Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-10-03
THE pREsInENrs, rRocIAMArloN.

Inc proclamation has been badly treated'
Published by telegraph, the telegraph seems
to have jumped at the chance of great occa-
sion to make great blunder the press null
tiplied that blunder by its millions Of issues
and worse than these, the blunder itself has
been the occasion Of the sharpest criticism
and the soverest denunciation. The Prosi
dent said that representation in Congress Of
any State, or part of State, on the LIST Of Jan
uaty next, will be evidence, in the absence Of
strong countervailing testimony, that such
State, or part Of State, is not then IL rebellion,
and therefore not subject to the provision Of
the proclamation. The telegraph said "has
not been in rebellion" and this implied that
an amnesty is to be granted for all past trea-
son--that traitors are to go unpublished, and
possibly even honored and treated as of yorc.
jeff Davis, and Tuombs, and Mason in the
Senate again Cobb and Floyd once more
in the Cabinet Stephens, and Keilt, and
Pryor rampant again in the House Such
were the deductions made by as conservative
press as the n. Y. Commercial Advertiser,
and as radical a writer as the Rev. George B.
Cheaver. TLese deductions fall, OF course,
on the correction OF the blunder the criti-
eism goes for nothing In fact, the President
has been badly abused and by bis friends
more than by his enemies See the old Ma
uonal lntelligcnoer intimating, in the kndost
tones and courtly phrases, that the proclama-
ton is piece of legeraemain that while il
procaims emancipation, It means no enamel
patton that it only means to convince every
body that emancipation is impossible and alb
surd Now, that is more than unkind, and
unjust, and disrespectiul to the President
1t smacks OF treason it tells the rebels they
are not to fear the proclamation-lhat they
may persist in rebellion without danger to
slavery ; it's a counter proclamation. See
the New York World caricaturing the Prcsi-
dent as Blondin playing his antics upon the
ught-rope That is positively abusive aud in
sulung. Compared with that Vim. Lloyd
Garrsons comments are gentlemanly and
just. He sees as much good as he can in the
pro, lamation, and he is so far respectful to
the President as to condemn things rather
than the man--his measures, MOTHS motives.
1t is colonization of the xpatriation
mot the President-which Is mean, abu-
slye and proscriptiye.'
There are tour things in the proclamation.
First, d reclamation that the object Of the
war is practically to restore theUnlon in ailits
constitutional relations; second, promise to
urge the plan OF voluntary compensated emau-
cipaton third, warning that all slaves IN
rebelllous states on the fret oil January next
shall be treated by the executive department,
including the army and navy, as tree men
aud fourth, a simple PRONUNCIATION of the new
acts Of Congress IN repect to fugitive slaves.
Inc third point touches the quick. The con-
seryauves condemn 1t for touching slavery
ia rebellious quarters, and the radicals con-
denim 1t for leaving slavery untouched in loyal
quarters. They both forget the law, and
therefore they are both wrong we mean the
copied into the proclamation. Inc law de-
sl~rsv she iroea.rn Of slaves Of all Traitors,
and aiders and abettors OF treason. The
President has Simply said To the masters this:
II you persist in rebellion, il you abet it or
tacltiy consent TO 1t, II you permit the rebels
to prevent the exercise OF your political du-
ties and privileges, or neglect to assume youI
part OF responsibility IN the Government,
then / shall consider you as rebels, and your
slaves as ireemen under the law. If you on
the contrary perform your functions and du-
ties IN the Union and under the constitution,
then shall consider your slaves untouched
by the law, and snail not NEEDLE with them.
lie aids that II any loyal man shall suffer IN
consequence OF this application Of the law,
be shall recommend compensation by the u
nlted States. That Is tue Proclamation as
we understand it. Our friend and sometimes
contributor was harsh in calling tia menace
radicals and conservatives alike nave abused
the proclamation. We suspect iS WIS greatly
needed as a spur to the border slave states,
and that the President has not in the slightest
degree exceeded bis duty. As before observ-
ed. We were long ago for giving him the pow
or TO do this very thing