Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-12-05

upon . successor. The new President
Was himself 10 the doubtful and delicate
position OF citizen Of one OF the revolt.
ing STATES, which were to be summoned
for Judgement before the bar of the Amer.
lean people. 1t was, perhaps, but nat.
ural that he should sympathixe with the
communities from which he had mainly
differed only on prudential reasons, or,
In Other words, as to the wisdom OF the
revolt 81 that particular tuncture Of AZ.
fairs. II other arguments had not SUI
hced to convince him OF the necessity Of
referring oil these great questions to the
only tribunal on earth that had the
power:o decide them, 1t ought to have
been Hnclent that he owed alike his
honor and his accidental powers to the
generous confidence OF the loyal States.
He expected, OF course, that they would
insist as they had q right to do, upon
such conditions as would secure to
them,if not indemnity for the past, at
least he amplest security for the future,
Inste,d, therefore of convoking the Con.
gressof the States to deliberate upon
the condition OF the country, he seems
to haze made up his mind to undertake
that mighty task himself, to forestall
the Judgment and the wishes OF the
loyalpeople, and peutralixe the power
to undo his work by bringing In the
rebel States themselves to participate in
the tliberations upon any and all ques.
tions which might be left for settlement.
To eject this object he Issues his impe-
rial lroclamations, beginning with that
Of the Goth Of May, in virtue, as he
says,of bis double authority as Presi.
dentof the United States and Com.
manter-in. chief OF the Armies, declaring
the governments OF these States to have
persisted, creating under the denomina'
tion pf provisional governors, civil OF.
f1cers unknown 10 the law; appointing
to thsse offices men who were notori-
ously disqualified by reason of their par
ticip,tiou in the rebellion, from holding
any Office under this government, and
yet slowed to hold the same and per
formthe duties thereof at salaries fixed
by himself, and paid out OF the contin
gentfund of one Of the departments, in
cleai violation of the acts Of July 2
1862 and the 9th Of February, 1863
Declaring moreover, at the same time
thatthe government OF these States hac
been destroyed, he assumes it to be hi!
individual right, as being himself tn,
State rather the United States, to exc
cute The guardiancy of the Constitution
by ppviding them with new heads, aHC
accordingly directing his pretended gov
erRos to order conventions of such O
the people as 1t was his pleasure to indi
cate 10 make his constitutions for them
on such terms and with such provisions
as were agreeable toshinself; unprovid
ed, however, Of course, in the absence o
Congress, with the necessary resource
To meet the expenses OF these organiza
tions he not only directs the payment 0
a potion Of them out OF the contingen
fund OF the War Department, but witt
bodness unequaled even by Charlie
the First, when he undertook to reigl
without a Parliament provides for
deficit by authorizing the seizure G
property and the appropriation Of mon
eys belonging to the government and di
rectigg his endeavors to levy taxes 70
the same purpose from the subject pee
pie.
tSFE Oh pAGE1