Wednesday, December 24, 2014

A Christmas Pardon For Western Wednesday...!

Even though this post isn't about the old west, it does have to do with the pardon given to all of the soldiers of the Confederacy after the war.

Since it took place around Christmas time, I felt it would be a proper post for today.

 1868: President Andrew Johnson issues a final pardon to Confederate soldiers.



At the tail end of his term as president, Andrew Johnson gave a handful of former Confederate rebels a famous Christmas present. By way of Proclamation 179, on December 25, 1868, Johnson issued amnesty to “all and every person” who had fought against the United States during the Civil War.

Johnson’s blanket pardon was actually the fourth in a series of postwar amnesty orders dating back to May 1865. Earlier agreements had restored legal and political rights to Confederate soldiers in exchange for signed oaths of allegiance to the United States, but these pardons exempted 14 classes of people including certain officers, government officials and those with property valued over $20,000. The Christmas pardon stood as a final and unconditional act of forgiveness for unreconstructed Southerners, including many former Confederate generals.

While we may or may not consider this a big deal, I feel it is important to recognize this as an important step to the future of our great country. Helped to ease a lot of hard feelings, I would imagine!

Coffee in the kitchen once again. Too cool out on the patio with a cold front moving in!

7 comments:

Chickenmom said...

Thanks for another history lesson, Mr. Hermit. Raining here again. I have some freshly baked oatmeal cookies to share.

Anonymous said...

Yes it is always better to forgive even if one doesn't agree with those soldiers and their cause.

Have a Good Youle!

Christer.

Ken said...

...forgive, forget Hell...hang onto that Confederate money boys, The South Will Rise again...

...Merry Christmas Eve Jim, see ya tomorrow...

linda m said...

I am glad he did that, as it is better to forgive than forever hold a grudge. Supposed to rain then snow here today. Merry Christmas to all. Thanks for the cookies Chickenmom -my favorite cookie

JO said...

It was a nice thing for him to do. After all don't we all want that for our Service Women and Men.

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Eve and if I don't make it back in the morning Merry Christmas

HermitJim said...

Hey Phyllis...
Always glad to share what I find. Sure can learn a lot from history.

Thanks for coming over this Christmas Eve!



Hey Christer...
Forgiveness was very necessary to the healing of our counry.

Happy Yule to you, my friend! Thanks for coming over!


Hey Ken...
Long time, no see! How's it hanging, brother?

Many thanks for coming by this wonderful day!



Hey Linda M...
Great time of the year to do so, I'd say!

Thanks so much for coming over today!



Hey Jo...
Merry Christmas, my dear friend! I really appreciate you dropping in today, sweetie!

Mamahen said...

Forgiveness is usually the best way to go...Merry Christmas to you and everyone in Coffee With the Hermit gang :))