The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-01-28
The Amnesty Proclamation-Message Of
the President.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. is, 1868.
tn tbe Senate of tho TJn;to5 States.

WASHINGTON, D. O., Jan. lS, 1908.
To the Senate Of the United States:
The resolution adopted OH the 5th in.
slant, requesting the President "to trans
nit to the Senate IL copy Of any procla-
nation of amnesty made by him since the
last adjournment of Congress, and also
to communicate 10 the Senate by what
authority of law the same was made"
has been received.
accordingly transmit herewith copy
of Il proclamation dated the 25th day Of
December last. The authority Of law by
which it was made is set forth in the
proclamation itself, which expressly af-
firms, that it was issued "by virtue of the
power and authority in me vested by The
Constitution, and in the name Of the SOW
ereign people OF the United States," and
proclaims and declares Internationally,
and without reservation, TO all and to
every person who directly or Indirectly
participated in tho late insurrectiun or
rebellion, q 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 restoration
Of all rights, privileges, and immunities
under the Constitution, and the laws
which have been made in pursuance
thereof"
The Federal Constitution is understood
TO be, and is regarded by the Executive,
as the supreme law Of the land. The
second section of article second Of that
instrument provides that the President
'shall have power to grant reprieves and
pardons for offences against the United
States, except in cases of impeachment"
The proclamation of the 25th ultimo is IN
strict accordance with the judicial expo
sitions of the authority thus conferred
upon the Executive, and, as will be seen
by reference to the accompanying papers,
is in conformity with the precedent cs
tabished by. Washington in 1895, and
followed by Presidents Adams in 1900,
Madison in 1915, and Lincoln in 1868, and
by the present Executive in 1865, 1867,
and 1868. ANDREW JOHNSON.
The copies accompanying the Presi
dents answer to the Senate arc as fol-
lows:
l. Proclamation of General Washing
ton, dated tenth day Of July, seventeen
hundrcd and ninety-fve, granting to
citizens who had been engaged in insur
reciion (resisting collection revenue OH
distilled spirits and stilIs) in the western
counties Of Pennsylvania. excepting GER
tain classes described in proclamation, a
general pardon of ali treasons and other
indictable Offences. g q
9. Proclamation of John Adams, dated
twenty-frst day Of May, eighteen hun
drcd, granting full pardon topll and every
person Gneuding some excepted in WASH
ington's proclamation) engagedrin said
instruction; whereby renedying aud
releasing unto all such persons all pains
and penalties Incurred, or supposed TO be
incurred, for Cr on account of the preml-
scs.
g.. Proclamation 0t james Madisonn da
tod sixth day Of February, eighteen hun
dred and fifteen.
Certain foreigners, flying from the dan
/ gers of their own homes. and some ctizcns
OF New Orleans, ''torgeltu of their duty
had co.operated in forming an establish
ment on the island of Barrataria, near the
mouth of the river Mississippi, for the
purpose of Il clandestine and lawless trade.
| The Government Ct the United States
caused the establishment to be broken up
and proceeded to prosecute the Offenders
by indictment, etc. -
For reasons set forth in tue proclama
lion, President Madison grants to the
offenders a full pardon ofal offences COM
nsitted against the laws, or. touching III.
tercourse and commerce of thes United
States with foreign nations and the Presi
dent directs all suits, indictments, and
prosecutions for fines, peualtieS, torieitures
etc., to be discontinued and released
q. Proclamation of President Lincoln.
dated eighth day of December, eighteen
hundred and sixty-three, familiar to the
public, granting to adj persons Certain
classes exccptedD who had participated in
the rebellion, full pardon and restoration
of all rights of property, except as TO
slaves, and in property cases where rights
of third parties shall have interviewed.
In this proclamation Mr.. Lincoln begins
by citing the provision IN the Constitution
empowering the President to grant re-
prieves and pardons. The law OF CON
! gress declaring forfeitures, etc, and au-
thorizing the President to issue proclama-
ton of pardon and amnesty, with such
exceptions as the Executive may deem
proper, is then cited. MIR. Lincoln, refer
ring to this act, adds:
Whereas the Congressional 'decara-
ton ter.limitcd and conditional pardon
accords with well established judicial en-
position Of the pardoning power: There
iure. etc.
S. Proclamation of President Lincoln,
dated Goth of March 1864. defining cases
in which persons are entitled TO benefits
of the proceeding proclamation.
G. Proclamation OF President johnson,
dated 29th May, 1865, similar to the
Lincoln proclamation OF ofDecemberS, 1868,
Granting pardon and amnesty, except in