The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1863-12-17
had Jailed to elicit from Europaao gov

ernmcnts anything hopeful upon ms
subject.
The Emancipation Proclamation,
which was issued in September was
running its assigned period to tho begin
ming Of tho new year, A month later
Elho final Proclamation came, including
tho announcement that colored men Of
suitable condition. would be received
into the war service.
The policy Of emancipation, and the
employment Of black soldiers, gave to
the future a new aspect about which
hopes, fears and doubts contended in
uncertain conflict, according TO our po.
lilical sy stem asa matter Of civil minis
tra,ion The General yernmonthod
mo lawful power 10 effect emancipation
in any State; and for .long lime ID had
been hoped that the rebellion coald be
suppressed without restoring to il rs q
military measure. II was ell the while
deemed possible that necessity for IL
might come, and that if il should the
crisis of the contest could then be pre-
sented. Ii came, and as intended, it
was followed by dark and doubtfal days
Eleven mpntbs having been passed, we
are permitted to lsko another review
the rebel borders are pressed still fur
Their back, and BY the complete opening
OF the Mississippi river the country dom
mated over by the rebellion, is divided
into distant parts. Practical communi
cation between them and Tennessee and
Arkansas has been SO substantially
cleared Of tho jnsurgeants' control and
influence, that the citizens in each and
owners Of slaves and advocates of sla-
very at tho beginning of the rebellion
now declare openly for emancipation in
their respective States. Those States
not Included in The emancipation procla.
maiop, Maryland and Missouri, neither
Of which, years ago, would tolerate any
restrain upon the extension Of sleyery
into their territories, only dispute now
as to the best mode ofrOmoying it from
within their own limits. OF those who
were slaves at the beginning of the re-
beliion fully one hundred thousand are
now in the United States military ser
vice, about one half Of which number
actually bear arms in the ranks, thus
giving double advantage Of taking SO
much labor from the insurgent cause
and supplying the places which other,
wise must be filled with so many white
men, So far as tested it is difficult to
say they are not as good soldiers as any
No serrilo usurrecton or tendency to
violence or cruelty has marked the
measures of emancipation and aiming
the blacks. These measures have been
much discussed in foreign countries,
contemporary with such discussions the
tone OF public sentiment there is much
improved, Where the same measures
have been fully discussed, supported,
criticised and denounced, the annual
elections ale highly encouraging to
,bosO whose special daty it is to bear
the cornSy through this great trial.
Thus we havo The reckoning. The cri.
sis which threatened to divide the friends
of the Union is past.
Looking now 10 the present and fu.
ture, and with reference to the resump.
ton of the National authority, within the
States wherein that authority has been
suspended l have thought fit to issue q
proclamation, a copy Of which is here.
with transmitted. On examination oil
this proclamation it will appear, as is
believed, amply justified by the Consti
tuition. True, the form of an oath is civ,
en-, but no man is coerced to take it,
A man is only promised pardon in
case he voluntarily takes tho oath. The
Constitution authorizes the Executive
to grant it on terms as authorities. |,
is also preferred that ifany Of the States
named shall set up State Government,
in the mode prescribed, such govern.
ment shall be recognized and goTanteed
by the United States, and that under it
the State shall, on subscribing to the
constitutional conditions, be protected
against invasion aud domestic violence.
The constitutional obligation of Uni
ted States, to guarantee to every State
in the Union a Republican form of Gov,
eminent, and to protec, the State in the
case as stated, is explicit and full, bu,
why tender the benefits of this provision
only to State Government set up in
this particular way, This section Of
the Constitution contemplatcs case
/ wherein the elements in State iayom
bic TO republican g2~e,nmeut m the Tn.
ion may be TOO feeble for an opposite
and hostile element, external to ana even
within the State, and such are precisely
the cases with which we arc now deal
iOg. Anatlempt to guarantee and pro
toCt revised State of government, con.
Slructed in whole or in propouderating
part from the very elements against
whose hostility and violence it is to be
prp!pCtpl ia sirnlv ahsnrA phnr,