history of the impeachment of andrew johnson-第9节

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ation　over　his　murder；　quickly　rose　to　the　absolute　control　of　Congress。　Mr。　Lincoln　no　longer　stood　in　their　way；　and　Mr。　Johnson　was　then　comparatively　unknown　to　the　great　mass　of　the　dominant　party；　and　therefore　at　a　corresponding　disadvantage　in　the　controversy。　He　had　risen　step　by　step　to　his　new　position　from　the　humblest　walks　of　Southern　life；　and　each　succeeding　step　to　advancement　had　been　made　through　personal　conflicts　such　as　few　men　in　public　life　in　this　or　any　other　country　had　ever　borne。　It　was　not　unnatural；　therefore；　that　he　should　have　faith　in　himself；　and　in　the　superiority　of　his　judgment；　or　little　in　that　of　othersand　more　especially　when　he　was　approached　by　those　who　had　opposed　Mr。　Lincoln's　plans　in　an　attitude　of　dictation；　and　with　suggestions　and　unsought　advice　as　to　the　course　he　should　pursue　in　the　then　absorbing　question　of　the　restoration　of　the　States　lately　in　rebellionhimself　a　citizen　of　one　of　those　States；　and　for　the　preservation　of　which；　as　a　State　in　the　Union；　he　had　staked　his　life。

As　with　Mr。　Lincoln；　so　with　Mr。　Johnsonthe　first　thing　to　be　done；　or　sought；　was　the　restoration　of　the　Union　by　the　return　of　the　States　in　rebellion　to　their　allegiance　to　the　Constitution　and　laws　of　the　country。　Mr。　Lincoln；　to　use　one　of　his　characteristic　Western　phrases；　had　〃blazed　the　way；〃　and　Mr。　Johnson　took　up　that　trail。　A　few　weeks　after　his　inauguration　he　issued　a　Proclamation　outlining　a　plan　for　the　reorganization　of　the　State　of　North　Carolina。　That　paper　was　confessedly　designed　as　a　general　plan　and　basis　for　Executive　action　in　the　restoration　of　all　the　seceded　States。　Mr。　Lincoln　had；　of　course；　foreseen　that　that　subject　would　come　up　very　shortly；　in　the　then　condition　of　affairs　in　the　South；　and　it　had　therefore　been　considered　in　his　later　Cabinet　meetings；　as　stated；　more　especially　at　the　meeting　immediately　preceding　his　death；　and　a　plan　very　similar　to　that　afterwards　determined　upon　by　Mr。　Johnson；　if　not　identically　so；　was　at　that　meeting　finally　adopted。　That　plan　was　set　out　in　the　North　Carolina　Proclamation；　the　essential　features　and　general　character　of　which　became　so　conspicuous　a　factor　in　the　subsequent　controversies　between　the　President　and　Congress。　It　was　as　follows：

Whereas：　The　Fourth　Section　of　the　Fourth　Article　of　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States　declares　that　the　United　States　shall　guarantee　to　every　State　in　the　Union　a　Republican　form　of　Government；　and　shall　protect　each　of　them　against　invasion　and　domestic　violence；　and　whereas；　the　President　of　the　United　States　is；　by　the　Constitution；　made　Commander…in…Chief　of　the　Army　and　Navy；　as　well　as　chief　civil　executive　officer　of　the　United　States；　and　is　bound　by　solemn　oath　faithfully　to　execute　the　office　of　President　of　the　United　States；　and　to　take　care　that　the　laws　be　faithfully　executed；　and　whereas；　the　rebellion　which　has　been　waged　by　a　portion　of　the　people　of　the　United　States　against　the　properly　constituted　authority　of　the　Government　thereof　in　the　most　violent　and　revolting　form；　but　whose　organized　and　armed　forces　have　now　been　almost　entirely　overcome　has；　in　its　revolutionary　progress；　deprived　the　people　of　the　State　of　North　Carolina　of　all　civil　government：　and　whereas；　it　becomes　necessary　and　proper　to　carry　out　and　enforce　the　obligations　of　the　United　States　to　the　people　of　North　Carolina　in　securing　them　it；　the　enjoyment　of　a　republican　form　of　Government：

Now；　therefore；　in　obedience　to　the　high　and　solemn　duties　imposed　upon　me　by　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States；　and　for　the　purpose　of　enabling　the　loyal　people　of　said　State　to　organize　a　State　Government；　whereby　justice　may　be　established；　domestic　tranquility　insured；　I；　Andrew　Johnson；　President　of　the　United　States　and　Commander…in…Chief　of　the　Army　and　Navy　of　the　United　States；　do　hereby　appoint　William　W。　Holden　Provisional　Governor　of　the　State　of　North　Carolina；　whose　duty　it　shall　be；　at　the　earliest　practicable　period；　to　prescribe　such　rules　and　regulations　as　may　be　necessary　and　proper　for　convening　it　Convention；　composed　of　delegates　to　be　chosen　by　that　portion　of　the　people　of　the　said　State　who　are　loyal　all　to　the　United　States　and　no　others；　for　the　purpose　of　altering　or　amending　the　Constitution　thereof；　and　with　authority　to　exercise；　within　the　limits　of　said　State；　all　the　powers　necessary　and　proper　to　enable　such　loyal　people　of　the　State　of　North　Carolina　to　restore　said　State　to　its　constitutional　relations　to　the　Federal　Government；　and　to　present　such　a　republican　form　of　State　Government　as　will　entitle　the　said　State　to　the　guarantee　of　the　United　States　therefor；　and　its　people　to　protection　by　the　United　States　against　invasion；　insurrection　and　domestic　violence：　PROVIDED；　that　in　any　election　that　may　be　hereafter　held　for　choosing　delegates　to　any　State　Convention　as　aforesaid；　no　person　shall　be　qualified　as　an　elector；　or　shall　be　eligible　as　a　member　of　such　Convention；　unless　he　shall　have　previously　taken　and　subscribed　to　the　oath　of　amnesty；　as　set　forth　in　the　President's　Proclamation　of　May　29th；　A。　D。　1865；　and　is　a　voter　qualified　as　prescribed　by　the　Constitution　and　laws　of　the　State　of　North　Carolina　in　force　immediately　before　the　20th　of　May；　A。　D。　1861；　the　date　of　the　so…called　ordinance　of　secession；　and　the　said　Convention；　when　convened；　or　the　legislature　that　may　be　thereafter　assembled；　will　prescribe　the　qualifications　of　electors；　and　the　eligibility　of　persons　to　hold　office　under　the　Constitution　and　laws　of　the　Statea　power　the　people　of　the　several　States　comprising　the　Federal　Union　have　rightfully　exercised　from　the　origin　of　the　Government　to　the　present　time。　And　I　do　hereby　direct：

FirstThat　the　Military　Commander　of　the　Department；　and　all　officers　in　the　Military　and　Naval　service；　aid　and　assist　the　said　Provisional　Governor　in　carrying　into　effect　this　Proclamation；　and　they　are　enjoined　to　abstain　from；　in　any　way；　hindering；　impeding；　or　discouraging　the　loyal　people　from　the　organization　of　a　State　Government　as　herein　authorized。

SecondThat　the　Secretary　of　State　proceed　to　put　in　force　all　laws　of　the　United　States；　the　administration　whereof　belongs　to　the　State　Department；　applicable　to　the　geographical　limits　aforesaid。

ThirdThat　the　Secretary　of　the　Treasury　proceed　to　nominate　for　appointment　assessors　of　taxes；　and　collectors　of　customs　and　revenue；　and　such　other　officers　of　the　Treasury　Department　as　are　authorized　by　law；　and　put　in　execution　the　revenue　laws　of　the　United　States　within　the　provisional　limits　aforesaid。　In　making　appointments；　the　preference　shall　be　given　to　qualified　loyal　persons　residing　in　the　districts　where　their　respective　duties　are　to　be　performed。　But　if　suitable　residents　of　the　district　shall　not　be　found；　then　persons　residing　in　other　States　or　districts　shall　be　appointed。

FourthThat　the　Postmaster　General　proceed　to　establish　postoffices　and　post　routes；　and　put　into　execution　the　postal　laws　of　the　United　States　within　the　said　State；　giving　to　loyal　residents　the　preference　of　appointments：　but　if　suitable　residents　are　not　found；　then　to　appoint　agents；　etc。；　from　other　States。

FifthThat　District　Judges　for　the　judicial　districts　in　which　North　Carolina　is　included；　proceed　to　hold　courts　within　said　State；　in　accordance　with　the　provisions　of　the　Act　of　Congress。　The　Attorney　General　will　instruct　the　proper　officers　to　libel；　and　bring　to　judgment；　confiscation　and　sale；　property　subject　to　confiscation；　and　enforce　the　administration　of　justice　within　said　State　in　all　matters　within　the　cognizance　and　jurisdiction　of　the　Federal　Courts。

SixthThat　the　Secretary　of　the　Navy　take　possession　of　all　public　property　belonging　to　the　Navy　Department　within　said　geographical　limits；　and　put　in　operation　all　Acts　of　Congress　in　relation　to　naval　affairs　having　application　to　said　State。

SeventhThat　the　Secretary　of　the　Interior　put　in　force　all　laws　relating　to　the　Interior　Department　applicable　to　the　geographical　limits　aforesaid。

In　testimony　whereof；　I　have　hereunto　set　my　hand　and　caused　the　seal　of　the　United　States　to　be　affixed。

Done　at　the　City　of　Washington；　this　29th　day　of　May；　in　the　year；　of　our　Lord　1865；　and　of　the　Independence　of　the　United　States　the　89th。

By　the　President：　Andrew　Johnson。　William　H。　Seward。　Secretary　of　State。

North　Carolina　was　the　first　of　the　revolted　States　to　which　this　identical　plan　of　reconstruction；　or　reorganization；　was　applied　by　Mr。　Johnson。　Its　application　to　the　several　States　then　lately　in　revolt；　was　continued　till　the　meeting　of　Congress　in　the　following　December；　1865。

On　this　matter　Mr。　Johnson；　himself；　testifies　in　his　communication　to　the　Senate　in　1867；　relating　to　the　removal　of　Mr。　Stanton；　that　〃This　grave　subject　（Reconstruction）　had　engaged　the　attention　of　Mr。　Lincoln　in　the　last　days　of　his　life；　and　the　plan　according　to　which　it　was　to　be　managed　had　been　prepared　and　was　ready　for　adoption。　A　leading　feature　of　that　plan　was　that　it　was　to　be　carried　out　by　Executive　authority。　*　*　*　The　first　business；　transacted　in　the　Cabinet　after　I　became　President　was　this　un