Daily national Republican., 1863-12-09

now In tho United statos military service,
about onc.half of which number actually bear
arms In the ranks; thus giving the double ad'
vantage of taking 50 much labor nom che Vi
surgent cause, and supplying the places whlch
otherwise must be filled with so many white
men. 30 far as tested. II 10 dimcult 70 eay
they are not as good soldiers as any. NO ser
vile insurrection, or tendency to violence OF
cruelty, has marked the measures OF cmanclpa'
tion and armlng the blacks. -.
These measures have been much dl.cussed %
foreign countries, and contemporary with such
discussion the tone Of public sentiment there is
much improved. Al home the same measures
have been fully discussed, supported, criticised
and denounced, and the annual elections fol.
lowing are highly encouraging 10 those whose
official duty It Ia TO hear the country through
this great trial. Thus we have the new reckon
ing. The crisis which threatened to divide the
friends OF the Union Is past.
Looking now to the present and future, and
with reference to resumption OF the national
authority within the States wherein that au.
thority has been suspended, have thought ft
10 issue proclamation, q copy OF which IL
herewith transmitted. On examination OF this
proclamation 1t will appear, as is believed, that
that nothing Ia attempted beyond what Is am.
ply justified by the Constitution. True, the
form OF an 9th is given, hut NO man 10 coerced
to take 1t. The man is only promised par
don In case he voluntarily takes the oath. The
Constitution authorizes the Executive to grant
or withhold tho pardon at his own absolute dis
cretion; and this includes the power 70 grant
on terms, rs is fully established by Judicial and
other authorities. 80
II tis also proff.red that if In any Of the States
named, = State government shali be, in the mode
prescribed, set up, such government shall bs Ne.
cognized and Guarant ed by the United states, and
thzt under II the state SHALL the constitutional
conditions be projected sgnnst lny.son aha ao o;
the United States 10 guaranty TO every state in
the Union y republican form Of government, and
opro'ec. the state, In the stated is explicit
aad full. Bat why tender the aeneats OF this pro-
vision only to = State government set up in this
part cular wayi This section Of the Consultation
state, favorable to republican government, In the
Union, may he too feeble for opposite And hos
tile element external to, or even within the state
and such arc precisely the cases with " hieh we
arc now dealing. ..' . #...s. .|sH1l
An attempt to guaranty and protect q re-
viyed State government, constructed In whole
or In preponderating part, from the very Gle.
ment against whose hostility and violence u Is
to be protected. Is simply absurd. There must
be a test by which to separate the opposing
elements. so as to build only from the sound;
and that test is a sufficiently liberal one, which
accepts as sound whoever will make sworn
recantation of his former unsoundness. ~
But II 1t be proper to require, as test OF ad.
mission to the political body, an oath OF ale.
glance to the Constitution Of the United States
and TO the Union under 1t, why also to the laws
and proclamations In regard To slaveryi Those
laws and procamatlons were enacted and put
forth for the purpose of aiding In the suppress.
sion Of the rebellion. To give them their full
est effect, there had To he pledge for their
maintenance. In my judgment they have aid
ed, and will further aid, the cause for which
they were intended To now abandon them
would be not only to relinquish lever Of
power, but would also be a cruel and an as
founding breach of faith.
may add NJ this point thst willis ! remain in
my present position shall not attempt TO sstsect
or modify the emancipation rroclama ION; nor
by the terms OF that proclamation, or by any oil
h.Eacts Of Congress For these and ther reasons
1t Is thought Test that support of these Measures
sha be included in tie OATH aud II is believed the
Executive may ltwfINy claim It In return for par.
don and restoration of forfeited rights, which he
has clear constitutional power to withhold alto.
gethsr, or grant up,u the terms which he sh u
deem wisest for the pubic interest IL should te
observed. also, that this part of the oath is sub.
ject to Il e mod fyiBg and ahrosstiny power oi
legislation and supreme Judicial decision. :.
The proposed ac9uiescence OF The national
Executive in any reasonable temporary State
arrangement for the freed people Is made with
the view Of possibly modifying the confusion
and dcstitution which must, Of hest, attend all
classes by total revolution of labor through.
ont whole States. II Is hoped that ihe already
deeply afflicted people in those States may be
somewhat moro ready TO give up the cause oI
their atiction, IT, to this ex,ent, this vital mat.
ter be lcft TO themselves; while no power ofthe
national Executive to prevent an abused Is
abridged by the proposition.
The suggestion ,in the proclamation as to
maintaining tho political framework of the
States on what Is called reconstruction, Is made
In the hope that 1t may do good without danger
of harm. II will save labor, and avoid great
conrnsion. .S .
But why any proclamation now upon this
subject This question Ia beset with the con
ficting views that the step might be delayed
too long or be taken too soon. In some States
the elements for resumption seem ready for ac
tion, but remain inactive, apparently for want
of a rallying poiut-a plan of action. Why
shall A adopt the plan Of b, rather than B tha,
of AT And II A and B should agree. how car
they know that the General Government her,
will reject their plani By the proclamation
plan Is presented which may be accepted b,
them as a rallying point, and which they arr
assured In advance will not he rejected here
This may bring them 10 act sooner than they
Otherwise would. .1
U rhe objections TO $ PREMATURE presentation Of
plan by the National Executive consists In tn,
dsagcr1of eommittM. gu yoints which could b,
more safely left to fu thSr developments. Car,
has been taken TO so shape the d0suWent a. Il
avoid embsrrassmeuts from this SOURCE. SSyin,
that on certain terms, certain classes will be r
doned, with rights Restored, II IL not said ths
other classes, or other terms, will never be in
cluhel. Saying that reconstruction will he accept
ed u presented In specuei way 1t 10 not said 1
will never be accepted In any oiher way.
The movements, by State action, for enanci.
patton IN seySral Of the States, not included IL
the emancipation Eroct are matters o
profound graduation. And willie DO no, &c
peat In detail what have herctofnre so earnes
ly urged upon this subject, my general view,
and feelings remain unchanged; and trus
that Congress will omit no fair opportunity o
! aiding these important steps to u great con-
| sumMG.!G..
| Ia the mi'st Gi o.oer .lrE2, however important
We must not lose sight of ths1Ko. .Est The Wal
power is still our main reliance. To that DO wei
| alone can we look. yet for tune, to give cont
dence to the people In the contested regions, tina
| the insurgent power will not again ovcrrun them
Until that confidence shall bc established, Iitti,
can he ddEe SGyEheIe tor what is called recon
structqn. Hence our cRfe.sst ytrS must still b.
e'ifcrd to the army and navy, Who have tnus fal
borne their harder part 40 nobly aud well And 4
may lie esteemed foTtnnate that In giving tn,
eAtest Efficiency tho Sc ind ispens sable arms W,
do Also honorab y recognize the gallant men, from
commander to sentioel, who compose them, and t6
whom, more than TO others, the world must srAnt
indebted for the home OF freedom disenthrallfd
reKeGfrAted enlarged, and psrpetuRted.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
DECEMgER y. 1865.
PROCLAMATION.
Whprpsa In and hv the rons nstituti ion of ,h,