The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-26
A Momentous Proclamation.

Hib0n'S, NeD JoiE, on ChTlStmdS ECo.
A MOmentous Proclamation.
PRESIDENT JOHNSON, restless under the insigni6-
oarce into which he has sunk, and reckless at
the near approach Of the termination of his pub
lilo career, has shot the last arrow out of his
culver of proclsmations and lost his last
chance of gaining even temporary notoriety.
On Christmas Eve he issued universal am.
nesty proclamation, pardoning all those who
were guilty of treason or OF adhering to the
enemy, and restoring them to all their rights,
privileges, and immunities under the Const-
tuition and laws" How far he is called to
make such q restoration, and of what
avail it will be in enabling the late
traitors to regain their ballots, is
a question which Mr. Johnson does not pre-
tend to solve, nor will We attempt it. In this
proclamation coming as it does at the present
time, we see some food for reflection. Of its
real value there can hardly be too small an
estimate. 1t is hardly worth the paper on
which it is written, If we consider the effects it
will produce, or the power it will exert. To
properly see what it will do, we can apply it
to special cases. The previous proclamstions,
and, above all, the acts Of Congress, have freed
from responsibility all the people of the
Southern States, If We except a score or So
OF all the population there are none who could
now be tried for treason except Jefferson
Davis and the dozen or so Of the leaders, who,
like him, have been kept out in Difference to
public opinion. OF these, none except Davis
are under indictment. All the rest have
either abjured the country like Benjamin, aud
taken up their residence abroad, or else are
living in the Southern States forgotten, and
under no danger of molestation; so that, in
fact, the case of Davis is the only one affected;
and from what danger does he escaped Has
any sane man for years thought that Jefferson
Davis would ever ba punished We think
but few such will be found. The farce of a
trial, continued from term to term, was kept
up, but all expected it to end Just
as it has done. He has not been in danger OF
his life since he took off the female garments
in which he fled, nor has public sentiment
been such as to demand his execution. Had
the sentence of death been pronounced the
voice of the people, ever inclined to lean
towards leniency, would have demanded that
his life be spared; SO that, even in regard to
this individual instance, the proclamation,
sounding 80 grandly, is but waste of ink and
parchment. 1t may be said that under it
such men as DR.. Blackburne, of yellow
fever fame, and the assassins who hid
in Canada, can now return. But this is an
error. Treason is the only crime pardoned;
and there is a vast difference between treason
and murder. All the inoendiaries aud poi
souers are in just as much danger now as
they were before the manifesto, "Done ia the
city of Washington, on the 25th day of De-
cember, A. D. 1865" was made public. No
one of these fellows dare come within the
borders of the United States. Hence, the
only effect produced by the proclamation is to
give the nominal bondsman of Jefferson Davis
an opportunity to see their bonds cancelled.
All this was known to Andrew. Johnson
before he issued the Christmas document.
He knew it was sounding brass and tinkling
oymbal," that it would have no influence and
be waste of words; yet he issued it. No
stronger proof is needed of the utter weakness
of his character. But while it does nothing,
yet it shows the animus of the man. He de-
sires to help the Southern traitors; he is lost
10 all sense of his duty to the North, and now
when the eve Of his administration is ap-
preaching, and when any gentleman
would be careful not to do anything
to interfere with the policy o.
his successor, he seizes the last opportunity,
and exhibits his impotent malice before all
the world. But the country can bear with
equanimity few more such utterances. The
day for them is nearly ended, and Mr.. Johnson
is acting on the principle to 'improve each
shining hour" There remain just sixty
seven days more, and then Greenville will
receive its faverite son-never, never to part
with him again.
The Supreme Court of the United states.