New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-05-29
COMING EVENTS.

The late proclamation of President Lincoln su.
perseding Gen. Hunters order llberating cer.nin
slaves. strikes us as being OF the most signih-
cant documents of the times IL VIII bear re-
peated readings, and the oitener read, the more
preenant with important iBiercnces Will II be
found Taken rs whole, a. well as IN detail, II
iudicitcs decided progress in tie right direction.
Its tone has made it sngularly acceptable with the
pubic Nothing short Of n conviction OF it- pro-
Qrcssiyc significance, OF its really ominous intnia-
tons. could have secured this acceptance. ~ VIII
I b, noticeable for casting no ccnsure whatever Oh
/ Gen. Hunter for issuing his comprehensive order.
| Ii contains no expression ly which ne can feel
: humiliated, nothing 50 touching his military arg
nity as 10 require him to resign. On the contrary,
Hunter il not singled out as the only commander
not authorized to issue m emancipation order,
but II il expressly asserted that no "other COM
mander or person has been authorized mus
the utmost consequence ia the pronOunc'ng oil IL
"olto.pther void" The President Us Comuian-
der-in- Chief has undoubtcd power TO eoun'er'naad
any order issued by a subordinate, no matter
what may be- the subject TO which 1t relates, ana
such countcrmandiug implies no censnre OF the
subo. dinate but merely difference Of opHion rs
to expedicncy.
Again. the President must have been satisfied
tina, Gen. Hunters order was sound military law
that If permitted Ia stand, It would DC thor
oughly effective n an act nj emancipation. To
avoid result thus clearly seen to be Inevitable,
aud 10 doubt considered premature, the order was
declared void. TIE mere act OF avoidance IN an
uum.salablc admission inst Die power TO eu'an-
cipate is 81 Incident Of the military authority m
reb.llious district The admis ION was first made
when Frcmonts proclamation waS shorn oi its
comprehensive featuies, ard now i Is striAiagy
relfirm-d No other sound construction can be-
placed upon the act-no other Inference drawn
from tit is tue legal and logical sequence nom
the premises. No doub, ih- single question was,
though not avowed. whether The time for cxercl'-
iny that power had arrived, and whether, when
exercised, il could not be- more appropriately done
by the Commandments Chief the President HIM
self. lis proclamation establishes the gr,at taoI
that the power to emaucpatc Is in tho military
arm, while il does not deny It's existence m any
other department of Government Moreover, Gen.
Hunter military district embraces only three re-
bellous States, BE-, ond which bis orders would be
imperative. But the Presidents military district
embraces them all. An emancipation order from
him would, therefore, be infinitely more c0mpre-
hensiye than any which might be promulgated BY
n subordinate. Que stroke OF hi pen would do
all that the whole body Of his commanders could
accomplish, even if they could be brought 10 har-
Inonizo in their utteranccs, with tho striking I'D
vantage of there being no higher authority io APP
peal to.
II will also be observed that, ~ if affirming this
admission OF military power over emancipation
the President IL extremely careful 70 make 10 de-
niul. Il was mol necessary for him 10 ayoy Il m
80 many words. lie makes no thr,ats--th,cntcn.
ing sccms no part of bis policy. But when he
says, 'Nhothrr il BE- competent for nae, NJ Com
maudcr-in-C hief OF the Army AMI Navy Ia tclar<
the slaves of any State or State, free" aud
whether 1t shall have become Il necessity To Ito 81,
" are questions which, under my responsibility, !
reserve 10 myself, he conveys ntnatons iuyol'-
ing the grayost consequences With these Tie pub
lie mind appears 10 be so thoroughly conient that
the countermanding of Gen. Hunters ordcr hrs
been received with feeling lar more subdurd
than that which greeted The modification OF FRI
mont's This feeling has been further strength
cnod by The most oppOrune appeal 10 thu rebel
D. b.1i l. r
sation, coupled with The half prophetic warning
tlat they cannot bee blind to the signs OF tie times,
almost saying II is now or never. Then, ~ do
moi argae." What morc>aatural than for iim 10
have added, 81 mean In actl" Words have
ceased 70 BIZ cicctiyc-deods must follow We
greatly mistake the significance Of this proclaina-
/ ton ii it fails to create a profound impression
throughout Europe, and that it, meaning VIII r.
cciyc iie same Interpretation there which many
pcrsOns have awarded to it here.
To the restless spirits OF the French press the
Government gives three warnings before proceed
ing to wipe them ont. The crycr on the auction
block usually calls out. "onc two, three" b..
| iore knocking down either horse or negro. Those
who toss copp,rs give three turns OF the penny be.
fore determining who is loser--cycn death is be-
lie.ed 10 be consiierate enough 10 give his three
sufficient warnings. The rule OF three is not lm-
| peratye-tho President may REFUGE to be bound
/ b.! it, and he Stockholders may snap their fingers
over it. But IT stgikes us that the country is in.
pressed with tao beliof that tho Prcsidout has