Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1862-10-04
The Emancipation PrOcIama,
ton.

From the New York World, Republican
President Lincoln has swung loose from the
constitutional moorings of his inaugural ad-
dress and his messages at the opening of the
two successive sessions Of Congress under his
administration. He is fully adriit on the eur
rent of radical fanatcism. We regret for his
sake, we lament for the sake of the country,
that he has been Ooerced by the insanity ofthe
radicals, by the denunciaton OF their presses,
by the threats Of their Governors and Senators
that he should resign, into proclamation
that on its face violates the Constitution, is
contrary t; the general current of civilization
in the conduct of war as it has run since the
crusades, is in opposition to the solemn decla-
rations made by our government that this
was not 10 be a war of subjugation, and in
manifest obstruction OF the reunion of those
States for which the nation has fought, and is
ready to lavish its blood and treasure.
We demand TO be informed whence the
President derives bis power to issue any such
proclamation as lie has now published2 Not
from the Constitution surely, for it is plain
violation of some of its leading provision
Not from the laws of war, for the laws Of war
tolerate no such proceeding. Not even from
the ao-called con6scaton act, which the Presi
dent was at one time on the point Of yetoing
provisions. This proclamation is made in
pursuance Of that higher law-that is to say
that open law Of defanee-which has dstin
guished the tribe Of pestilent abolition agitR
tors from the beginning Their mora
notions are so sublimated and franscendenta
that they do not recognize the obligation Of 4
compact or the binding force Of an oath, OIL
the authority Of 9 constitutional law dull
enacted. They acknowledge no Law but theil
own unregulated impulses Section hate
party, spirit, political passions intiamed tt
diabolical fnry--these are the "higher law
. of these wretched zealots, in comparison with
which the sacred obligations of the fundamen
tai law Of the, land, and the public law o
nations, are as light in their estimation, a
the feathers Of gossamers wing. In obedi
ence to this higher law of unreasoning passion
they undertook, many years ago, TO annu
one distAstefnl but minor provision OF th'
Constitution; now they give loose relns 4
their fsnaticism, and driAe with coach-ant
six through the very body of the instrument
The constitution coniera on the Fedora
: government no power 70 change the domest
Institutions of the States; this policy make
changes OF the most violent and sweepinI
character, changes which even the Republi
can party 10 its national convention diaelaim
ed any intention of making aud admitted u
, be unconstitutional The constitution protect
the property Of all citsens from forfeiture b
= civil penalty without trial and conviction shi
policy inAicts heavy penalties without eEe
the pretenes ofA trial, inaicts them on all cit
iEens Of whole States without even the pretenc
: of any discrimination between the innocsn
!. and the guilty, blending them all into one Ia
4 distinguinhAble mass without any regard /
whether they had borne arms against the gov
ernment or were non-cOmbattants, or whethe
they had gone into the rebellion voluntAril
o or had been coerced into it by the terrorism
! which has prevailed at the South. Tn
!. constitution describes the crime Of levyin
: war against the United States a. treason, an
0 makes certain broad regulations respsctin
its punishment; bnt the policy In question n