Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-03-11

such State, in its discretion, to compehs.
ate for the inconVeniences, public and pri-
Vate, produced by such change ofsystem. /"
There can be no objection to the terms i n
which this Recommendation is couched.-
He does not ask Congress to inaugurate
any measure of emancipation-to pass a
law saying that the slaves of South Caro-
lima shall be emancipated and their owners
compensated with South Carolina's con-
sent, but that the Government "ought to
cooperate with any Staten seeking 10 free
itself from slavery. There is nothinSy
harsh, unjust, or arbitriry. There is moth.
ing even positive. As a practical meas
ure, Mr.. aLincoln's message means nothing.
as moral declaration of the intentions
OF the Government, it is Of extraordinary
Importance. 1t adopts no idea, and ia bas-
ed on no theory. We can see wherein it
will displease our radical friends, who will
be satisfied with nothing but Immediate.
universal, and unrecompensed emancipa.
ton. Those gentlemen of Southern ideas
who consider slavery as a blessing far.
above any other existing will also 6e. in.
ulguant and denunciatOrY. The peonle,
however, awho have no sympathy with
either the theOrist or the traitor, will SEQ
in this declaration Of the President the
trqe expression of their wishes, aud poll
1t will be seen that the President ex-
presses no opinion upon the judicial Uues-
tions arising out of this war. He saws
nothing of coniscatiou-of employiHg
slaves for military purposes-of freeing
tue slaves of dislOyal owners. We re-
gard his silence as an evidence of Consum.
mate wisdom. These questions must be
determined by the necessities of military
events: The necessities of military events
are peculiar to the States occupied. They
eau only be appreciated by the generals
in command, and 10 his generals the Pres.
identleaves them. He takes care not to
violate the integrity of a States existence.
oy any interference with its local rights.
out bases his action upon the broad priu-
clPle,1 that, in rendering compensatory
emancipation to the owners in the border
states, We dissolve the tie that makes
them IN sympathy with the, cotton States,
aud by depriVing tue traitor leaders of auy
hope arising of that sympathy, substanti.
ally end this rebellion. The Presidents
argument on this point is ingenious and
conclusive.
Passing from all these considerations
however, and dislnissing this question as
matter craftsmanship or argument, we
recognize in the message. of President
Lincoln a tribute to that great Northern
sentiment which is so universally felt
which dWells in the conscience of every
reasoning man, and which we are glad 10
see at last officially recognized-the senti-
ment Of regret at the existence Of slavery
The men who have doubted our President
will find in this expression of his opinion
that they have done him wrong. They
will see that amid the overwhelming in
erests and responsibilities of his high
cts s,aI g.,
all, IS the great issue involved in this war,
he makes no question of loyalty. or dis
loyalty. He assumes the restoration of
our authority over the Union MS an newt
able and immediate fact. He considers
these people of the South as the deluded
citizens Of the Union, which in their mad
ness they attempted to destroy. And in
order to secure the Republic against any
recurrence of the frenzy whose bitter re-
suits we are now so sadly experiencing, he
asks Congress SO to shape its Legislation
that the Institution existing in the South,
controlling Its statesmen. and crushing its
people; which has fostered the social and
political aristocracy on which this rebel
lion Is based, shall pass away. Not vio-
lently, not cruel, not to the injury of any
State rights, not BY outrapiug
our feelings of humanity at the Inaugural
ton of seryile war and insurrections, not
ignoring single provision of the Consti-
tuition not even offending the prejudices of
those who are so sensitive of this institu.
tion but by calm, just, and considerate
act of legislation. he recognizes the obl;-
gatiOns of the Administration upon the one
part, and of every constituent OF the Admi-
nistration upon the other, preserving sac.
redly the good faith that should exist be-
tween them
Therefore, we hail this message ofPresi-
dent Lincoln as the opening of new era
in our history. We have had victories in
the tield-let us unite and secure a victory
10 the cabtnetaud council chamber. No
loyal man can hesitate or falter when the
President leads. There can be, hereafter,
but two parties in the political contest, as
there are but two parties iu the military
sontest-those who oppose the Admins.
tration, and in doing so oppose the Union
and those who give to the President that
warm and ardent support which knows no
selfish and no personal consideration.
Our course is clear on this question, aud
so, we think, is the course of every true
minded aud patriotic man. We see in the
policy of the President the path to be
followed and 1t is the only path TO nation
al unton, peace and perpetuity.
a r ..
tFEOn they. Y. rOst (Dem' Rerublican.ll
The message of President Lincoln, re-
commencing to Congress measure hav-
ing for its ultimate object to strike the
shackles of slavery from the colored race,
is one of the most important events Of the
day. If we had received news that the
forces under Buell. had encountered the
united rebel army in Tennessee and utter
ly routed it, or that the army of the Poto-
mac had taken possession of Richmond
and cut off the rebel hosts at Manassas
and other points in Eastern Virginia from
all communication with their Commander-
int Chief aud with the Gulf States, the tid-
ings might certainly have caused more
noisy demQnstrations Of Joy, but they could
not have awakened deeper satisfaction 10
the community. fh4i@ 5at
Mr.. Lincoln, in taking this step, has ac-
quired a new title to the public respect.