The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-17 00:00:00

THE EXPR.

revolution which i 4 tracing place in his dip. •
He sees plainly that "the Constitution* it la,"
disfigured and debased as it has bedff,d*ed-
tions and judicial decisions delivered in the inte-
rest of Slavery, cannot guard and stimulate the
freedom of a groat nation. He says explicitly
that the maxims of the .past will not suffice ; that
the difficulties and dangers of the Republic are
great, and that the citizens must disenthral them-
selves if they would save the country. He sees
that American slavery is as inimical to the
white man's liberty as it is to the black
man's progress, and that " in giving freedom to
" the slave you assure it to the free." And no
doubt he does right to propose his plan, and fami-
liarise the public mind with it, however little
chance there may be of its immediate acceptance
by the South. But impartial observers at a
distance can plainly see that the grand scheme of
domination upon which the Confederate States
have embarked is not to be bought up by an issue
of Tresaury Bonds. When the Confederates have
been convinced by sterner arguments than
are contained in this Message that their
cause is desperate, an offer of compensa-
tion for the remaining number of their
slaves may facilitate their advance to an
issue which is inevitable. The need of a measure
like this will then strike every mind, and it will
be adopted under the forcible persuasion of cir-
cumstances. But that time has not yet come. It
is with satisfaction, therefore, that we observe that
the new proposal is not to stand in the way of
the Proclamation of September reoagnising the
_ _

liberty of the slaves in the Confederate States on
and after the first of next month. The Pziesuriurr
expressly says, "Neither the war, nor proceed-
" ings under the Proclamation of Sept. 22, 1862,
" are stayed because of the recommendation of
" this plan." This is wise and right ; the whole
force and virtue of freedom must be arrayed
against the slave power. To the 200,000 negroes
who have already gained their freedom through the
war, hundreds of thousands, and perhaps millions,
will soon be added. The freemen of the North
have it in their power, if they are worthy of their
cause, to destroy root and branch the monstrous
growth which has cursed their country. With the
failure of the political and military fabric raised
on the foundation of slavery that institution itself
would be lees prized : and with the loss of slaves
the system of government constructed to save and
propagate slavery would be discredited, and cease
to be considered worth the sacrifices demanded for
its preservation. At present we can see no pro-
spect of an extensive liberation of slaves but by war,
and no. safe peace but through complete ernanci-
piton. After the blood that has been spilt, no
mere paper settlement of the question is possible
or desirable. Nothing short of the actual undoing
of slavery and the inauguration of universal free-
dom can either compensate the sacrifices or destroy
the causes of this war.

Cite Court.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Die.
_l6.

The Queen, accompanied by the Princeea Louie
et Huse, walked and drove this morning, attended by Lady
Augusta Bryce.

Despatches were neeived yesterday at the Colonial-office
from the Lord High Cemmiesioner of the lonian Islands.
Despatches were sent to the Governors of the West India
Islands, British Columbia, Bermuda, and to the Lord High
Commissioner of the lonian Islands.