The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-11-20

among them. But that cur readers may see the
tone of the opposition We viii give q few extracts,
as brief as possible
We warn these reyolutiouis,s in time. If they
proceed IN their opinion, let Il be with their eyes
open to all the consequences. Before they succeed
in ab0lishiug slavery in violation Of the Constitution,
and elevating the negro TO their own level, their
revolution must meet and subdue a movement; indie
pendent Of, and different from, the Southern rebellion
"A movement whose object Will be 10 maintain the
Constitution inviolate, and TO crush 10 earth every
rebel impious enough to raise his hand against it.
Fa lie s-vs-ae. z--.
This ocumeut which was given TO the public,
must have ast0uished those vino have heretofore
placed the President on the side Of the conservative
masses. 1t Is as important as 1t Is ill-timed, and will,
no doubt, be the subject OF careful perusal through
out the country. We must confess that We are dis
appointed in the Conservatism OF the President. We
have not room this morning to comment at length on
the proclamation, but Will state that We cannot COM
mend it to the patriotism OF the country
The Abolitionists demand that the President issue
o PROCLAMATION eIuancipating all the slaves Of the
South. Our reply 10 their demand has been, first,
that the President has no right, under the Constitu-
ton Of the country, or under the law OF nations as
interpreted and cOutcnded for by this Government,
10 issue such a proclamation; and secondly. that such
q measure, even If II should be tolerated by the other
civilized powers OF the world. would not tend to pro-
mote the reimbursement OF fGueIaI aulAOllty IN the
seeded States.
The reader will find in another part of to days
HpteiiigeHcer q proclamation Of the President Of the
United States, declaring prospecuvely the emaucipa-
tiOu Of slaves in the lusurgent States on the 1St Of
January next, unless in the meantime the people Of
these States shall so far return TO their constitutional
relations as to send Representatives TO Congress.
With our well-knowu and oft-repeated views res
pecting the inutiity of such proclamations, it can
hardly be necessary for Us to say that WhcreWe eX-
pect no good, we shall be only too happy TO find that
no harm has been done BY the present declaration Of
the Executive.
This new proclamation with regard to the contin-
gent emancipation OF slaves in the i~nsurgent States
not being self-enforced any more than the proclaim
ton of Gen. Hunter III regard to the immediate emau-
cipation Of slaves in the States Of South Carolina,
Georgia and Florida, the only difference between the
two papers resides in the signatures respectively
attached to them. And ~, in themselves considered,
they are likely 10 prove equally void of practical effect,
We are not without the suspicion that the President
has taken this method TO convince the only class or
persons likely to be pleased with this proclamation, of
the utter fallacy of the hopes they have founded
upon II. This opinion, we may add, derives cOnar-
nation from the fact that he %suspends for some
months the enforcement of SO much Of his declaration
as denOuuces the emancipation of slaves in punish
ment for c~ontumacy on the part of the insurgent
States. while he gives immediate force and so force
and effect result from prOclamatiOns, TO the regulations
prescribed by the new article of war and the provisions
of the confscation act in the matter of slaves. On any
other theory than this the proclamation may be said
TO open issues too tremendous, and to be fraught with
Consequences too undeveloped, to admit Of calculation
or forecast by any intelligence We can command.
E-u t- =. Y. -: fel.,u OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Hughes e--ta.
Never since the nation started into existence, has
it been called upon TO give its attention to a matter
of such great moment and importance rs that pre-
scented in President Lincoln's last State paper. 1t is
no wonder therefore, that its publication should have
produced such a profound sensation all over the coun-
try, and that its probable effects upon the future
of fln- RaIthlfa glA.ylI 20 lT-.ng-a1 NTH .y.l
intense anxiety. 1t Is so strangely at variance with
the conservative views hitherto expressed by the
Chief Magistrate, that it has fallen upon the public
ear with stunning effect. While it has delighted the
ing of disnay and bewilderment among the conser.a-
tive and patriotic masses.
Should the policy foreshadowed in this document
be carried out at the time specified therein, we may
reasonably expect the enactment OF Il tragedy on
American soil, compared with which the bloody hor-
rors Of the ST. Domingo massacres were mere cbild's
play. The slave population of all the Southern
States, Is, We believe, according 10 the last census,
about 4 900, 600, while Of the States in rebellion, the
slave population Is about four hfths Of the whole.
Now, in the event alluded to-that Is, the continu-
ance of the Southern Confederacy in its present
attitude, and its suhjugatlOn by the Union army, all
these will be emancipated. We will suppose such a
condition to be realized-wha is to become of the
millions thus suddenly manumitted /? Where are they
to 90 Are they to be placed in possession of the
forfeited estates of their former owners, and if so,
how is the process of the division of property to be
carried out? =,
The proclamation is only to be carried into effect
in she event of the disloyal States persisting in their
present attitude Of hostility towards the Government
after the first Of January next. 1t will hardly be
supposed 10y any sane mind that a belligerent and
determined e,emy will not be rendered still more
hercely in earnest by the Inauguration of a war policy
that threatens the destruction Of everything that is
Of value to them on this arth-for, If carried into
successful operation, such a policy can only result in
the disruption Of the whole social system of the South.
involving its inhabitants. both white and black, both
bond and free, in general anarchy and ruin. Are We
prepared for such a fearful calamity?
Do We understand what a servile war means?
Can we picture to ourselves, without shuddering at
the dread spectacle, the scenes Of savage riot and
dehauchery, of carnage and apine-sceues of which
the horrors of the battle field can furnish no adequate
conception? The conflict of man with man is a strug-
between equals, but a war in which women and
and old age become the victims, i savage
barbarous to the last degree. Surely, the Pres
ideut Of the United States does not desire to precipiJate
such . fearful calamity upon the country surely, he
does not mean 10 revive within the limits Of the
United States all the horrors of q negro insurrection.
If this last dire extremity should happen, then We
may never more expect to see the Union as it was
then one-third Of the land will be converted into n
desert, and the world viii stand aEhast at the
crimes and outTages committed in the name Of
liberty.
We might multiply extracts, but these viii
to show that a storm is rising in the rear
of the Presidents army. that NAV give IN the