The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-10-03
From the New York Tribune.
The Proclamation Of Freedom.

| In sacred ana profane poetry, the epitome
Of all human wisdom. there is no truth more
clearly recognized than that in the lives
of nations and of men there comes sometimes
precious moment, mere point of time, on
the proper use Of which depends salvation
for that life, whether temporal or eternal
That moment has come to us. The procla.
nation Of the President. which gives in a
certain contlngcncy-al,nost sure to OCCUR
Freedom to four millions Of men. is one Of
those stupendous facts in human history
which marks not only an era in the progress
Of the nation, but an epoch in the history OF
the world. Shall we recognize and uss 1t
wisely, or shall we bindly and foolishly, re.
fuse to see that we have now our future in
our own hands, and enter upon that down.
ward career which leads eventually to ruin
and oblivion?
We tremble at this tremendous RESPONSE
bility. We cannot forget how for nearly
half century the people OF this country
have been taught in the church, the school,
and on the political platform, that evil is our
good; that the one sacred thing in all our
institutions is the system Of Slavery. But We
remember also with gladness and with hope
that the counter lesson has been taught by a
portion Of the press, by the pulpit, here and
there faithful to its sacred trust, by the way,
side BY self.denying men, that Liberty is
above all things precious. the one thing With
out which there is no truthful and perma-
nent national life, and no individual develop
ment out of which great nations grow. We
remember how the events of the past two
years have done and undone the work Of half
a century; and the people OF 1860 have be-
come, in 1862, a people Of totally different
and new intellectual and moral life. W here
MS in 1860 we bowed before, while we de-.
youtly believed in the safety and the wisdom
of Human Slavery, in 1862 we know it is
our curse and our danger, costing us already
the lives of hundreds of thousands of our
young men, and threatening the dearer life
of the nation itself.
But while we rejoice and hope for the best,
we tremble. There are among us men whose
ioolishness will not depart FROM them though
IL be bnyed in u inortar-other men who
will not cease from wicked ways while in the
flesh. But the enamel patton which the
President has proclaimed is the emancipa-
ton OF more than four millions OF black
slaves; it Is tho freedom of well-nigh twenty
millions from thraldom they have been
taught to reverence. Have they learned
Alright the lessons Of the last two years p
DO they know now that they also have been
in bondage, and will they accept this great
boon of freedom which wise ruler offers
them? We hope so; We deyoutly pray
that wisdom may enter into the hearts
of all the people. Let the President know
that everywhere throughout all the land he
is hailed rs Wisest and Best, and that by this
great deed of Acknowledgement to an OPP
pressed people-a deed, the doing whereof
was never before youcbsafed to any mortal
ruler-be re-creates nation.
For such indeed is the fact. by single
blow he has palsied the right arm of rebel
lion. Slavery is the root of the rebellion !;
he digs 1t up by the roots. Property in
slaves, the appalling events of the last two
years show, is dangerous to the existence oil
the nation; he destroys such property. The
rebels are dependent for their daily subsis.
tence upon their slaves no makes those
slaves freemen. As slaves they are the mere
subjects of rebels, to toll for them, to be used
by them as beasts Of burden as freemen they
arc the loyal allies of free Government ask
ing only in return the protection which such
government gives to the humblest citizen.
BY word the President transforms State
sunk in the standardization Of medieval
age to the light and civilization OF the nine
tcenth christian century. As it is not ex-
travagant to say that God had hid away this
continent till the human race had reached
its manhood and was fit to enter uEon 50 fair
an Inheritance, 20 II is n simple statement of
a truth to say that in all the ages there has
been no act Of one man and of on, people 30
sublime as this emancipation Of race-n0
act so fraught with good Tor the sons Of men
in oil time to Come.
Is the President in advance of the people
We think not. and the evidence of four and
twenty hours already sustain our conviction.
There are men OF the baser sort who will
carp and cavil. who will prophcsy evil, and
strive to make their prophecies their own inl.
illment. When was 1t ever otherwise But
this man. sprung from the people, has gaug-
ed the wisdom and the virtue oil the common
atty, and speaks with their voice. The sa-
gacity and the integrity which SO distinguish
him have no more failed him now than here
tofore. All good men praise him, all far SEQ.
Ing men approve his action; all brave men
applaud Encourage which, unappalled by ac-
cumulating danger, never ialters. meyer yields
but puts forth its strength at the right mo.
ment, and plants the right blow in the right
place. 1t is the way to conquer; it cannot
fail. Tho reserved strength OF the people
has never been wanting in any crisis that has
called il forth. We mark of the war into
periods when some new exigcncy II has man
Tested it with unexpected power. IL began
with the fall Of Sumpter. when treason faded
away like darkness before the light. The
proclamation of emancipation will bring out
that Iull strength. and the Union us II should
he will date from the day OF its consumma-
tion.