The Portland daily press., 1862-10-02
Prof. Parsons on the proclamation.

Prof Theophilus Parsons, of the Harvard
Law School, is probably as good authority on
questions of Common or of international Law,
or the Laws of Belligerents, as any man in Am
erica. He is a conservative, never has favored
abolition, and therefore his views are not pre-
sumed to be influenced in favor ofthe legality of
the proclamation by any political predictions.
He has written a communication to the Bos-
ton Daily Advertiser, and we make the follow
ing extracts, which will be found to give forth
very different ring from the leading articles
which have recently appeared in the Advertis-
er's namesake in this city:
"Some persons denounce the Presidents
proclamation rs unconstitutional land this word
exerts and should exert great influence
| suppose it certain that he has no power to
emancipate slaves as a civil act; that he has a
constitutional power TO do this as Il military
act, grounded on a military necessity; that the
Commander-n-Chief of our army must have
the right to judge of the existence and the
force of this necessity. 1t follows, that if he
has erred it was not by the assumption of a
power he did not right;ully possess, but in the
exercise of right that belonged to him.
/ am not an abolitionist. l did not expect
or desire this measure, nor do / see its neces-
sity. But why should not defer to the judg-
ment of the President? 1t was his duty to
form and to act upon this Judgment. He has
acted under pressure, but it was pressure on
both sides. He knows all the facts upon
which / could form an opinion. aud many
which do not He must know better than
how far it will be an help and how far an him
drance in the work he has to do. And he must
know better than / can whether such meas
ure was necessary to arrest impending and
important peril from abroad. Would it not be
very foolish to suppose the judgment of one
who had only my means of judgment, likely
TO be wiser than that of one who has the means
which the President possesses?
A short time may determine whether this
nation is to live or die. And the influence of
this war and of its result may be as broad as
the world and as lasting as time. And how
much we are doing which, in its greatness, is
worthy of the hour! We are pouring out our
best blood like water Some of us-how many!
offer up our sons and send them to the battle
with smile, and when they die, bury them
almost without a tear. Can we not sacrifice
our prejudices and our passions, our cherished
opinions, our partizan habits and associations,
and even the assertions and declarations to
which we stand committed? Must not these
sacrifices be made unless we are willing that
all other sacrifices should be unavailable? Is
our patriotism no longer patriotism when it
demands-not money, for that we are ready
to give-not effort, for that we are willing to
make-not blood and life, for these we are
pouring out; but submisson-simple. honest
real submission, to constituted authority?
For myself, l have now no politics, and de-
sire 10 have none, but the purpose of SUSTAIN
ing my country, and therefore its government,
in every way that can, and with the whole
of the little strength possess.