The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-07-09
AMNESTY.
by the President.


Domini, 1861, in accepting the condition
of civil war which was brought about by
insurrection and rebellion in several of
the statas which constitute the United
States, the two houses of congress did SOL
emnly declare that the war was not waged
on the part Of the government in any spirit
ofoppression, nor for any purpose of con-
quest or subjugation nor for any purpose
of overthrowing or interfering with the
rights or the established institutions of
the states, but ouly to defend and main
tain the supremacy of the constitution of
the United States, and to preserve the
union, with all the dignity, equality, and
rights of the several states unimpaired /;
and that, as soon as those objects should
be accomplished, the war, on the part of
the government, should cease; and,
Whereas, The president Of the United
States has heretofore, in the spirit Of that
declaration, and with the view of securing
for it ultimate and complete effect, set
forth several proclamations, Offering am
nesty and pardon to persons who had been
and were concerned in the afore named
rebellion, which proclamations, however,
we're attended with prudential reservations
and exceptions, then deemed necessary
and proper, and which proclamatio onS were
respectfully issued on the Sth day Of De-
cember, 1858; on the Goth day of March,
1864; on the 10Th day of May, 1865,
and on the 7th day of September, 1867 I;
and,
Hhcreas, The said lamentabIe civil war
has long since altogether closed, with an
acknowledgment by all the states of the
supremacy of the federal constitution and
Of the government Hereunder, and there
NO longer exists any reasonable ground to
apprehend renewal of said civil war, or
any foreign interference, or any unlawful
resistance by any portion of the people of
any of the states to the constitution and
laws of the United States; and,
Whereas, it is desirable to reduce the
standing army, and to bring TO speedy
termination military occupation, mart al
law, military tribunals, abridgement of
the freedom Of speech and of the press,
suspension of the privilege Of the ha6eas
corpus, and of the right Of trial by jury,
such encroachments upon our free insti-
tutions, in time of peace, being dangerous
to public liberty, incompatible with the
individual rights of citizens, contrary to
the genius and spirit Of our republican
form of government, and exhaustive Of
the national resources; and,
Whereas, 1t is believed that amnesty
and pardon will tend to secure complete
and universal establishment and prevalence
of municipal law and order, in conformity
and to remove all appearances and pre-
sumtions of a retalatory or vindictivo pol
icy on the part of the government. attend
ed by unnecessary disqualifcations, pains,
penalties, con6scations, and disfranchise-
ments and, on the contrary, to promote
and procure complete fraternal reconclia-
ton among the whole people, with due
submission to the constitution and laws:
Nor, therefore, be 1t knovn. That 1
Andrew Johnson, president of the United
States, do, by virtue Of The constitution
and in the name of the people of the
United States, hereby proclaim and de-
clare, unconditionally and without rescrva
ton, to all and to every person who direct
ly or indirectly participated in the late in
surrection or ebellion-excepting such
person or persons as may be under present
mcnt or Indictment in any court of the
United States, having competent jurisdio
tion, upon charge Of treason, or other
felony,-a full pardon and amnesty for the
offence of treason against the United
States, or of adhering to their enemies
during the late civil war, with the restora
tion of all rights except as to slaves, and
except also as to any property of which
any person may have been legally diyest
ed under the laws of the United States.
In testimony whereof, l have signed
these presents with my hand, and have
caused the seal of the United States to be
hereunto affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, the 4tl
day of July, in the year of our Lord ono
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight
and Of the independence of the United
States Of America the ninety-third.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
! VIM. III. SEWARD, Secretary of State.
What is it that is wanting in the dem
ocratic party, and which they seek out