Year: 1865

VI coVAuunus Wuo iaVtc0 OONoIuOS SVAhS0on ~ ~
dress the citizens Of Chatham county on the state
Of the country and the future Of Georgia, the
theatre was crowded 70 excess ON Saturday even
ing, July !, by appreciative audience 70 listen
to the Hon. James johnson. At eight O'Clock Mayor
Arnold stepped forth, and in few graceful remarks in
troduced the Governor, who received with great
applause and proceeded speak as follows 10 the
audience:-


appear before you this evening 10 solicit your sten-
ton to your condition. and TO suggest mode BY which
you win be enabled TO extrcate yourselves nom your
four long years between both sections It our country
and ourselves % overcome by superior numbers and re-
The people Of the Confederate States find them
syss yss ss% s. Or de-
authority Of the United States not territories
PROVINCES but revoted States The Governor said by
but President Johnson day doing all in his power
TO restore civil government to the Southern States,
tSe aid o the e s
apprehended the people Of the South were ready and
willing TO cooperate with the United States in the great
work Of reorganization. There proper way prescribed
by the Executive Of the United States in the oath Of
amnesty, made TO distinguish between friend and
foe, and TO separate the black sheep from the white
voters There is no escape from It. Every individual
must take it, The question which now presents itself
for our consideration is shall continue In present
condition take steps to return 70 the Union II
return the oath is " be taken by net for the purpose
OF annoyance OF numlldtlOn, ana Wuen the O0ln mas
been aken and in return pardons have been granted
these persons organize State government and avail
themselves Of all of Its benefits. Many persons have
already taken oath Of amnesty, but the ruling at
Washington is that the last one prescribed by the
Executive must be taken by each voter, and many
s made did not know tha. this question
was m0oted till arrived In Savannah This evening
have had time to investigate the subject, and think
have ascerained the real reason Tho proclamation Of
amnesty issued by President Lincoln In 1853 1854
the exact date is not important-a voice-'It was in
December 1863-operated legal terms upon all offences
and misdemeanors done and committed previous TO that
DATE But the war continued after that time; the ct
still in revolt against the government; their
armies still remained in the held and those at home
succorng them These subsequent acts the procla
nation of President Lincoln did not cover These Of
fences must still be accounted for Thus new oath is
required and the citizens must take it in order
the whole ground place themselves In good standing
with the government and obtain complete protection Of
property. Now, when an individual not excepted
In the proclamation takes the amnesty oath
he at once becomes citizen again, and &C
is free from confscation his person exempted from
rest for participation in the rebellion and he can 60 70
the polls and cast his ballot There certain excep
t0ns made In the proclamation, not OF ndivduas but
Of classes for the purpose Of reaching obnoxious ind
viduals, but you this discrimination s not for
the purpose Of nicting penalties upon all and is not
Of sweeping prescription. II ia used simply
q means of separating the guilty from the innocent
Those within the exceptions can make special applica
those within the excepted classes will be pardoned The
cemency Of the Is wide sweeping and awaits





DONE my instructions are TO proceed at once sufficient
number having taken the oath, TO convene a con-
vention ven Of the people My request Is that you
vention shall have met, II will proceed TO form q
constitution for the State adapted to the order OF
things will provide for the election Of governor for
members Of the legislature for judges OF the and
other civil officers When this machinery shall have
been put in motion the functions Of my office will have
been discharged have been appointed simply 70 ena-
BILE you to form government II s not my province To
administer law or make laws, but simply to convene
convention of the people, Objections often urged
against the taking Of this oath. II is objected that by
the oath we swear TO support all the proclamations
70 ana ,Sa, declare fare
from and after certain period unless the people Of
those States return TO their allegiance From nforma-
number do not know-have been enlisted in the armies
OF the United States and that Others male and female
have abandoned their former owners and are now under
States. l apprehend that person OF consd-
crate judgment entertains the opinion for moment
that the government will ever return these people thus
enlisted and under their CONTROL TO their condition Of
original servitude. The government Of the United
States must necessarily come In conflict with the rea
tons which existed previously between them end their
former owners. Some new course must be taken with
themwhat that shall be II is difficult TO suggest The
question is large one and full OF difficulties Again
resolution adopted by both houses Of the last Con-
gress OF the United States declaring that slavery in
voluntary servtude should mot exist in the United
laws 70 carry this into enest This passed pro-
posed amendment TO the constitution Of the United





fourhs Of the States by convention In Legislature
become part and parcel Of the constitution IL has al
ready been adopted by twenty ve States and the votes
tjona ratification This question is now being made
m issue in the State Of Kentucky; and
New Jersey Delaware and Virginia will doubt accept
the amendment which will secare the necessary number
OF States II will then make no difference 10 you or 10
me how Georgia shall act in the premises for without
land Now call your attention 10 certain powers Of the
President and Congress The President is authorized by
the constitution ~ command the military forces Of the
United States suppress nsurrectons and 70 repe in
vasions The writ 6 habeas corpus may be suspended
in case Of rebellion and Congress has power 70 make
the United States and the South within the meaning and
purvi0w OF the constitution; was q robellion-too
large for nsurrecton. The President by virtue Of
hrs oflce commander-in-chief OF the armies, had


nght 70 make captures, TO seize horses, to take pro
perty he had right 70 capture our soldiers TO make
prisoners and to release them on parole or not We
could under right begcren,s do the same thing:
was right Of II follows legal sequence that
him In custody to detain him, whether considered
property person The President acquired autho
ry over persons and property which he could not exer
else In time OF peace. II was latent power, war
power and by virtue OF this power 10 command the
armies Of the United States he issued that proclamation
as rule Of war; for the purpose Of supprcssing the
rebellion The slaves upon the surrender Of our armies
were captured, legally II not actuay(in law II makes
no difference whether they were actually captured or
noand tonight, by virtue Of that proclamation, they
stand cmancipated. state this TO be my opinion as Q
lawyer and az lawyer state that in my opinion, such
w sho uee'n'on oi Suprcme COurL cOu0 WISH,
myself that such had not been the case and that the
change had not been thus violently and abruptly made
But slavery IN any event Is gone and gone forever and
have no tears 10 shed lamentations make its de-
parture What other objection is hercf On that oath
we swear TO support the constitution and the Union
some object that we cannot live in the Union again
friendship. why not' There may be some animosty
iti at the North where there are, here many be.
reaved families and unpleasant "reminiscences Of the
var But must we always live Jews and SamaritansY
And shall allow the people OF the North 10 outstp
as In libcratyr have lately been among them, and
have been treated always with Kindness. saw mani


estation of unkind sentiments The only adverse feel
ng saw manifested was Ia regard 10 the treatment Of
federal prisoners at Anderscnville and mankind will
Join, and will Join them in denouncng that as the
most atrocous Of cruetes But such stigma should
rest the SOUTH for her people had nothing TO do with
IT, The stigma should not rest upon the Southern
people; for though they were the outside they
we're yet prisoners AZ much NJ those that were
within. We should all lay aside our animoeitics
and meet the North again friends and brothers You
need allow pride TO influence you against IT, Cannot
individuals in private life give up opinions when their
leaders, their prominent menthose who help form and
control public opnionhave given up theirsi All your
leaders willing 10 give up their passions and preu