East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1862-12-30
EAST SAGINAW, MICHIGAN, DECEMBER 30, 1862

first, second, and third, are for the ben.
eft of the negro. The people are sick
and tired Of this eternal talk upon the
negro, and they have expressed that,
Enthusiastically in the recent elections
The Presidents proposed amendments
as whole, or either Of them, could not
receive the suffrages of a majority of
the people of more than two States of
this Union.
While upon this subject, desire to
call the attention Of the committee to
single feature in relation to these amend.
ments. In the message he recommends
an amendment to the constitution as
follows:
"ARr.--Congress may appropriate
money, and otherwise provide for colo
nizing free colored persons, with their
own consent, at any places without the
United States"
In this recommendation he seeks to
give power to do wha. he claims he has
the power to do without it; and by this
recommendation he admits he has been
exercising unauthorized and illegal au
thority. Is not this in itself an admis
sion that the constitution, unamended,
grants no power to Congress or the
Executive to appropriate or to use the
money of the people for any purposes
contemplated in this amendment! He
calls upon us to compromise What
compromise is that? For whom does
he prodose a comprmise? What for?
ln order that you may have more power
to advance the negro. That is all there
is to it, and there is nothing less of it.
He tells us there are differences of opin-
ion among the friends of the Union, ain
regard to slavery and the African race
among u.s." He says to all of those who
differ with him, surrender your convic
tions and come to my plan-and he calls
that compromise! Compromise! Yes,
| trust in God the day is not far distant
when the people will compromise and
save the constitution and the Union, for
the white people, and not for the black
people. Our people are for no other
compromise than that.
There are portions of the message
upon which should like to oestow some
attention, but | will forbear to do so
now, fer desire to call the attention of
the committee to another proposition Of
a.. II. ssideuL CONNECTED Will InI5 sub
ject.
The proclamation of the 22d of Sep.
tcmber last, issued by the President,
took the country by surprise, aud no
one of the citizens more than myself
| had fondly hoped and been anxious
that the President Of the United States,
should so conduct himself in his high
office as Chief Magistrate, that l could
lend my support. l have been driven,
with thousands ef others, into oppo-
sition TO the policy contained in that
proclamation. for reasons which must
commend themselves to every rejecting
man sincerely desirous of terminating
this war and suppressing the rebellion.
Mr.. Lincoln, on the 4th Of March,
lS6 ,on the east portico OF this Capitol,
took vow, whidh he said was regis
tered in heaven, to support the consti-
tuition of the Uuited States In his in
augeral address delivered on that occa.
sion, he said he had no lawful authority
or INCLINATION 10 interfere with the in.
stitution Of slavery in the states where
it exists. In his proclamation of the
22 of September last, he assumes that
he has power to forever free call per-
sons held as slaves within any State or
designated part of State, the people
whereof shall be iE rebellion against the
United States," thus violating the
pledge so solemnly made in his inaugu.
raj address.
If the object of toe proclamation
was not to aid the rebellion, the effect
was. 1t has streng g.hened the REBEL.
ion by driving into their army every
person in the South, that it was poss.
ible to drive there. Was its intent to
affect those alone in rebellion? Clear.
y not. The slaves of every man in a
rebellious State were to DO free. The
loya. man owning twenty slaves, and
the man iE the rebel army owning a
like number, were by that proclamation
to be affected precisely the same. The
object of the proclamation was to ben.
eft the negro, not to resore the govern
meDt or preserve the constitution. 1t
was DotnlnS more, notnlng less. III
goes a bow shot beyond anything done
by this house at the last session of Con.
gress.
But again. If the proclamation is to
be carried into effect. the war must con.
tinue until every slave is free. If every
every rebel should lay down his arms
on tina 2i of January next, or any sub.
sequcnt day, and submit himself to the
laws and constitution of the United
States, the war would still have to go
on, unless the slaves were all free, for
the proclamation declares that 'the Elk.
ecutlvc government Of the United
Staes, including the military and naval
authorities thereof will recognise aud
maintain the freedom of such persons, >"
1t strengthens the arm of the rebellion,
and postpones abe time Of restoring
peace to this country. by the declara.
tion of the purpose for which the Elk.
ecutive power shsll be used. In what
respect has our cause.-the cause of the
Umon-becn adcancedp Up to that
time, throughout the great Northwest,
you had but to call for volunteers aud
i Al