North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1862-12-10
The Presidents Message.


ITS entire omission. we have chosen the lat
ter course. but as there is very natural de
sire to know something OF TIE Sontents o
this docdment, we viii briefly State that is
mainly devoted to the three Questions of ou
foreign relations, the finances and etiancipa
tioh. Our foreign relations remain undis
turbed. In relation to the finances, the
President knows Of no mode which promise
SO certain results as the organization Of bank
ing associations under general act of Con
gress, well guarded in its provisions. d
The message favors African colonization
and says the opinion among the blacks il
this respect is improving. --- -s- .iass.
He endorses the proclamation act of Sep
tember. He says there is no line straight ol
crooked for national boundary upon which
to divide the Republic. ,.srn f9,r 9
He recommends the adoption of amend,
ments to the Constitution, prop sing that ev-
cry State in which slavery exists shall abol-
sh the same therein, before the lst Of Jsnu :
ary, 1900, the owners to be compensated by
the United States. ,.f. ., z.-..t .a +
| All slaves who have enjoyed actual freedom
by the chances ii the war;, at any time before
the end Of the rebellion, shall be forever free
but all owners of such, who shall not have
been disloyal, shall be compensated for
them. " . ..rr ~.r.
Congress may appropriate money for colo
o., -;
consent at any place or places without the
United States. ......r .r ,r
He urges these proposed articles at some
length, maintaining that without slavery the
rebellion never could have existed, and with
out slavery it could not continue.
The Journal of Commerce, speaking of the
message, says: .. r
"The financial propositions Of the Presi-
dent require no examination at the hands of
men familiar with the laws of finance. They
are rejected at once by the good sense of the
experienced banker or financier, without a
moments hesitation. Again aud again here
tofore such plans have been examined, sifted,
even tried, and they have always proved ru-
inous. At the present t ine especially they
arc untitled to the wants of the country.
Any great change in the currency, such as is
| proposed, would produce commercial disaster
everywhere. Before the change could be ef-
fected the majority of banks and bankers
would be ruined, the people would be con-
vulsed with financial embarrassments, and
The distress which would visit high as we'll as
low would inevitably set the seal of condem-
nation on the proposed system. Certainly
the President and his advisers cannot have
any clear idea of the working Of the laws of
money. They need experience in the com.
mon affairs of the mohey world, or they nev-
er would have threatened US with a plan so
crude, so manfestly worthless for all practi.
cal purposes, even if it be not entirely with !.
out authority of the Constitution. s..u 4.
Mr.. Lincoln is evidently in earnest in his
plans of emancipation. His earnestness de-
| mands that his views receive a careful, can
| did and studious examination by the people,
and this they will hive. Blu. who can read
| them at moment like this and not be aston
| ishod at their presentation as a means Of
bringing to an end the existing wal; which is
destroying the nation ? We are compelled
to say that the whole plan indicates failure
on the part ofthe President to appreciate the
vastness of the war, the swift nature of its
J influences, the terrible verge on which the
country trembles. While Congress is dis
cussing and adopting amendments to the
Constitution, while the Legislatures of the
States are assembling and considering them,
after Congress shall have done with them,
| while we wait the chances of all The free
States and seven Of the slave States agreeing
to incorporate these propositions in the grand
instrument of our national existence, the war
goes on fearfully, and the blood of the people
flows fast and-if this plan be our only hope
| lin vain -
! Mr.Lincoln makes that terrible error Of
| imagining, as the radical men have taught
him, that this war Is war about slavery
alone, that slavery is the cause of rebellion,
otSdSa CVLuGHt, ulSuliUii' l1c pTUpDSGS u
adopt a scheme of emancipation involving an
immense debt, on the theory that if ne can
thus dispose of the slavery question he will
have removed out of the way all causes OF
discord, the American millennium viii have
/ dawned, and--no matter what it costs us
we have nothing to do but live on in peace
and prosperity, with no domestic broils, no
foreign war, no troubles, no block to our
prosperity, until we are nation eff hundred
millions-then pay our debt and be perfectly
blessed. The theory is strange enough in
peaceable times, it is with solemn sadness
that we see it offered in these days of awful
war. as means of ending conflict and estab-
fishing national peace and union. To us it
appears as impracticable and hopeless of good
as letting go an anchor in mid ocean to save a
vessel that is driving before tempest, with
torn sails and disheartened crew. $500
| r What the People Pay For.