The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-09-25
Amnesty.

ltQstJts4 - -
dlefFron the New York Citizen, 7th.
che President has exhibited in his quar-
:, nth Stanton, for the first time, the
To- noFtv Of cunning. If it is true that he
god the approval Of the other members of
h ha' Cabinet, they will be unable to object
, III, their time comes. Grant is commit
t % bv accepting the place, and the risk Of
..;O,eot resistance is avoided. If the Presi-
Amt were to head off Stevens with his
Gr r measure of confscation" by mild
reclamation of amnesty, he would be
master Of the situation. 1t is true that he
has kent the Republican party in existence
Nv resisting its desires, and has heretofore
sss,red the triumph of his enemies; but
.b;s nroclamation would draw their shot,
Il would not override the law of Congress
~ to registry, and would not confer the
priyilege of voting, but would pardon the
crime and remit the penalty. The fear of
conGscation would then no longer be sus-
nended over the heads of the rebels, and
thew would act neutrality-suspicious. to the
hast interest, of the, county or rot, Others
NAV determine as they please. We do not
advise the proceeding we are merely con-
sidering possibility. Impeachment would
follow, of courses although this new act sof
hostility to Congress would constitute no
Justification nor foundation for it, and there
Is no sufficient groundwork at present.
- The fanatics are too violent and resenttul
TO weigh reasons or propriety, carefully /;
they would like all Jacobins, grow furious
over opposition that they denominate
treason to the Republic Their schemes,
especially those for place and power, being
the ideal of patriotism, and the, views of
their enemies nothing less than disloyalty.
But impeachment is not exactly what that
iparty wants, Johnson is their salvation ;
without thin they would have fallen to pieces
long ago from pure rottenness. Ben.
Wades friendship would be heavier load
to carry than Andrew Johnson's enmity.
The demagogueat the head of the Senate
oyerrcached himself when he jumped so far
forward that he tnmbled into the slough
of agrarianism; the mire where he landed
was too deep even for the Radicals. The
Republican party represents the wealth OF
thecountry !; it is tile party of capital, and
it does not desire redistribution OF prop
erty. EIAsSEE El %
The scheme put forward by certain of the
newspapers for the resignation of Ben
Wade and substitution of Stanton is too far
fetched to work we'll. Some noble patriot
might fail to resign at the proper moment
so sweet do noble patriots often find fat
Offices, No one, when once safely in office,
cares to risk retirement on the chance Of
reelection, and Cameron's last success was
too difficult and expensive to encourage
the hope Of his voluntarily renewing the
effort. So that the choice lies between
agrarianism and "my policy" -agrarianism
to be accepted as q doctrine and elevated
to the highest niche in the temple Of pow
er, or "my policy to be fought as akin to
treason and to be used as a weapon, once
successful already, to- further stultify the
people. Therefore, it is not at all clear
that the President really runs much risk in
pursuing whatever course he may approve,
aud which henlay conclude will best tend
to softensthe unreeoEstraeted hearts of the
Soatherners But before he takes so seri-
ousa step, let him examine the ground
thoroughly, for the must have better infor-
nation than the public generally, if he is
sure that the ex-rebels are in proper state
10 receive full grace and unqualified par
don. .sss
A question has been raised by the hair
spljtters of the Radicals ranks whether the
President has power to issue general
amnesty, the law comforting express au-
thority having been repealed by the last
Congress. But the pardoning poWeris re-
served to the President by the Constitu;
ton without any restriction whatever, and
under that he may act towards the South
osn rebels. OF the validity of the pro-
ceeding there il legs question than of its
advisability but the battle between the
two high distracting powers being one of
life and death, johnson may consider any
thrust unsuitable. 8
We have always doubted whether the
threat Of coufscation had a tendency to-
ward restoring the Union. and whether it
dlaaot have the effect of all other threats ::
Oiengendcring opposition. rv 4.