Year: 1864

TO the Supporters Of the Government.


We have read without surprise, but
not without Indignation, the procla-
nation of President Lincoln of the Sth
of July, 1864.


The supporters of the administra-
ton are responsible TO the country for
its conduct; and it is their right and
duty TO check tho encroachments of
the Executive on the authority of
Congress, and to require it to confne
itself to Its proper sphere.


1t is impossible to pass in silence
this proclamation without neglecting
that duty; and, having taken as much
responsibility as any others in sup
porting the administration, we are not
disposed to fail in the other duty of
asserting the rights of Congress.


The President did not sign the bill
to guarantee to certain States whose
governments have been usurped, a re-
publican form of government. y
passed by the supporters OF his ad-
ministration in both houses of Con-
gress after mature deliberation.


The bill did not therefore become a
lac, and it is therefore nothing.


The proclamation is neither an ap-
proval nor veto of the bill it is
therefore document unknown to the
laws of the United States.


SO far as it contains an apology foI
not signing the bill, it is a political
manifesto against the friends of the
government. So far as it proposes to
execute the bill which is now law, il
is grave executive usurpation.


1t is fitting that the facts necessary
to enable the friends of the admins
tration to appreciate the apology and
the usurpation be spread before them.


The proclamation says:


"And, whereas, the said bill was
presented to the President of the
United States for his approval less
than an hour before the sine die ad-
iournment of said session and was not
signed by him"


if that be accurate, still this bill was
presented with other bills which were
signed.


Within that hour, the time for the
sine die adjournment was three times
postponed by the voters of both
Houses and the least intimation of q
desire for more time by the President
to consider this bill would have Sc
cured further postponement.


Yet the committee sent TO ascertain
if the President had any further com.
munication for the House of Represen
tatives reported that he had none and
the friends of the bill, who had anx-
iously waited on him to ascertain its
fate, had already been informed that
the President had resolved not to sign
it. The time Of presentation, there.
fore, had nothing to do with his failure
to approve it,


The bill had been discussed and
considered for more than a month in
the House of Representatives, which
it passed on the fourth OF May; it was
reported to the Senate on the 9th of
May without material amendment,
and passed the Senate absolutely as il
came from tho House on the "a of Ju-
ly. Ignorance of its contents is out
Of the question.


Indeed, at his request, draft of a
bill substantially the same in all ma
terial points, and identical in the
points objected by the proclamation,
had been laid before him in the winter
Of 1S62-63.


There is, therefore no reason to sup
pose that the provisions of the bill
took the President by surprise.


On the contrary, we have reason to
believe them TO have been SO well
known that this method of preventing
the bill from becoming q law without
the constitutional policy of veto, had
been resolved on long before the bill
passed the Senate.


We arc informed by a gentlemen
entitled to entire confidence, that be-
fore the 22d of June, in New Orleans
it was stated by member of General
Banks staff, in the presence Of other