Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-09-25
THE PROCLAMATION.

The proclamation Of President Lincoln,
declaring, among other thugs, that all slaves
in the states, or parts of states, in rebellion on
the LIST day Of January, 1868, shall be forev-
er free thereafter, has been laid before our
readers. 1t is seldom that document of
such grave magnitude and immense scope
emanates from the executive department of
any country. 1t is not such proclamation
as has been camored for by many, merely
declaratory of the existing law for the conis-
cation Of slaves Of rebels to which law such
proclamation would obviously add no new
efficacy; but it is warning to the rebell-
ious states that if they persist in their present
course for three months longer, the military
power of the government will then be exer-
cised to eradicate their cherished institution
of slavery, as means to the great end of
restoring the Union. 1t is not proclama-
ton of immediate emancipation it gives the
revolted states the poltunity to avoid its
effects by returning to their loyalty.-The
policy of the government has been all along
plainly that of emancipation with compensa-
ton to the loyal slave-holding states, and
the confscation of the property, including
slaves, of rebels. The justice of this policy
towards the rebels themselves no sane man
will deny, They have no right to the pro-
lection of property of any kind, under a
government they are seeking TO over throw
and it is the obvious duty of the government
in the present national crisis to destroy the
"corner stone" of their confederacy, both for
its immediate effect in Gripping them in the
present contest, and because it is evident
that this nation can have no lasting peace
and unity so long as the Safeguarding and
essentially unrepublican institution exists.
The only doubt that could possibly exist
upon the subject in the mind Of any candid
and loyal man, would arise upon the most
polite method of accomplishing the end pro-
posed. In great nation like ours, great
aside from the rebellious states, there are
many conflicting views and feelings upon
this as upon other subjects, but upon none
other is the feeling as sharp and intense, for
many obvious reasons, as upon the subject of
slavery. For this reason the best method of
accomplishing the great end in view should
doubtless be we'll pondered. Whether the
object could not be attained as well and
speedily by freeing the slaves of rebels as
fast as we can occupy the rebel territory;
whether ifso, present general proclamation
could be as well dispensed with, as tending
to divide the north, to ALLEVIATE the border
states, and the Union men in the south, are
matters of grave Importance, and were
doubtless the subject of long and anxious
consideration on the part of the President.
The proclamation as issued, gives, as we
have said, an ample opportunity to the states
in revolt TO return to their allegiance within
the specified time, and thus save what they
regard as their rights of property; and it
affords them method not at all severe of
proving at the time, prinaa .tacie at least, that
they have not been in rebellion against the
United States. All that is necessary for
them is to elect members to the federal Con-
gress, majority of the qualified voters to
take part in such elections. That any of the
revolted states will take advantage of this
generous offer, is hardly to be expected, it is
true, unless our arms before that time shall
have given the loyal sentiment among the
masses an opportunity to develop ITSELF but
the offer, for all that, is sufficiently magnani-
nous under the circumstances. Again, the
proclamation tends to fix the policy of the
government within definite terms and limits,
for the guidance of the army and people
north, and as last aud emphat ic warning to
the rebels south. 1t is also another appeal to
the border states to accept the liberal offer of
compensation for their slaves, while the OPP
portunity remains open; and the portion of
the proclamation relating to slavery south,
delayed in its operation until the border
states have had an opportunity of showing
disposition to accept the terms proposed, rem
ders the appeal to the latter states mo re
emphatic and forcisle.
That the stern logic of events, the safety
and unity of the nation, imperatively de-
nanded the general coniscation of the slaves
and other properly ofrebels, must have been
long apparent to all candid men of the Dor
der states as well as of the north and this
proclamation, fixing as it does a time within
which the revolted states may save themselves
nom the just penalty, ought not, and we be-
heve will not have the effect, which We mem
ssaed q possibly feared by some honest