Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-10-18
SATURDAY, OCTOBER IS. 1862.
The Oregon Statesman and the President'
Proclamation.

The Oregon Statesman and the Presidents
Proclamation.
No paper on the Pacific coast has given the
present Administration o more cordial and
efficient support, nor expressed more fully our
views of the war, than has the Oregon States
man till within few weeks past. But it ap-
pears change has come over the spirit Of its
dreams, and wefind it condemning that which
it but few weeks ago approved. This has
occasioned no little surprise, as that paper has
been noted for its consistent course. To Illus
trate this change. we copy in another column
the leader Of that paper of the 9th inst. under
the caption of "The Presidents Proclama-
ton" In August last, that paper contained
an able article approving the confscatiou pol
icy, and urging the President to adopt the
very policy to which it now takes exception.
We copy as follows:
cat last the powers on the throne and behind
It,, begin to comprehend that the policy Of wound
ing rebellion with one hand and applying lini'
ments and healing salve with the other, will new
er succeed in putting it down. The most rigoi-
will be found necessary-and in tie case OF guer-
ilas, even more than that will certainly be excusa-
BILE. tits fully time that the most and speedy
means should be brought into requisition, and we
are heartily glad that the Government has at
length reached the point of bringing some Of them
into use. We know of nothing better calculated
to secure the allegiance of conditional Union men
than the certain prospect OF being deprived ofher
property in case they should be found cooperating
with rebels while the same procedure against
full-blown traitors would 60 farther to induce
their return to submission, than bullets or reason
1t has often been said that an appeal to the peck
ct is more potent than to the head or heart. We
have made the appeal to their heads and hearts;
and now we are in favor of seeing the experiment
tried on their pockets.
Let the reader compare the above with the
article of the 9Th inst, and decide if we are
not sustained in our position. The recent
proclamation Of the President is nothing more
than carrying into practical effect the conGs-
cation policy so cordially approved by the
!Statesman. 1t then said that "nothing was
better calculated to secure the allegiance Of
conditional Union men than the certain pros
pect Of being deprived Of theirproperty in case
they should be found cooperating with
rebels" and this sentiment met with a most
hearty response from oil good Union men.
He now says, the proclamation falls dead at
its utterance. only as it is, and shall be, en-.
forced at the point Of the bayonet." Does not
the same objection apply to the cosfscation
ofnegro property! They cannot b. deprived
Of their property until We conquer and hold
possession Of the country. There is really no
difference practically between coniscation and
emancipation. and lift was right for Congress
TO declare by law that the negroes Of rebel
masters should be considered free after the
2lst Of September, it was certainly right for
the President to give practical effect to the law
by prcclaiming all the slaves, in the States
in rebellion after the lat Of January next, for.
ever free. The moment slave is freed by
operation Of the con6scation law, he must
necessarily remain 80.
The Stasesmax says: The President pro.
poses that the freed slaves shall be paid for by
tax upon all the States" Now we don't
understand the President as proposing any
such thing. He only proposes to pay for the
slaves Of loyal masters. tits we'll understood
that say nineteen-twentieths Of the slaves Of
the rebel States are owned by rebel masters.
Now suppose these Is four millions Of slaves
eon6sc&ssd by the proclamation, and that it
appears on Investigation that one-fourth are
owned by loyal masters, there will be prob
able one million slaves for which payment is
to be rendered. At three hundred dollars
apiece this number win the cost Government
e300.000.0 900, the interest on which will
amount to eighteen millions per annum. IL
this beyond the reach Of our ability to pay
a continuance Of the war, for six months will
cost more than this amount.
The Sasesmas appears disposed to magui-
fy the national debt. and to und~rrats our
ability to prosecute tho war. It assumes the
debt At the present timsto be q. SOC. 900 900.
Why does il disregard the Official statement
oftLe Secretary Of the Treasury 1t will b.
observed BY rsfsrencs to the following extract
from that document that the public debt. on
the 3oth june. 1853. At 500. 100000 Which
is the better anthorityi 1t 10 true the sx-
pcnses If tho war will be largely increased
during thslast nix months Of the fiscal year,
in consequence Of The additional sorcs which
has been raised. for which estimate has not
been made in the report. This increase Of the
army win add to the estimate three or four