The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-09-10
The Last Amnesty to Rebels.

The affecting providences of the
Almighty are said to be for the good
of His people. So the administration
of ANDREW JOHNSON. dangerous and
degrading as it is. is not without benefit
to-the nation. Every leading act Of
the President, which was intended to
dishearten the friends Of the country
and strengthensthe cause. of disloyal-
ty, thus~far has, failed Of its parpose,
He is cementihg the party, which car
ried this country through the, war.
He is teaching all sensible men that
the work is not yet doneyand that we
cannot have permanent peace.unless
we adhere firmly and unitedly-to the
principles which were forced. upon
us by the current events Of the
war. He has, in the late Amnesty
Proclamationissued on Sunday last,
added a new and cogent reason for a
complete and thorough reconstruction
of the Southern States upon the Con-
gressional basis of loyalty and free
dom. The President in seeking to
release the rebels from every loyal
penalty Of their treason and restore
them to the full privileges of citizen
ship on the same footing with loyal
men, will show more clearly the
wisdom of Congress in admitting the
negro to the privileges of the ballot
box, and will more completely
unite the North against him. Of
course the Democratic newspapers
and Copperhead sympathizers with
rebellion will rejoice over this ad-
ditional offer of amnesty to rebels.
but it will meet with no endorsement
from loyal men. akH3 8,vs
The President has issued his Pro-
clamation, but we may well ask whether
he can make such an offer by virtue
of the power vested in him by the
Constitution and without the inter
vention of Congress. President HIN
coin issued his Amnesty Proclama-
,tions by virtue of the act of Congress
of July 1862; and it was in accord
ance with this authorization that
President JOHNSON issued his proc1a
nation of May, 1865. But, in the
Judgment Of Congress, that amnesty
was sufficiently sweeping in its pro-
visions aud as Mr.. JOHNSON became
more and more devoted in his attach
ment to rebels, and when it became
apparent that he had resolved to cut
himself loose from the Republican
party, it was thought injudicious any
longerte ,entrast him with that power.
He had already gone fully, as far as
the loyal people of the country could
follow in this matter. Accordingly
Congress, al&st winter, repealed ythe
section of the Act Of July, 1862, con-
ferring upon the President the power
of'deelaring general amnesty. Thus,
the authority of Congress for fresh
offer Of amnesty has been explicitly
withdrawn -
.aEe will snotzent sr upon a legal DIS
cussien of the constitutional power
of the President to blot out the trea-
son.of the whole Southern people, with
the few exceptions mentioned Eip his
Proclamation. 1t was clearly the
opinion of Congress, in 1862. and of
Mr.. LINCOLN and his legal advisers.
that it required Congressional iegisla-
ton to do an executive laet of such
grave magnitude. 1t was clearly the
opinion of the last Congress in repeal
ing the Act of 1862, that it Withdrew
from him that power. 1t is unques-
tionableT the province OF. the repre-
of the people, and not the
edict Of one man, to settle this ques-
ion of treason to the States, as it
affected political questions especially.
This Proclamation can only be re-
yarded as the boldest defiance of
The people " hich ANDREW JOHNSON
has yet uttered. 1t is incumbent
upon Congress. in the name of the
people, to meet that defiance with be-
coming determination. If he is: re-
solved to thwart the legislation of that
body, and resort. to extra-constitu
.lonal powers to favor the minions of
reason, there is only one remedy, and