The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-09-21
COLUMBIA.
Saturday Morning, Sept. 81, 1867.
The East Amnesty Proclamation.


In commenting upon or talking OF
the late amnesty proclamation, as is
natural, we are all induced to con-
slider its future effects upon those to
whom it applies. It is we'll to look
into tho matter, and inquire what
was the moving cause of this pro-
clamation of pardon. The President,
in every step of his policy, has only
carried out the theory on which the
war against the South was conducted,
which was to bring back the refrac-
tory States into the Union. History
will record this fact, first in the
diplomatic note of Mr.. Seward, in
forming ..e world that it was not
designed by his Governmental should
it be victorious-to subvert any exist
ing institution of the revolted States,
or change their constitutional reln-
tions to the Union. In the second
place, Congress-in the summer of
Enthusiastically repeated this de-
claration. expressly disclaiming that
the war was waged for any purpose of
subjugation, and alleging that the
sole purpose was to maintain the
supremacy of the Constitution, and
preserve the Union, with all the
rights of the several States unim-
paired. In the opinion of Congress,
at that time, as soon rs the Union
arms were. victorious, and removed
existing obstacles to the avowed OBJ
jects of the war, the war ought to
cease.
In the third place, President Lin
coin, entertaining the then views of
Congress, and indeed of the whole
people of the North, never renounced
them until the day of his death. He
was long importuned to issue q pro-
clamation emancipating the slaves,
but this he steadily refused to do,
while there seemed prospect of
successfully concluding the war with
out 1t, and at last, only consented to
resort to it as an indispensable mea-
sure of military policy. In short,
during the whole war, the Federal
Government, through all its organs,
acted on the theory that the Consti-
tuition, in the refractory States, was
suspended, and not abrogated, and
that the obstacles of armed rebellion
having been once removed, the su-
premacy of the Constitution in the
Southern States, was restored, as a
logical sequence of the triumph of
the Union arms.
Upon this chain OF precedcnts,
President johnson based his late
proclamation, after reciting the facts
above mentioned. Indeed, what has
been called "the Presidents policy"
is nothing more or less than carrying
out the policy of his predecessor,
and that of Congress, expressed in
various acts of its legislation during
the war. 1t may suit partizan in
forests to denounco President John
son as an usurper, an obstinate self
willcd Executive, whose highest aim
is to thwart Congress and defy its
enactments, but history traces events
with an unbiased pen, and from a
standpoint uninflIenced by partizan
dogmas and so-calle1 principles, and
will accord to the President consis-
tency, fidelity and firmness in carry
ing out the policy of his predeces-
sor, and OF Congress itself, in their
expressed views of the true mode of
reconstructing the Union. That he
has not been driven from his uni
form line of policy to effect this end,
with the fury of bitter party opposi-
tion raging around him, is very evi-
dent from this last proclamation,
which is as calm, temperate and
forcible as any of his former produc-
tions.
REFORM In IRELAND. D.-The Reform
iea trua ha c brokan o,rouD1 -, Tro!oo1