The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-06
The Amnesty Proclamat ion-The South
and the Nation.

We suppose no Executive document ever
excited less interest in the public mind
than the Compromised, long-deferred gen
eral amnesty proclamation issued by Pre-
sident JOHNSON on Saturday last. 1t Ii
quite provoking to the people Of the South
to learn from it that on the 4th of July,
1868, "here no longer eristS any reasona-
"Jle ground to apprehend any RENEWAL Of
" he said Patel cirH acar, or any foreign IN
"terference, or any onlaacfM resistance by
"any portion Of the people Of the States to
"he Constitution and lars of the United
".StateS," &c. The logical sequence of this
announcement is that up to the appearance
of this proclamation there was, or may have
been, reasonable ground to apprehend the
renewal of the civil war;" and that the pro-
clamation, for that reason, could not be is
sued at al earlier day. This is altogether
inconsistent with Mr.. JoHNsoN'S views Of
the condition of the South oft repeated i'll
his veto messages, and presents to the world
another of those strange and unaccountablc
Inconsistencies in Mr.. JoHNsoN's conduct
which have pcrplexed even his friends.
General GRANT said the South was ready
for restoration in the spring Of 'GG, and had
there been some sort of harmonious ar
rangement of plan for restoration ut that
time between the Executive and Congress
the Union would long ago have been made
whole, and we should have avoided some of
waited by delay. But that cooperation be-
tween the departments was prevented by
the partisan jealousics which sprung up
between them. Mr.. JOHNSON wanted to be
President for II second term, and the Radi-
Gals wanted man of their own, in order
that they might have full swing with all the
iickings and stealngs of the Government.
Each desired in the reconstruction to Sc
cure the South, and hence the most of our
woes. -.
Mr.. JonNs9Xa BY his taisaay andy action and
the ,.Iop..,n OF the stercotyped phrase
ology which goes to represent his proclama'
ton as made known just at the right time
III all such proclamations should be-puts q
strong argument in the mouths OF the Radl-
calls as a JUST fcation for the procrastlna'
ton which has characterized their own re
construction policy
This proclamation furnishes text to-
much comment. The national affairs, b!
the Encouragement, selfshness, and per
verseness at Washington, in which the IRE
sident is not altogether innocent, have beer
brought to a wretched pass. And there ar
features of the troubles which are SO tan
oiled mn that it is impossible to see our wa,
well ont of them. The first step, however
towards putting things to rights Is TN
plaoing at the head of the Government
man who respects the Constitution and tn
rights of the States, and will use al! III
mower and influence i'll reestablishlng til
Constitution and restoring those rights
Such a man will be backed by the people
and as soon as the debris Of that revolu
.tionary and destructive party which cam
of the war, and which must die as soon a
peace is restored, is swept away, he vii
have the cooperation Of the other depart
ments of the Government, and all that cal
be done to restore violated rights, order
and harmony, and wipe out the devastation
of war, will then be done. This, or tn
Rapnhlic ia zone