The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-04-03
his judgment. lie boasts that the plan of
thc Administration is his Dlan invented I,v

r lUi IL CuNtfdOiCtS I'LL HIS Ncii COnSlucrcQ de-
clarations. Bat in process of time he was
sbeguilcd. While he was I" clothed. and in
his right minT' he uttered the thoughts and
scntimentsof n craftsmanship but Seward
entered into him, and ever since they have
both been running down the steep places in
to the sea. Nor do IeNpect he will be cast
out without sore rcnding." Without i'm
peaching the motives Of the President, it is
the duty of Congress in yliidcation of its
proper rights and prerogaiivcs to declare
that he has arrogated to iimsylfpowcrs, and
attempted 10 do and enforce acts for which
he can find no warrant in tie Constitution
and laws OF the nation Invested as he is
with tliecommand Of the army and navy,
with all the executive powers oia;lc different
= Departments, if he should be permitted to
usurp still further powers, and take control of
the States, and the organization of Congress,
IS there not danger that some future Execu-
tive, some ambitious Cesar, will cross the
Rubicon and march his legions upon the
capital? While protecting the President in
the exercise of all his legitimate duties, and
in times of national peril making large al
lowance for patriotic acts of a doubtful lc-
gality, great care should be taken that he
docs not draw to himself all the powers of
government. and thus enable him to become
adespot. This is one of the sacred duties
of Congress, which if they fail to discharge
they deserve the severest ccnsurc, for they
betray nation; nay more, they betray the
cause of universal liberty. To maintain this
position IS difficult, and requires great forti-
tude and moral courage. How apt is poor
human nature to yield to the smiles or the
the frowns of power! How difficult to de-
tcrmine to cast from you all chance of intiu-
encc and patronage! How difficult to
resist the temptations of Office and eniolu-
rnent And yet this must be done, or this
great people, instead of being free, will become
the Heritage of tyrants. Ten States ofthis I'm
ion have cast off their allegiance, and, by the
common acknowledgment of all, have forfeit
ed all their rights under the Constitution
To become again legitimate States in the
Union, so as to entitlc them to. equal rights
with the other States, the Constitution re-
qures the sanction of Congress It mattys
not whether such power is attributed to the
provision to admit new States, or to the
clause guaranteeing republican forms of
government; in either case Congress is the
only power authorized to act; so has the
Supreme Court OF the United States decided
in Luther agt. Borden, and elsewhere. The
law making power providing for the case,
the Presidents whole functions are to execute
the laws. If the Confederate States of
America are conquered power, the Prcsi-
dent, AS q COMMUNICATIVE Chief. NAV hold
them in military rule until the sovereign
power of the nation declares by what laws
they shall be governed Sovereignty rests
tbo- la Al.
their representatives in Congress. But the
President has assumed not only the military
control Of those conquered States, but he has
attempted 10 give the force of laws to his
proclamations and DEGREES, whereby he has
determined what acts shall entitle them 10
all the rights of States in the Union. He
has imposed upon them forms of gorernmcnt
without their consent. and without the con-
sent of Congress. He has allowed a small
minority of their votes to register his con-
stitution, and without submitting them to
the ratification Of the people, he has declared
them legitimate organic laws and the State,
reconstructed" He has impcriously re-
CURED of Congress to treat them as equal in
all their rights to the loyal States, without
inquiring whether they are entitled to rep-
rescniation, and dogmaticaily Informed them
that their only power is each House for
itself to inquire into the qualification and
election of members who present themselves
and claim their seats" If his order is not
obeyed he obstructs legislation and "forbils"
Congress to pass laws in the absence of such
members. What more could king do but
place the crown upon his head The King
OF England, for $50 years, has not rentured
to oppose his single will to the will of the
nation and veto bill which had passed the
Parliament of the realm. England has had
her servilc and timid Commons, ready to
register the edicts of the Crown. But for
the last hundred years such a body. would
have been hurled from power and doomed
to iniamy by the English people and hv
history. We are NOW undergoing the test of
courage and the integrity of republican
Congress How many may be craven none
can tell. For who can judge of his own
strength History will record their names.
Men now obscure may thus obtain the adj
vantage of becoming famous. But it is said
that Mr.. johnson is but carrying out the
policy of Mr. Lincoln. That if true, would
not justify his errors But it is not true.
In the midst of war Mr. Lincoln had but
little time or little occasion to examine into
the question OF reconstruction. Until the
enemy was conquered, everything was made
subservient to that great object. Attempts
to distract the Confederate Government
were made by recognizing parts of her terri
tory as loyal. Such was the case with small
portions of Louisiana. The President en-
Outraged them to assume the form of State;
but Conglcss never sanctioned it. The Pres
| idcnt, by his message and proclamation Of
December, 1868, suggested mode of re-
construction. But in it he distinctly dis
claimed all right to control Congress in the
matter, and declared that his suggestion of
a plan did not exclude other plans. He
said: ~ a 4G ~ 49,
For the same reason, it may be proper to
say that whether members sent to Congress
from any State shall be admitted to seats
constitutionally, rests exclusively with the
respective House, and not to any extent with
| the Executive. -
He defines more carefully what he meant
| IN this proclamation in welIprepared
! speech delivered three days before his death
| 9th of April. 1862 He said:..A g - 2
From the Nat. Inteligcnccr of April 1a, 1865. ]
In This have done just so much and no more
than the public knows. In the annual message
Of December, 1868, and accompanying -;,roclama-
| ton, presented plan of reconstruction las the
! phrase goes) which promised, if adopted by any
State, should be acceptable TO and sustained By
the executive Government Of the nation. l dis
tincty stated that this was not the only plan
| which might possibly be acceptable, and also
distinctly protested that the Executive claimed
no right to say when or whether members should
+ be admitted to seats in Congress from such
AtR 9iF tf4Hg IL .pst &