The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-09-18
Presidents Proclanation.

.srfm 4 L
We publish to-day the proclamation of
the President offering pardes to all, with
the exception of a few insurgents.
The New York Herald now thinks the
President should resign and appeal to the
peoplei That innocent print is thus pre-
pairing to assall him and demand his inn
parchment
The New York Times says: - =
"The proclamati,n is. a deliberate def
ance ef Congress and its authority repu-
diation of its enacted laws, and an assertion
of the Presidents determination to take the
work of reconstruction, into his own hands.
1t is an attempt to abrogate the conditions
of reconstruction prescribed by Congrsss,
and to invest the rebel element with the
means of breaking down the restraints which
have been prudentiy imposed on the ,prelim-
mary workings of reconstruction. 1t is an
insolent use of a power which Congress in
December last. explicitly took away. 1fr.
Lincoln sought and obtained legislation to
authorize his prociamations of limited par
don and amnesty; Mr.. johnson dares to prv-
CLAIM almost universal pardon and amnesty,
although the measure under which Mr.. Lin
coin acted has been specifically repealed ~ y
Congress has solemnly said that mo, such
proclamation shall be issued !, Mr. johnson
filings the opinions of Buckley and Black
in the face of Congress and the country, and
claims for his will the authority of the su-
preme law What more fagrant form could
Executive usurpation take shortsof a dicta-
torship2" .ar d9sis sSa ~
This is all true enough, but what viii
Congress do 2 Is that body equal to the emer-
gency2
The National Inteliaencer, which has de-
scended from its former respectable and con-
servative height to lead in the work of trea-
son, thinks the proclamation removes all
disqualifcations, and that, therefore, every
body can vote. But the New York Tribune,
which finds its universal amnesty coming in
away and from source it does not like,
shows the contrary. 1t says: isei. /
s The President renews his original claim
of right to. dictate the essential terms of
Reconstruction, and in more offensive form.
In 1865. he sought to lead and guide Con-
gress: In 1867, he assumes to defy and
subvert the plainest provisions of law.
Congress, by the pending Constitutional
Amendment (Art. XIV has expressly pro-
vided that ~ s.is5s s.s,s,9,9 y /,
SEC. 8. No person ahall be a Senator, or
Representative in Congress, or elector OF
President and Vice President, or hold any
office, civil or military, under the United
States. or under any State, who having pre-
viously taken an oath, as member of Con-
gress, or as an officer of the United States,
or as member of any State Legislature, or
as an executive or judicial officer of any
State to support the Constitution. of the
United States, shall have engaged in insurj
rection or rebellion against the same, or Civ
en- aidor comfort to the enemies thereof. But
Congress may by vote of tw0-ttihirls Of each
House, remove sucn disability. e
Hereupon, the original Reconstruction
Act March @, 1860 See. 8. closes thus:
''Pr0oided !. That no person excluded
from the privilege of holding Office by said
proposed amendment to the Constitution of
the United States, shall be. eligible to cleo
tion as a member of the Convention to frame
Constitutional for any of said Rebel States,
nor shall any such person cote for members of
such Convention.n s..
And the Supplementary Reconstruction
Act of July a, 1867; {Sec. - prescribes
that 8'fs'
"No person shall at any time, be entitled
to be registered or to vote, by reason of any
Executive pardon or amnesty, for any act or
thing which, without such pardon or amnes-
ty,would disqualify him for registration or
voting.n sf sls7ll if:i 3
This is the law. of the land. It is in pre-
clse accordance with the doctrine uniformly
pfas L. l. = -