The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-13

hinder restoration by encouraging the South
ern oppOsitionists to renewed efforts AGAINST
the law, and to persistent disregard of its re-
quirements in respect to the terms prescribed
for readmisson to the Union. The probability
is that portions of the South will invest II with
an authority 1t does not possess and scope
which 1t cannot justly claim, and that, labor
ing under this misconception, they will forget
that the ultimate decision as to the lawfulness
and sufhciency of the State organizations, and
the eligibility of State officers and of the Sena
tors and Representatives sent to Washington
belongs exclusively to Congress. Hence the
mischief which the proclamation is calculated
to ln1llot upon the South and the delay which
1t is likely to occasion in the work of recon-
struction.
Moreover, "the great majority of the people
OF the North" condemn the proclamation as
an ineXcusable act of defiance to Congress-.
and an audacious attempt to nullify its laws
Of the Republican journals one, and but one.
has uttered a syllable which can be tortured
into an approval of the document. We refer
to the Tribune, which accompanies the words
relied upon by the LnteLIigencer for its claim to
MIR. Greeley's support with comments hostile
to the pretensions of Mr.. Johnson. Excepting
only the Tribune, we believe that not single
organ of Republican opinion can be cited as
having even inferentially approved his action.
The party, in truth, is unit against it. not
because Unionists favor vindictive penalties in
any shape-not because they are disposed to
treat the South harshly or ungenerously-but
because they hold that the sovereign power,
by virtue OF which amnesty may be proclaimed
being vested in the people, may be exercised
by Congress only, not by the President.
his feeling has not been shaken by the |
labored efforts of the President and his apollo
gists to justify his assumption of power in
regard to amnesty, by appeals to the techni- |
calities of lawyers, and the power to pardon
conferred by the Constitution. The country |
relies more upon common sense than upon 1
professional hair-splitting, and the common
sense Interpretation of the constitutional L
power to remit penalties imposed on indivi- Il
duals is adverse to the pretended right to de- /
cree general pardon. Aside from special /
pleadings or quotations from the Eederalist. i
the country remembers that in 1862 as now, |
Congress affirmed its entire control over the |
whole subject OF amnesty. This assertion by i
Congress of its exclusive jurisdiction over the |
subject, is part of the policy which ''the |
great majority of the people of the Northn /
have unequivocally upheld.
10 say, then, that amnesty, invoking legal L
on the part of the President who /
proclaims it, will ''give confidence to the great
mass OF the people in their business affairs. -
IS simply absurd. There can be no confidence i
without harmony in the Government. and 1
here is a case in which the Executive arrogates
IN authority of which Congress claims to be /
.he sole possessor. Instead of harmony. we
nave an angry and perilous conflict, wantonly |
provoked by Mr.. Johnson, with no chance of /
permanent advantage for himself or for the
south. The consequence is that industry and
commerce suffer severely from Mr.. Johnson's
course; rapid rise in gold indicates the ap-
to which it gives rise; and bust
less men OF all parties agree in condemning
he TaSln9SS and ObstinaoU which fb,,s t.
'ardize the prosperity and peace of the
country.