The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-10-03
The Press upon the Emancipation Pro.
clamatiOn.

| A"S pieSiOent pTUcldIudlious III dCCoIOduCe
with law of Congress for freeing the slaves
OF rebels, has been issued at the urgent re-
quest-we might say demand-of the ultra
republicans who appear determined to embar-
rass the government as much as possible, and
to render the preservation of the constitution
and the re-establishment of the Union con-
summation beyond the power Of the admin
stration to effect. Had a man Of mnre NOR
al courage and self-reliance inan N, Lincoln
occupied his seat, these intelneddle's would
have met with rebuke which would have
sllenced them and given satisfaction TO the
latlon. There is nothing s.rikingiy new in
the measures advocated in the proclamation
all II says about freein, the slaves of rebels
has been practiced wherever our army has
heid control, and the law of Congress can
only be carried into effect in the enemys ter
rltory where the army is established but the
consequence of renewing this discussion by
the executive in the present form, can only be
to introduce contention where harmony is
necessary to our national salvation, ,and doubt
where confidence was gaining ascendency-
armies cannot penetrate, of courseis nulli-
iy, and will excite the ridicule that follows
impotency. The country will sustain all pub
lie servants who adhere to the constitution,
but whoever violates that instrument willful-
iy and desgnedly, is traitor, whether he be
in private or public life, and should be SO re-
sarded. In whatever the president does to
uphold the constitutional government of the
United States, and TO subdue the rebels now
devastating the land, he will be cordially sus-
tanned by the unstinted blood and treasure of
the people but should he transcend his le-
gi,imate limits to CRAFTY the ultra spirits who
urge him TO extremes his own Judgment
condemns. he will forfeit the confidence of his
fellow-men, and leave his country wreck to
the mad ambition of those who raised the
whrlwind but could not control the storm.
'-BostoH Posi-, pro-sIaccry democratic.
We will not discuss the question whether
Mr. Lincoln's proclamation of freedom to the
African race in The rebel states might not
have been more oppOrtunely issaed at the time
ofihe passage ofihc contiscication and emanci-
patton act of July last. We put aside the
question whether the interval between the
date of the proclamation and the time fixed
for carrying IFS provisions into effect be the
wisest part of the proceeding. 1t satisfies US
that the step has al length beer taken. The
twen'y-second of September in this year viii
hereafter be day TO be commemorated with
peculiar honor, day illustrious in the annals
not only ofour own country bnt of the world,
the day 10 which the present chief magistrate
of the United States will recur hereafter, as
: the most glorious OF his life. On that day, il
viii be recorded. The chains q bondage were
struck from the liinhs of three millions of hu-
man beings. On that DAY SO many chattels,
by one stroke of his pen, were made men; SO
many saves, or the shedding of few drops
Of ink. started into frecmea. No act Of eman-
cipaiiOn which digaiiies the history of our
, race eyer bestowed the blessing Of fr,elon
on n sca,e so magnificent sr snsrpe! isl:naer
So many m-naeies at once.-N /. E'reainy
Post, radical republican.
We have reached 'he last stage in the pro-
gress Of rebellion. The president, il obedi-
ence 70 an act of Consress has. so Tar as states,
or portions of states, or masters, shall, on the
first day of January. 1868, stand out In rebel
lion against the government, proclaimed the
freedom of slaves, This is the most solemn
and momcntous declaration the world ever
witnessed. If We have the power to carry it
into effect. this declaration disel.thrals and
enfranehisesi millions of human beings now
: held in boz dage. of the rightfulness and
righteousness Of this proclamation, We have
no deuj; q shadow o. doubt. Slavery is tie
cause of rebellion which has cost US mill
ions of treasure and hec;acombs Of lives
: This rebellion against a government which
; protected and cherished alike the rights and
interests of all the states, has neither justif-
cation or excuse. The forfeiture of slaves
will he light penalty for So great crime
The lone aid temper Of the proclamation is
calm and ,iignitied. Time is given fo- rehec-
tion- Though VIC have slight hope that res
son will resume sway over the southern mind,
The DAY which should witness their return to
duty and obedience would lie the brightes.
and happiest in our national ealendar.-AIba-
ry Ercainy -ioWrpel, o"Rserrd'irc republican,
- THmlcr lIIcoTs paper.
! The FoIIIIJnE oF OUE WoUNDEn-The
| superintendent of a company of Massachu-
{ setis army nurses, who has Just returned from
, Washington, gives pleasant account of the
bearing of our brave soldiers under their suf-
ferins from sickness and wounds. At the
, hospitals nearest the battlefield, where the
I worst cases were received, he saw nothing but
, cheerful resignation andindomitable fortitude.
n Our soldiers accept the incidents of wounds,
9 feve-s and lack of ordinary conveniences as in
4 cvitable occurrences, and lose neither their
patience ror their faith.
4 One poor fellow, who had received sho,
o through his body, requested the surgeons to