Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-10-15
THE NEW YORK WORLD On LINCOLN'S
PROCLAMATION. -

The New York World has a long article on Lin
coins emancipation proclamation. 1t says that he
has Swung loose from the constitutional mornings
of his inaugural address and his messages at the
opening of the two successive sessions of Congress
under his administration, and is fully adrift on the
current of radical fanaticism" From the article we
extract the following:
He has been coerced by the insanity of the radl-
GALS by the denunciation of their presses, by the
threats of their Governors and Senators that ne
should resign, into proclamation which on us
face violates the Constitution, is contrary to the
general current of civilization in the conduct OF
war as it has run since the Crusades, IS IN oppo-
stion to the solemn declarations made by our GoV-
eminent that this was not to be war OF su6]uga-
ton and in manifest obstruction Of the reunion Of
those States for which the nation has fought,
and is ready to lavish its blood and treasure
We demand to be informed whence the President
derives his power to issue any such proclamation
as he has now published? Not from the Constltu-
ton surely, for it is in plain violation OF some OF Its
leading provisions Not from the laws OF war, 1or
| the laws of war tolerate no such Proceeolng: MOI
even from the socalled confscatlon act whlch the
President was at one time on the poht OF vetolng,
for the proclamation does not conform to Its pro-
v;s,ons This proclamation is made IN some pur-
suance of that higher law-that is to say, that open
da6ance of lawSwhich has distinguished the tribe
oc pacfi
Their moral notions sublimated and transcen.
dental that they do not recognize the obligation of
n conpact or the binding force of an oath, or the
authority of constitutional law duly enacted
They acknowledge no law but their own unregula-
ted impulses. Sectional hate party spirit, political
passions inflamed to diabolical fury-these the
t.hrber law" of these wretched zealots in COM
parison with which the sacred obligations of the
fundamental law of the land and the public law of
nations are as light, in their estimation, as the
feathers of gossamer's wing. In obedience to
this higher law Of unreasoning passion they under
took many years ago, to annul one distastefnl but
minor provision of the Constitution; now they give
loose rens to their fanatlcsm and drive with coach
and six through the very body OF the instrument
The Constitution coners the Federal Govern
ment no power to change the domestic institutions
of the States This policy makes changes Of the
most violent and sweeping character, changes which
even the Republican party, in its National Conven.
tons, discalmed any intention OF making and ad-
mitted to be unconstitutional The Constitution
protects the property of all citizens from forfeiture
by civil penalty without trial and conviction; this
policy inh:cts heavy penalties without even the pre-
tence of tral-inhicts them on all the citizens OF
whole States, without the pretence of any dis
elimination between the innocent and tho guilty,
blending them all into one ndiStinguiShable mass,
| without any regard to whether they had borne arms
against the Government or were non-cOmbatants, or
whether they had gone into the rebellion voiuntari-
", or had been coerced into it by the terrorism
! which has prevailed at the South. The Constitu-
ton describes the crime of evying war against the
United States as treason, and makes certain broad
regulations respecting its punishment; but the poll
| CIV in question assumes to punish levying war IN
| different way from what the Constitution allows it
| to be punished, by Furnishing it under some other
name. A man cannot be constitutonay punished
as traitor till he has been first tried; but this
81,
| inhicting the punishment under some other form
| than penalty of treason. A universal confscation
of the private property of batants, through
out whole States without trial, without any attempt
to distinguish between innocent and guilty, or be
tween the property of full grown male citizens and
| that Of minors and orphans, held by guardians or
trustees, is alike contrary to the Constitution and
to the laws of civilized war, which respect the pr
vate property of noncou,batants.
If we descend from the Constitution to the con-
fscation act, shall find this extraordinary pro-
clamation indefensble the principles of that
act. That law does not act on the gross population
of areas of country, but on individual persons. The
! forfeitures it dcnounces confined to persons
rebellion against the Government. What can be
more preposterous, or more monstrous perversion
of Justice than to make the guilt innocence of
individual depend whether the State in which he
happened to be born shall have representatives in
Congress on the first day of January? Itwould be
sufficiently monstrous to make mans right to his
property depend his own exercise of the elective
franchise. Never was there SO degrading satire
on republican institutions the compulsory voting
required by President Lincoln. But when mans
property is made to depend not whether he
chooses to vote himself but whether his fellow
citizens choose to vote, and whether the number vo
ting under this executive compulson happens to oe
a ma oriy, lost in establishment that chief
magistrate of a free country should undertake to
hat
act under coercion and to convert the ballot box
into criminal tribunal What has the number of
votes cast in particular election to do with the
question whether particular citizen is guilty of
treason? Why should women, minors, and orphans,
be deprived of their property in consequence of the
neglect of citizens to vote?
This extraordinary proclamation will bring no
advantages to the negro race at all proportonate to
the distractions it throws in the way of reunon.-
1t is certain that the Union will be restored
till this illadvised action of the Government is re-
versed 1t converts every nhabitant of the South
into Zeaot, whose all is embarked in the success
of the rebellion. The idea that they will succumb
to threats, that they will vote compusion, that
they will feel terror or misgivings, or anything but
increased indignation, at such proclamation shows
small knowledge either of human nature or of the
Southern mind. Such proclamation cannot pos
sibly be enforced and its only effect will be to
strengthen the determination of the rebels to fight
to the very last They are shut up in lane which
has no turning. When the military power of the
rebels is broken we have laid before ourselves still
harder task to perform. At the very crisis of the
contest OF arms the President has reinforced them
as eectually as if he had doubled their squadrons
in the field. We may learn from our enemies. They
will rejoice. Their leaders will make of this pro-
clamation their chefest moral weapon 1t is pow
erless in our hands for good-in theirs, it will be
potent for evil. Our only salvation now is in the
ballotbox. To that it yet remains possible for the
people to resort. There the battle lost to-day may
be won to-morrow-there alone the insulted maes-
ty of the Constitution may be indicated by the
people against its faithless custodians.
CONFEDERATE CouRTs.-We copy the following
tor the information of all interested in the Coned
\ crate Courts:
The Fall Term of the Confederate Courts will be
held as follows:
For the Albemarle District, at Rocky Mount, on
the third Monday in November next
For the Papco District at Goldsboro', on the
| fourth Monday in November next