Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-22

A Precedent for President JOhnsOn's
Christmas Proclamation of Pardon.

Precedent for President JOhnsOn's
Christmas Proclamation of Pardon.
Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Enquirer
WASHINGTON, Jan. Is, 1S69.--The
Senate of the United States, in its
condition of highly-wrought ami
mostly toward the President, is very
apt to make an ass of itself. 1t has
done SO very frequently of late, but
never so conspicuously as when it
called upon Mr.. Johnson for his au-
thOrity to issue proclamation of
general amnesty. The great men
there assembled thought they had
got his excellency on the point
that the pardoning power conferred
by the constitution related only to
special cases, and could be exercised
only by naming individuals, and not
until after conviction. don't know
but they saw in the Christmas procla
nation the raw material for a new
impeachment, and the wonder is
that the late lamented Ashley has
not taken the matter in hand before
now, and digested it into the nucleus
for another "high court. In an
| swer to the impudent Senate resolu-
ton, the President refers to that
section of the constitution which
vests him with the unlimited powers
of pardon in all offenses against the
United States, Except convictions
on impeachment) sud to divers good
precedents for general amnesty,
which, in their astounding ignOr-
anee, Senators seemed to have over
looked. First and most important
of these, is the following proclama-
ton from Gen Washington, which
Mr.. Johnson evidently had before
him when he wrote his last compre-
hensiYe amnesty.
Whereas, The commissioners appoint
| ed by the President of the United States
l 70 confer with the citizens in the western
counties of Pennsylvania, during the late
insurrection which prevailed therein, by
heir act of agreement, bearing date the
I'd day of September last, in pursuance
of the power in them vested, did promise
and engage that if assurances Of sub
mission to the laws of the United States
should be bona fde given by the cilizens
resident IN the fourth survey of Pennsyl-
vania, in the manner and within the
time in the said act and agreement speei-
| fed, q general pardon should be granted,
on the 10th day of July then next ensu-
| ing Of all treasons and other indictable
Ofenses against the United States, COM
mitted within the said survey before the
22d day of August last; excluding there
from, nevertheless, every person who
should refuse or neglect to subscribe |
such assurance and engagement In man.
ner aforesaid, or who should, after such |
subscription, violate the same, or willful- |
ly Obstruet, or attempt to Obstruct, the |
execution of the acts for raising a reve-
nue. on distilled spirits and ssills, or be |
aiding or abetting therein.
And whereas, | have since thought |
proper to extend the said pardon to all |
persons guilty Of the said treason, mis-
PRISONS of treason, or otherwise con-
cerned in the late Instruction within |
the survey aforesaid, who have not |
since been indicted or convicted thereof, |
or Of any other ohfense against the United |
States;
Therefore, Be it known that /, George |
Washington, President Of the said United |
States, have granted, and by these pre-,
sents do grant, full, free and entire |
pardon to all persons, excepting as
is hereinafter exeepted) of all treasons, |
misprisiOns of treason, and other indieta- |
be effenses against the United States, |
committed within the fourth survey of |
Pennsylvania, before the 22d day of Au- |
gust last passed, excepting and excluding |
therefrOm, nevertheless, every person |
who refused or neglected to give and
subscribe the said assurances in the man.
ner aforesaid, (or having subscribed, hath
violated the same), and now standeth in
dieted or convicted of any treason, mis-
prisiOn of treason, or other offense
against the United States, thereby remit
ting and releasing unto all persons, ex
eept as before excepted, all penalties |
incurred or supposed to be incurred, for,
or on account Of the premises
In testimony whereof, have hereunto
set my hand and caused the seal of the |
United States to be affixed, this 10Th day |
of July, 1895, and the twentieth year of |
the independence of the United States
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
Now here we have precisely such
document as the one against
which such eminent constitutional
lawyers as Wilson and Wade are
lifting their feeble voices 1t covers
the objection which their keen dis
elimination seems to have found,
to-wit that the individuals to be
reached must be named by the exec
utive. 1t is general and sweeping
in it's effects, and in single sentence
blots out the Offense of treason as
against those who participated in the
whisky instruction. But it may be
that Washington was in the light Of
latter day craftsmanship an uncoL-
stitutional President l suppose he
was, but, poor fellow, he acted ac-
cording to his best knowiedge-for
in his day the Almighty hadn't de
populated the Massachusetts shoe
shops to fill the Senate with wisdom
all but divine.
have transcribed in full the pro-
clamation of Gen. Washington refer
red to in the Presidents message, for
the benefit of persons in Kentucky
and Tennessee who have been led by
the Radical howlings to doubt the
Presidents power to issue a general
amnesty. 1t will be seen that the
two are identical in tone There
never has been any attempt to dis
pute the authority of Washington to
pardon the Pennsylvania TRAITORS
nor can there be any doubt of Mr..
Johnson's right to do precisely as
he has done toward the Rebels of
the South MACK.
King George has written an auto
oranh and confidential letter IN the En- |