Year: 1864

guarantees.


II is silent respecting the rebel debt and
the political exclusion Of rebel leaders;
leaving slarery exactly where it was by
law at the outbreak OF the rebellion, and
adds no guarantees even Of the freedom
Of the slaves be undertook to manun,it


1t is summed up in On illegal oath,
without sanction, and therefore void.
The oath is to support all proclamations
Of the President during the rebellion hav.
ing reference to slaves.


Any government is to be accepted at
the hands of one tenth OF the people not
contravening that oath.


Now that oath neither secures the abo.
lition of slavery, nor adds any security to
the freedom Of slaves the President de.
clared free.


1t does not secure the abolition of sla.
very; for the proclamation of freedom
merely professed to free certain slaves
while it recognized the institution.


Every constitution of the rebel States
at the outbreak of the rebellion may be
adopted without the change of lette-;
for none Of them contravene that procla-
nation; none Of them establish slavery.


1t adds no security to the freedom Of
the slaves.


For their title is the proclamationlof
freedom.


If it be unconstitutional, an oath to sup.
port it is void. Whether constitutional or
not, the oath is without authority of law,
and therefore void.


If it be valid and Observed it exacts no
enactment by the State, either in law or
constitution, to add State guarantee to
the proclamation title; and the right of q
slave to freedom is an open question before
the State courts on the relative authority
of the State law and the proclamation.


If the oath binds the one tenth who take
it, it is not exacted Of the other nine. ,enths
who succeed to the control Of the State
government so that it is annuIled instant.
ly by the &C: Of recognition.
What the State courts would say Of the
Proclamation, who can doubt?


But the master would not 60 into court
-he would seize his slave.


What the Supreme Court would say.
who can tell?


When and how is the question to get
there7


No habeas corpus lies for him in q
United States court; and the President
defeated with this bill its extension Of that
writ to his case.


Such are the fruits of this rash and fatal
act Of the Presidents blow at the friends
of his administration, at the rights of hu.
manity, and at the princip Piles Of republi.
can government.


The President has greatly presumed on
the forbearance which the supporters of
his administration have so long practiced,
in view of the arduous conflict in which
We are engaged, and the reckless ferocity
of our political opponents.


But he must understand that our sup
port is Of cause and not Of a man; that
the authority of Congress is paramount
and must be respected that the whole
body Of :he Union men Of Congress will
not submit to be inpeached by him Of
rash and unconstitutional legislation and
if be wishes our support, he must confue
himself to his executive duties--to obev
and execute, and not make the iaws-to
suppress BY arms armed rebellion, and
leave political reorganization to Congress-


II the supporters of the government fail
to insist upon this, they become RESPONSE
BILE for the usurpations which they fail to
rebuke, aud are justly liable to the indig.
nation Of the people whose rights and se-
curi.y. committed to their keeping, they
sacrifice.


Let them consider the remedy for these
usurpations, and, having found it, fearless.
ly execute it Il. F. WADE,


Chairman Senate Committee,


H. WINTER DAVIS,
Chairman Committee House Of Represen.


fatiuas ON the Il ahallinu Sfa4na