Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-09-24
The Prestdemt,s proclamation


see Greeley, editor of the New York 7Fi-
bune, in reply to public letter which Mr.
Greeley had addressed to him through his
paper a few days previous. In that letter
the President declared to the world that
his policy concerning slavery in this war
was governed solely and exclusively by its
relation to the paramount consideration OF
saving the Union. His own words were:
"What do about slavery and the cOlored
race do because it helps to save this
Uaiou; and what forbear ] forbear be-
cause l do not believe it would help to
save the Union. shall do less whenever
l believe what am doing hurts the cause,
and | shall do more whenever ! shall be-
lieve doing more will help the cause"
We cite the extract as preparatory to
calling attention to the proclamation of
the President which appeared in our teie-
graphic columns yesterday. The President
in pursuance of the policy laid down in the
paragraph which we have quoted has issu-
ed his proclamation giving notice that "on
the first day of January, in the year OF
our Lord, one thousand eight hundred
AID sixty-three, all persons held
slaves within any State or any designated
part of State, the people whereof shall
then be in rebellion against the United
States shall be then and thenceforwHrd
and forever free, and the Executive of the
Government of the United States, inclu-
ding the military and naval authority there
of, will recognize and maintain the freedom
of such persons, and will do no act or acts,
nor repress such persons or any of them in
any efforts they may make for their actual
freedom"
These two extracts, the one from the
Presidents letter and the other from his
proclamation, logically follow each other.
Fair notice was given to the world by the
President that there might come time
when in his judgment it would be necessary
for him to do more than be was then doing
in reference to slavery. In fact the Presi-
dent leaves all readers to infer that it was
his belief that the time was coming, as
indeed IL vas the belief of nearly every
man and woman in the loyal States who
had mind and intelligence enough to appre-
ciate the cause of the war and this changes
which had characterized public sentiment
IN reference to that cause. The policy
assumed by the President yesterday was
simply a question of time. 1t had to
TO come SO certainly rs the war went on.
All thinking men have agreed that there
was every probability that the institution
of slavery would go under in this war.
Andrew johnson, of Tennessee, distinctly
avowed it in one of his great speeches in
the o. S. Senate. Hon. Joseph Holt said
80 early in the campaign. Brownlow told
the people of Tennessee so before his pa
per was destroyed. Aud were we inclined
to quote John S. Carlile against him
SELF we could cite his speech of March 18th,
1861, in the Richmond Convention, in
which he gave notice that secession was
the. death-blow of slavery. All the leading
Union men of the border States have con-
CURED in the opinion that the South had
simply the choice between submission to
the Federal Government or the destruction
of slavery.
The time has come in the judgment Of
the President to issue his last notice and
warning to the people of the South who are
in rebellion. Aud accordingly they are
notified that if they continue in rebellion
after the first DAY Of January next their
slaves shall be forever free. In this pro.
clamation the President will have the
warm support of the loyal States
His friends will all be united now
and he will not ALLEVIATE single man whose
heart is truly in the cause. All men have
taken their sides ere this, and he who is
not for the Union now will never be for it
except upon grounds of policy. The Pres
ident does what he proposes simply be-
cause he finds it necessary for the salvation
of the Union, and with his great oppor-
tunities for knowing what is necessary,
aud his honest heart always to dictate to
him what is right, the people will rally
round him closer aud closer. There will
be some persons who will make the procla-
nation the occasion for the commencement
of hostilities-just as they made the first
proclamation he ever issued an OCCASION
But as they did not effect their ends then
so they will not now. Such people will
be tramped to the bottom. They cannot
roll back the tide ofcevents. That which
has been SO long prophesied is now upon
Us. Let the guilty head OF secession bear
it all without word of sympathy from one
loyal man OF woman. For our part while
we depIore the stern necessity that has
compelled the President to the step be has
taken, we say thousand Ameus to the
proclamation. In the language of that dis
tioguisbed patriot Col. Metcalf, of KY, we