Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-09-27
FOR CONGRESS,
R. P. sPALDING, of CuyahOga.
Why the Proclamation was Issued Al. thI
Time.

Why the Proclamation was Issued Al. this
Time.
Some Of our Democratic cOtemporaries
are raising cry Of inconsistency against
the President because his emancipation
proclamation followed so close upon the
heels Of his reply to the Chicago commit
tee, in which he said, according to their
report, That an act Of emancipation would
be useless and imperative so long as the
Constitution itself could not be enforced,
and that if the Southern whites could not
bereached by proclamations, still less could
the negroes" It is true that up to the
time at which he issued the proclamation,
Mr.. Lincoln, while insisting that he had
the right to issue such an edict, and should
when satisfied that it would further the
Union cause, had steadfastly refused to do
it. and hence the tidings which brought
new life and hope to loyal hearts through
out the country, who were well nigh des-
pairing for the republic, and which is
destined to carry the priceless boon of lib
erty to millions who have so long felt the
grinding heel Of the OppressOr, came upon
Us when we were not really looking for it.
Yet we believe there has been no inconsist-
ency manifested on the part of the Presi-
dent. While he has announced, time and
again, that the main object of the war is
the restoration of the Union, and has said
that if he could accomplish that object
without freeing any blacks be would do
It." he has declared in the plainest terms
that when he became satisfied that the to-
tai overthrow of slavery was required in
order that the Union might be restored, he
would not hesitate to lay his hands upon
that wicked fabric and hurl it to the
ground. "What I do about slavery and
the colored race" said he in his reply to
Horace Greeley, "I DO because believe it
helps to save the Union" His conviction
that the moment had arrived when he must
do something "abOut slavery and the col
Ored race" if he would save the Union,
may have been preeipitated by a knoWl-
edge Of events of which we, the public, are
not yet informed. The Chicago Tribune
hints Of the growing danger of foreign in
reference as one of the Presidents chief
motives in issuing the proclamation at the
time he did. The Tribune says:
fIt may not be known to most of our
readers, but il is nevertheless true, that
for two months past or even since that
famous ''change of base" on the Chicka-
hominy, our foreign relations have been in
q precarious and alarming state. The eff
forts Of the secessionists in Europe, backed
BY the common disposition of the aristo-
cratic governments Of the continent to
crush the growing power Of the Republic,
and the howl Of distress which is going up
from all the manufacturing districts in
consequence Of the want of cotton and the
loss Of American trade, could not long
have been resisted, accompanied, as they
were, by the Undeniable want of success of
eur arms at home. It was probably known
70 the President and Cabinet that between
France and England plan of interference
was almost matured for joint effort, in
which not only these, but two or three
other powers would have participated; and
70 defeat their Vaccinations and to dispel
the popular idea in Europe that the strug-
Gle had no relation to the slavery ques-
ton, and thus range the moral sympathies
Of all mankind on our side, and make in
reference impossible, the President and
his advisers have been brought, though
later and hesitatingly, to the adoption of
this magnificent stroke Of policy-to
the taking of this first step towards the
conquest Of an honorable q safe, and an
enduring peace. The question Of inter-
Vention Is now finally settled, and all the
energies Of the Government can now be
directed to affairs athome, which have, up
to this time been directed as much in ref
erence to what Europe would do, as in
reference to the demands Of the military
situation. We have only this war on
hand, not half dozen contingent and
larger contests against which to provide
And If with this terrible weapon which
the President has forged, in the hands Of
our Generals, if, with the sympathy of all
the world, and with the aid of four mil
lions Of bondmen whose life blood will tin
gle with the new hopes and sensations of
the freedom that the proclamation tenders,
we cannot put down the rebellion, we can
only say that for some mysterious, but
wise purpose, Heaven has deereed our de-
feat. We believe that the President has
chosen his time well, and now the saliva
ton Of the Republic, the hopes of Liberty
for mankind, the happiness Of our success
sors for generation upon generation yet to
come, depend upon the ardor, earnestness
and wisdom with which he is sustained.
Let the country rally to his support /"