The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-09-29
THE AMNESTY PROCLAMATION.

Opinion of the London Times on the Recent
Amnesty observation-disclosures override
ing the Two Other Departments Of Govern
meut-The Last Constitutional President
Elected-Mr. Ssanbery and MIR. Thaddeus
Stevens.
From the London Times, Sept. IT.
Mr.. Johnson's proclamation OF amnesty to almost all
the inhabitants Of the Southern States who mp-
Gated in the rebellion fails in It's object like most Of the
he has originated The work Of Congress has
been too thoroughly done 70 admit of any evasion Of its
purpose the part Of the President The Southern ci
zen Is dsranchsed by the federal legislature and It
afford him little comfort to be told that the President
pardons him. II tho conscaton scheme favored by
Of the leading radicals DO brought forward Con-
gres could easily find Of bringing within It's opera
onevery man who ancied himself exempt under the pro-
visions Of general amnesty. The boodless revolution
In the government which we are now witnessing has
lasted long enough to prove that the legislature, hen
ne too other departments Of ne national systs and 20.
norc almost WITHOUT challenge Ae constitutional dppH
amces for continuing ,oithim limited sphere The mem.
bes OF the conventions which met 70 deliberate upon
the constitution not indifferent 70 tho possible &C.
currence Of such an event; but they were obliged TO
against It, The President could only make himself in
nuential BY becoming. the convenient instrument
70 be traced to the quickness and dsxtery with which
he absorbed the opinions Of the leaders Of hts party and
abandoned his own prcudcos The present republican
leaders the true authors OF the Emancipation
proclamation and Of the vigorous blows which decided
the fate OF the South Had Mr. Johnson been plant
in accommodating himself TO the demands OF those who
elected him he might to-day have been powerful.
although his character and temperament would have
prevented him being rs popular as Mr. Lincoln himself
The last Of the Presidents Presidents Intended 10 be
made by the constitutions II curious that even In this
most hopeless stage Of his career Mr. johnson should
have found able lawyer willing To sacrifice his
and reputation by advising him TO carry the war still
further into the ranks OF Congress- Tho Attorney Gen.
erAl has been accused IN America Of adopt
ing opinions for tho sake Of interested considers-
tons and, without discussing tho tendency OF the
policy pursued by Congress- we may fairly say IL is for
tunats for the country that OF It's chief legal
authorities are not afraid 70 protest against the informal
abrogaton Of the essential laws which the republic Is
based II has always been insisted by every constitu-
tonal writer in America that duty could press
.solemny upon the nation than the duty Of pre-
serving its written law intact OF altering only with
the Of hreeourths OF the SateA II the lawyers
OF high standing at the present day unite 10 casting dis
credit upon this principle stable and fixed central gov
ernment would be indefinitely postponed The who
have made themselves famous at the bar with but few
exceptions, have opposed the assumption Of all the
functions Of government by Congress with an earnest
ness which we may suppose would have animated
Kent aud Story in the same thankless task. They
have all suffered in their own locates but Mr.. STAN
OF the nation. y Mr.. Thsddeus Stevens has
Gently made the singular admission that the federal
constitution applies TO the Southern States all the work
OF Congress in connection with reconstruction mere
usurpaton. No has Jet pretended that there any
power In the constitution by which portion OF the
States admitted into the Union can, by o vote In
the legislature deprive the other States OF their prvi
sponsble military government II Is no wonder then,
that lawyers like Mr. Stsnbery should persistenty af
firm that the constitution has been violated, that tho
tribunals the South unlawful and that the laws
lately passed will authority go long only a. they
are enforced at the point Of the bayonot