The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-11-26


commission or acts amounting 70 high crimes and isds
mssuo under she constitution and upon this recital Il
vss charged with the most general duty sf nqaring
into the oicia conduct Of tha President Of the untsd
states ana Of reporting whether he had been guilty OF
any acts which designed or calculated ooysrthrow
subvsrt or corrupt the or the United Sstes
or which in contemplation OF the constitution would
constituss high crime misdsmsanos requiring the
intsrpostion OF the constitutional power the HOUSE.
II will BE- observed thai The grsas salient poist Of
accusation standing out in the foregrounA and chAl-
lsneng the attention Of the country i usurpstioa Of
power, which involves Of course, violation Of law,
ana here il may b remarked shss perhaps every great
abuse every fAgrant departure from the we'll settled
principles Of the government. which has been brought
homo TO its presenI administration whether discovering
itself in SPECIAL miraculous Of the or In the
pronisats Of the high powers conferred by the con-
ssitution on the Precedent. revealing itssf more
manifesly ON the systematic attempt 70 ssze .upon
its sovereignty and disparags and supersede the
neas council 10 which that sovereignty. has been
entrusted in reference 70 The one great por-
pose OF demonstrating The shattered govern
nsuis Of shs rsbsl States in accordance With
h wishes IN Me ntsrsst Of the sAs criminals who
carried them into rebellion and snph way . 10
dsprvs NJ people u ths loyal stssss u I'll chances Of
indemnty Dr tks past and security for the future by
p4sdssisg shsir oalcsn and restoring their lands and
bringing thsm back 70 their hearths unrepentant and
their hands yssrsd viii the blood q our people iao
condloa where Shsy could onoe more smbArrase and
dsfy--H not absolutely rule-tns government which
they had vanly endesvored 10 destroy Il around
this point, and = suxiary 70 tAat assat ,csntrsi
idsa Thai III ne special acts or standardization
~ have Witnessed Win b found y ravisass
md Ssvolvs; ana " 10 to this point therefore, -
~ srsas msstsr ksy which unlocks and ntsrprss all
Of thsm Inst The attention q the Hsuss viii nrss b
directed fact Of history that The obstinate and
proscssd struggle bstvssa The Executive and Lssisla
live dspasments arising ost Of the claim OF more than
kinsiy power on the enc hand and a. strongly main
tsned BY the operators OF the s rights Of sovereignty,
lodged with Il BY hs people, the other, which has
convulssd this nation FOR The last rive years. and pre-
ssntsd spectacle that has example here and none
in England since the Of tho suars began with the
advent Of NE present Chief Magistrate The catastrophe
that lifted him his place. while il smos the heart Of
the with grief and horror was the last expiring
armed EFFORT Of the insurectinn. The capital Of the
rsoel government had fallen, its chiefs were fugves
il nag In the DUST the strife Of arms had closed;
the hosts that had gathered for the overthrow Of this
nation had either melted away defeat and disaster or
passed under the conquerng hand Of the republic The
extraordinary mission OF the Executive fulfilled,
although, The Commander in Chief hs might possibly
treat with bsigerents in arms The cessation Of the
In the overthrow Of the rebellion and the uncon
ditional surrender Of the armies had determined that
power To hold the conquered territory within our mill
tay grasp until the sovereign power Of the nation vest
ing in the Representatives the power which had
grit the sword upon the. thigh OF the Executive and
placed the or tho country in and money
q his command should be ready to declare It's Will in
relation to the rebels had conquered, was
al thai remained for him 10 - But tho duties Of the
sovereign not at end An sxtentof territory Of
an almost continental dimension desoatsd By war; but
still swarning with millions Of people, was u our fest
awaiting tho sentence which had deserved The local
governments swept away they had been, in the opn
ion Of The President HIMSELF BY ths whirlwind Of the
rebellion. in ruin, while communities were snsr-
chy the euawsd ths social tie dissolved sys
tenn or pretended Law exisnss ia deadly conflict with
the law Of the conqueror people subdusd bus suIsn
and full Of hate, asd hostile 70 the power
that had ovsrhrown thsm; loyal element asking for
protection and anomalous relation without per.
ails in history, about which the wssst of statesmen
might well hesitate and differ superinduced fasricida
strife that had rup tured tho original ties and placed liz
objects in the condition Of pubic enemies, .
large army 70 disbandcd such Indulgence extended
such punishment inflicted and such securities demanded
for the future the OF peace and justice might
require Never in the history Of this any other State
have questions numerous and VITAL delicate
or dnicult requiring graver elaboration involving
the of higher governmental powers, presented
themselves for the consideration or peoples and
q Congress convoked in more serious crisis Of
State. The duties and responsibilities OF the men who
form ed and organized The Union Of these States OF
those who assembled In 1861 70 consult upon and
ps0ya: The for supprssns III, sSa. rsson
tsinly NO higher sagacity and no broader wis
dom than the task Of bringing back the
and discordant elements into one harmonious
whole For thus great york tho supreme Executive Of
the nation, though he had been endowed by na-
turs with the very highest Of organizing faculties, was
obviously unified by the very nature OF his ONCE IL
Mr. Lincoln had survived u Is MOI 70 Dc doumed rom
citizen Of loyal State and enjoying the public conf
dencs in the highest possible degree. be would have
felt 10 DO his duty 70 convoke the representatives OF
the people lay down his sword in their presence
and to refer II 70 their enlightened Judgment and
done with the Territories and people that had been
brought under the authority Of the governments by our
srmf The bloody hand Of treason unfortunately bur-
ried him away IN the very hour Of the nations tn
umph But II these were seasons which could have
made this duty an imperative one with him, how pow
nat not only deprived the nation OF It's trusted mead,
but cast the rens Of government upon successor.
The new rresldsn. was himself 10 we doubtful
she revolving states which to DO sum-
monsd for Judgment before tne bar Of the American
people II wA6 perhaps, but natural that he should
svmusthize with the communities from which he had
mainly differed only prude6tik reasons or, 10 other
s y Ms II e ne sS ad
10 convince him Of the necessity Of referring these
great questions the only tribunal on earth that bad
powor TO decide them, ought have been sucisns
that be owed alike hs honorg and Hrs accidental
powsn % the 6Snefous confidence OF the loyal
satss Re expected. OF course, that they would
inssI q thew hid right % do, upoa such conditions
q would 70 thSm IL not indemnity for the past
q least the ampest security for the uturs Insead,
therefore Of convoking the Congress OF tho States to
deliberate upon the condition or the country he seems
70 have made mp his mind 70 undertake that mighty
task himself 70 foressal the Judgment and the wishes o.
| an lov al xpla q
work By bringing In the rebel States themselves 10 par
tcpase the deliberations upon any and all questions
which might be- left for settlement To effect this object
he Issues his imperial procamations beginning with
thas or the 10Th Of May In virtue. be says Of
ha double authority President OF the United States
and Csmmanfsrin Chief OF the Armies. declaring the
or thes9 States 10 have peshed creating
under TIE denomiDsion u provisional governors civil
nen Who Nara noloEiouslY dISqaAlihed hH reason OF