The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1868-07-11
amnesty Proclamation.

In addition to the usual celebrations of the
| fourth of July, President johnson and some few
hundreds of unrepentant and unpardoned rebels
| had one all to themselves and doubtless all of
them felt good over it. Previous presidential
proclamations had pardoned very nearly all the
participants in the late rebellion, the excepted
classes being only II few hundreds (some say only
one hundred) Of prominent men who had held
civil or military office and taken the oath of al
| legiance under the United States government and
| then gone into the rebellion. This class was
| composed of John G. Breckenridge, Jubal EARLY
| and few men Of that ilk, towards who III Presi-
| dent Johnson looked with longing eyes, count
| ing on them as sure, seadfast and sympathetic
supporters of his policy if they were allowed to
take part in the affairs Of the government And
| again, the democratic convention assembled on
| the fourth, and Mr.. Johnson had lingering idea
| that he might he selected by the convention to
lead the forlorn hope OF democracy in the pres
| ent campaign, and an "amnesty proclamation, g"
granting unconditional pardon to all the rebels,
would or ought TO take well among the members
OF the convention. DO, ON tne lOuftu, Sucn u
| proclamation was issued. Itcontnns vast num-
Der of "whereas-es," and talk about peaceful
relations" &c, the upshot of the whole matter
being that all those bitter rebels of the class
| named are pardoncd. These men are now, near
| ly all Of them, on foreign soil. When the re-
bellion went down, they were 80 thoroughly i'm
bued with treason and opposition to the United
States government that they would not accept
even the stern decree of war, but lett the country
| in magnificent disgust, with the avowed inten-
ton OF living and dying in foreign Lands before
the Union flag should wave one hour over their
sacred persons. Asa sequence Of his proclama-
ton President johnson should now dispatch u
government steamer to Europe, 10 Bermuda, Mex
leo and Brazil, to carry this amnesty" to the
ones it is designed to reach and TO bring back the
wander ing lambs to the fold again. Aud in con-
sderaion OF their feelings the "Union rag"
nigh; he laid aside while these distinguished
citizens were on board, aud the :'stars and bars'
substituted One rebel yel remains unpardoned--
jeff Davis. As he is under indictment for trea-
son, the President excerpts him. Why so? Has
Davis done worse than Lee? He made II traitor
ofhimself; so did EARLY and Breckenridge. Why
pardon all the rest, and leave poor jeff to alone
bear the penalty of the crime they all committed.
This whole proclamation was plain and open
bid for the democratic nomination, and was so
understood all over the the country Whether
ii will have the effect TO secure his selection rs
the copperhead standard bearer we do not know
at this writing, as the grand cabal ut New York
have mol yet indicated preference In the
South, however, the proclamation don t seem to
suit very well The Richmond Dispatch, of Mon
day, for instance, says;
We suppose Executive document ever excited less
interest i'll the public mind than the long promised,
long deferred general amnesty proclamation issued by
President Johnson Saturday last It is quite pro-
vokng to the people Of the South to learn from that
reasonable ground to aprehend any of said
tate Girl io,, OF any foreign interference any
LAWFUL resistance by portion of the people ohe States
to TIE Constitution and laos of tie United States" &c.
The logical sequence of this announcement that up to
the appearance of this proclamation there was may
have BEEN reasonable ground to apprehend the renewal
of the civil war" and that the proclamation for that
reason, could not be issued 1t an earlier day
The Dispatch further intimates that Mr.. John
sons whole policy" has been dictated by his de-
sire to be President for second term, and con-
cudes by charging the President with large
share of the ''mismanagement'' ut Washington.
The Richmond Examineris quite respondent be-
cause the great and pure statesman, President
Davis, is not included among the recipients
OF amnesty, while the Wing sees in the procla
nation II prospect OF the ''exiles'' returning and
assuming the government Of the country they en-
deauored to destroy.