. Grant does not meet with the cabinet
we're Of the opinion that such a proclama-
ton as this made voters of all coming within
its provisions. If johnson had not already
given the people reason to expect any folly,
any defiance of the will of the people, any
disregard of law-through the machinery of
an Interpretation explaining it away-no one
would look upon this proclamation as any
thing more than bid for Southern and
Democratic sympathy and support; but the
Presidents past course leaves us at liberty
to expect the worse from such an obstnatelv
and viciouslv wrong-headed and wrong
hearted executive. We may. therefore, CON
fdently expect this proclamation will be fol- |
owed by order directing the District
that this pardon makes voters Of |!
I'll the rebels from Brigadier Generals down |
o camp FLOWERS.