history of the impeachment of andrew johnson-第3章

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turn　for　pardon　and　restoration　of　forfeited　rights；　when　he　has　clear　constitutional　power　to　withhold　altogether　or　grant　upon　terms　which　he　shall　deem　wisest　for　the　public　interest。　It　should　be　observed；　also；　that　this　part　of　the　oath　is　subject　to　the　modifying　and　abrogating　power　of　legislation　and　supreme　judicial　decision。

The　proposed　acquiescence　of　the　National　Executive　in　any　reasonable　temporary　State　arrangement　for　the　freed　people　is　made　with　the　view　of　possibly　modifying　the　confusion　and　destitution　which　must；　at　best；　attend　all　classes　by　a　total　revolution　of　labor　throughout　whole　States。　It　is　hoped　that　the　already　deeply　afflicted　people　of　those　States　may　be　somewhat　more　ready　to　give　up　the　cause　of　their　affliction；　if；　to　this　extent；　this　vital　matter　be　left　to　themselves；　while　no　power　of　the　National　Executive　to　prevent　an　abuse　is　abridged　by　the　proposition。

The　suggestion　in　the　Proclamation　as　to　maintaining　the　political　frame…work　of　those　States　on　what　is　called　reconstruction；　is　made　in　the　hope　that　it　may　do　good　without　danger　of　harm。　It　will　save　labor　and　avoid　great　confusion。

But　why　any　proclamation　on　this　subject？　This　question　is　beset　with　the　conflicting　views　that　the　step　might　be　delayed　too　long　or　taken　too　soon。　In　some　States　the　elements　for　resumption　seem　ready　for　action；　but　remain　inactive　apparently　for　want　of　a　rallying　point。　Why　shall　A。　adopt　the　plan　of　B。；　rather　than　B。　that　of　A。？　And　if　A。　and　B。　should　agree；　how　can　they　know　but　that　the　General　Government　here　will　reject　their　plan？　By　the　Proclamation　a　plan　is　presented　which　may　be　accepted　by　them　as　a　rallying　point；　and　which　they　may　be　assured　in　advance　will　not　be　rejected　here。　This　may　bring　them　to　act　sooner　than　they　otherwise　would。

The　objection　to　a　premature　presentation　of　a　plan　by　the　National　Executive　consists　in　the　danger　of　committals　on　points　which　could　be　more　safely　left　to　further　developments。　Care　has　been　taken　to　so　shape　the　document　as　to　avoid　embarrassment　from　this　source。　Saying　that；　on　certain　terms；　certain　classes　will　be　pardoned；　with　rights　restored；　it　is　not　said　that　other　classes　on　other　terms　will　never　be　included。　Saying　that　reconstruction　will　be　accepted　if　presented　in　a　specified　way；　it　is　not　saying　it　will　not　be　accepted　in　any　other　way。

The　movements；　by　State　action；　for　emancipation　in　several　of　the　States　not　included　in　the　Emancipation　Proclamation；　are　matters　of　profound　gratulation；　and　while　I　do　not　repeat　in　detail　what　I　have　heretofore　so　earnestly　urged　upon　this　subject；　my　general　views　and　feelings　remain　unchanged；　and　I　trust　that　Congress　will　omit　no　fair　opportunity　of　aiding　these　important　steps　to　a　great　consummation。

In　the　midst　of　other　cares；　however　important；　we　must　not　lose　sight　of　the　fact　that　the　war　power　is　still　our　main　reliance。　To　that　power　alone　can　we　look；　for　a　time；　to　give　confidence　to　the　people　in　the　contested　regions　that　the　insurgent　power　will　not　again　over…run　them。　Until　that　confidence　shall　be　established；　little　can　be　done　anywhere　for　what　is　called　reconstruction。　Hence　our　chiefest　care　must　still　be　directed　to　the　Army　and　Navy；　who　have　thus　far　borne　their　hardest　part　nobly　and　well。　And　it　may　be　esteemed　fortunate　that　in　giving　the　greatest　efficiency　to　these　indispensable　arms；　we　do　also　honorably　recognize　the　gallant　men；　from　commander　to　sentinel；　who　compose　them；　to　whom；　more　than　to　others；　the　world　must　stand　indebted　for　the　home　of　freedom　disenthralled；　regenerated；　enlarged　and　perpetuated。

Abraham　Lincoln。　December　8；　1863。

The　following　is　the　Proclamation　of　Amnesty　and　Reconstruction　referred　to　in　the　foregoing　Message；　and　further　illustrates　Mr。　Lincoln's　plan　for　the　restoration　of　the　Union：

PROCLAMATION　OF　AMNESTY　AND　RECONSTRUCTION。

BY　THE　PRESIDENT　ON　THE　UNITED　STATES　OF　AMERICA。

Whereas；　in　and　by　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States；　it　is　provided　that　the　President　〃shall　have　the　power　to　grant　reprieves　and　pardons　for　offenses　against　the　United　States；　except　in　cases　of　impeachment；〃　and

Whereas；　a　rebellion　now　exists　whereby　the　loyal　State　governments　of　several　States　have　for　a　long　time　been　subverted；　and　many　persons　have　committed；　and　are　guilty　of　treason　against　the　United　States；　and

Whereas；　with　reference　to　said　rebellion　and　treason；　laws　have　been　enacted　by　Congress；　declaring　forfeitures　and　confiscations　of　property　and　liberation　of　slaves；　all　upon　terms　and　conditions　therein　stated；　and　also　declaring　that　the　President　was　thereby　authorized　at　any　time　thereafter；　by　proclamation；　to　extend　to　persons　who　may　have　participated　in　the　existing　rebellion；　in　any　State　or　part　thereof；　pardon　and　amnesty；　with　such　exceptions　and　at　such　times　and　on　such　conditions　as　he　may　deem　expedient　for　the　public　welfare；　and

Whereas；　the　Congressional　declaration　for　limited　and　conditional　pardon　accords　with　well　established　judicial　exposition　of　the　pardoning　power；　and

Whereas；　with　reference　to　said　rebellion；　the　President　of　the　United　States　has　issued　several　proclamations；　with　provisions　in　regard　to　the　liberation　of　slaves；　and

Whereas；　it　is　now　desired　by　some　persons　heretofore　engaged　in　said　rebellion　to　resume　their　allegiance　to　the　United　States；　and　to　reinaugurate　loyal　State　Governments　within　and　for　their　respective　States；　therefore；

I；　Abraham　Lincoln；　President　of　the　United　States；　do　proclaim；　declare；　and　make　known　to　all　persons　who　have；　directly　or　by　implication；　participated　in　the　existing　rebellion；　except　as　hereinafter　excepted；　that　a　full　pardon　is　hereby　granted　to　them　and　each　of　them；　with　restoration　of　all　rights　of　property；　except　as　to　slaves　and　in　property　cases　where　rights　of　third　parties　shall　have　intervened；　and　upon　the　condition　that　every　such　person　shall　take　and　subscribe　an　oath；　and　thenceforward　keep　and　maintain　said　oath　inviolate；　and　which　oath　shall　be　registered　for　permanent　preservation；　and　shall　be　of　the　tenor　and　effect　following；　to…wit：

I；　___　__　___　；　do　solemnly　swear；　in　presence　of　Almighty　God；　that　I　will　henceforth　faithfully　support；　protect；　and　defend　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States；　and　the　Union　of　the　States　thereunder；　and　that　I　will；　in　like　manner；　abide　by　and　faithfully　support　all　acts　of　Congress　passed　during　the　existing　rebellion　with　reference　to　slaves；　so　long　and　so　far　as　not　repealed；　modified　or　held　void　by　Congress；　or　by　the　decision　of　the　Supreme　Court；　and　that　I　will；　in　like　manner；　abide　by　and　faithfully　support　all　proclamations　of　the　President　made　during　the　existing　rebellion　having　reference　to　slaves；　so　long　and　so　far　as　not　modified　or　declared　void　by　decision　of　the　Supreme　Court。　So　help　me　God。

The　persons　exempted　from　the　benefits　of　the　foregoing　provisions　are　all　who　are；　or　shall　have　been；　civil　or　diplomatic　officers　or　agents　of　the　so…called　Confederate　Government：　all　who　have　left　judicial　stations　under　the　United　States　to　aid　the　rebellion；　all　who　are　or　shall　have　been　military　or　naval　officers　of　said　so…called　Confederate　Government　above　the　rank　of　Colonel　in　the　army　or　Lieutenant　in　the　Navy；　all　who　have　left　seats　in　the　United　States　Congress　to　aid　the　rebellion；　all　who　resigned　commissions　in　the　army　or　navy　of　the　United　States　and　afterward　aided　the　rebellion；　and　all　who　have　engaged　in　any　way　in　treating　colored　persons；　or　white　persons　in　charge　of　such；　otherwise　than　lawfully　as　prisoners　of　war；　and　which　persons　may　have　been　found　in　the　United　States　service　as　soldiers；　seamen；　or　in　any　capacity。

And　I　do　further　proclaim；　declare；　and　make　known　that　whenever；　in　any　of　the　States　of　Arkansas；　Texas；　Louisiana；　Mississippi；　Tennessee；　Alabama；　Georgia；　Florida；　South　Carolina　and　North　Carolina；　a　number　of　persons；　not　less　than　one…tenth　in　number　of　the　votes　cast　in　such　State　at　the　Presidential　election　of　the　year　of　our　Lord　one　thousand　eight　hundred　and　sixty；　each　having　taken　the　oath　aforesaid　and　not　having　since　violated　it