The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-01-05
The Presidents Proclamation.

Ice the sign: SPIRIT OFFICE Ia
The Presidents Proclamation.
The proclamation by. the President, of
general and unconditional amnesty to all
participating in the late rebellion, which
We publish this week.. will be read with
more than common interest. 1t is brief
in its terms, and, like all the other state
papers of the President, direct and per
spieueus.
s. Referring to his former proclamations
upon this subject, the President states
that the exceptions and prudential re
rsoryations which they contained being
now rendered unnecessary by the uni
versal recognition of the Federal Gov
ernmcnt, it is now deemed advisable to
grant universal amnesty and pardon to
oil who have borne any part in the late
1 rebellion, so as to secure 'permancnt
peace, order and prosperity throughout
The land" and to 'srenew and fully re-
sstore confidence and fraternal feeling
among the whole people, and respect for
'and attachment to the National Govern.
.ment."
The plain and comprehensive language
OF this document renders explanation
i almost superfuous. There are no e1-
eeptions or conditions whatever to the
amnesty nobody is left out, nobody to
be feared or dreaded by the friends of
the Government, nobody to be hunted,
prosecuted, or punished; no one to be
pursued in the courts of law, and thus
q ssanadea an occasion of continued estran-
cement or irritation between the two Sec
tionsi every obstacle of this nature to a
{ 'spermancnt peace" is thus swept away,
so far as it lies in the power of the
President
1t cannot be said that the President
+, has acted hastily or inconsiderately in
q this important matter. Gradually, by
special pardons, and by successive acts
of amnesty, the number Of those exclu-
ssled from pardon was reduced to COM
paratiyely few persons, until by the proc
laInation Of the 4th of July last there
were less than hundred excluded, be-
ing those who were under Indictment in
the Federal courts. This included Mr..
Davis, General Lee, General Brcckin-
ridge, and other prominent men Of the
Confederacy; but among the list thus
still shut out from the benefits Of the
amnesty were not q few persons who
we're much less conspicuous than many
OF those whose pardons had already been
ttgranted, with the approval of the coun-
try. In this connection we may note
the fact that both the great parties of
g The country are, in a measure, commit
ted to approve this act of general am
nesty BY the President.
@ sWe-de not think, therefore, than even
among the Republican party there will
81 be any considerable protest against the
present extension Of amnesty. What
ever clamor or rancor may arise will
spring from a habitual prejudice, and
The jealousy which narrow and envious
minds usually feel at seeing the tribute
for handsome and generous act flow to
another; and all this will be drowned in
q the general acclaim of the country
! The American people will say that it is
high time that the fcuds and irritations
q occasioncd by the great civil war were
buried, and they will thank the Presi-
dent for his Christmas offering on the
altar Of peace. 70
- The act Of amnesty indeed seems fifty
q to,belong to an anniversary on which
the hosts of Heaven uttered their accents
:, ,of praise for His inestimable gift to man,
q saying "Glory to God in the highest,
".and ON earth peace, good will towards
men On Christmas day, therefore,
sacred through all the long years of the
Christian era to thoughts of love, char
ity, kindness, and mutual good will, we
find the President responding to the
\ lessons which the day invokes with ai
act, the spirit of which cannot be mista-
ken. In this he has struck key note
which will be caught up by the great
body of the people. Intelligent, caga-
cious, and e,ninently practical. the Amer
lean people are to-day sincerely anxious
for peace, harmony, and a real restora-
:. ton of the Union; they want not merely
sovereignty, but knitting
together once more in fraternal harmo-
: Iy Of the forces lately Earring, and at
war. destined soon, we trust, to "march
AL one way" This yearning of the
national heart is not to he put off with
words or promises; it demands spbstan-
tiai positive acts.
In this document President Johnson
has not inquired whether those 10 be
affected iy its prorisioDs are his pcfse4 ;