Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-11-20
Emancipation.

Hlan""Nspassvus
The Seymour democracy are endeavoring to
exert their influence, since their successes in
recent elections, to induce revocation by the
President of his proclamation of emancipation.
Though they are making professions of an in
tention to support the President in a vigorous
prosecution of the war, they still demand for
the enemy what they dcnominate the guar
antees of the constitution, though the rebels
themselves have repudiated it and consequent
ly forfeited all claims to its protection. While
we are wsging war, to save the Republic, and
are sacrificing thousands of lives and millions
of property, these proposed vigorous prosecu-
tors of the war demand that we should
strengthen the enemy against whom we are
fighting by protecting their property in slaves.
We fancy it is their business under the eircum-
stances to save their property, ours to destroy
il if we can. There is nothing in the consti-
tuition that we know OF, which exempts any
species of the property of rebels in open war
against it. Is it not enough then that even
these traitors are assured by the proclamation
itself of protection to their property if they
will return to the shelter of the constitution
There is little danger that the President will
be moved a jot in his righteous purpose. On
the first of January next the final step will
be taken which shall eventually rid the coun-
try of its great disturbing element, and whose
removal alone shall enable the then homoge-
neous family of states to live in harmony
never yet realized.
Meanwhile it is instructive to notice some
what similar movement in progress in a for
sign country similar, yet with this important
difference; in this land it is inaugurated in
time of war, not as an end in ITSELF but as a
purely war measure to weaken the enemy and
aid in the restoration Of the Union. In Russia,
with despotic government, it was inaugurated
and is being carried on in time of peace
The parallel between the opposition of the no.
bility of Russia, the serf owners, and the slave
owners of the South is perhaps natural; but
it would be impossible in the whole history of
the world to discover parallel to the opposi
ton which Is persistently made, in time of
great national peril, 3lto such a purely war
measure instituted for the crushing of fla
grant and powerful rebellion, by men who
hare no interest ia SIauery, tOho profess to be
loyal to the government and for rigorous
prosecution Of the aoar and punishment of the
traitors. Where is another instance of oppo-
xition from such a source to such a measure /?
But to the case of Russia and our readers
will keep in mind the different circumstances
and motives under which the emancipation
measures are instituted in the two countries.
A correspondent of the N. Y. Post says:
In Russia there is sadder and
more touching spectacle A ruler who is con-
sclentlously endeavoring to work out a great
problem for securing the happiness of his peo-
pie and strengthening the foundations of his
empire, is compelled to endure the united op-
position of class who are as grasping and
selfish and overpowering as the rebels who ar
r, v themselves In arms against the government
ofth, scountry. The Emperor's Proclamation
of Em,, rlpation, antedating that Of President
L;nco1n =, hts full In his path the solid phal-
anx Of Pc, 'stocracy" which is "borp to
comna,. ~ q. rs environed his throne not
9TH uGhn a' Heb nd vigilant fighters Int but
WIN earnest helpers a. lied and Sues, Da'
WIN horde of half civ. mt j. a.l
g, Ss k masters Obstacles are ; for tho " wa;
: ms penehcent plan of free, 'oi- I:moa 49,
rs s' n Jorls Of the empire, just 'npeuins'
ed lf fraoJ between Mr. Lincoln nd ihe prom
eo freedom Of the slaves at tho 9. nth. Both
10 Auiocrat and the President eno. inter bit
u, ~ malignant and persistent bost;h,n from
Wv sacrif f,nef h privileged class, who WI,
dol of selfae ppra, ,J virtue and patriotism
q southora oe'ween the Russian bono~,
soa' ne; siaveowner. The one d ooyar +
Ro sh .ne other fights against i %, - "
4 pp n are welded to system Of - 81 as pi
1eId n "a L nothing to them wba, I, Vi
, > ~ - oonoage is white or black ar p'a
,snt "''1oratc or a democratic foru, 1T {
on'' both are reckless and do aoam tiol
e ;s Of the great law of Fres ai'er- stal
t't aba received from Russ;a Gen
,v ;he work of emancipation n masas Ric
outstanding the difficulties wh;aa and
mas > encountered. A letter I f.o. of IL
dated ate Oct 9th, gives , q or from stan
he results up to that 3 i;rao info
cd with the emanc i .l me ton
g.. riter,) 90 on in ~ pt.ioa