The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-12-16

| unconstitutional assumption OF power
cannot complain, for they have il in their
power TO test the uncenstitutionality by
hn appeal at any time 10 that Court for
decision. eertEin caiegories of traitors
Of peculiar dye are exempted from The
benefit of the oath, which, of course, will
meet the appreciation Of every loyal man.
Other minor provisions are made, to COM
pleie the equity and efficiency Of the
plar. We believe that the closer il is
examined, the more il will be discovered
to be completely adapted 10 the great end
desired. The public mind, after due re-
Election, we have not doubt, will accept
il as another signal illustration of the
practical wisdom OF the President.
From the Boston Pest.
The Presidents Message is tersely
written, presenting our foreign affairs in
the brieiest terms possible, and even is
not lengthy on domestic affairs. Our re-
lations with other powers ara treated in
kindly tone, both England and France
being complimented for their successful
efforts to preserve their neutrality in pre-
venting the departure Of hostile expsdi-
tions from their ports; so that we remain
in peace aud friendship with foreign
powers.
The position taken with regard 10 the
return of the Southern people TO their
allegiance, is liberal to every interest but
to slavery; and instead of letting this
alone, il presents the Proclamation as on
q par with the Constitution. "Ifit be
proper" are its words, "tO require as q
test of admission to the political body,
an oath Of allegiance to the Consultation
Of the United States, and TO the Uuion
under il, why not also 20 the laws and
proclamations in regard to slavery {? and
in the important Proclamation Of Am
nesty, the oath required excerpts slaves.
Still the President, in both Message and
Proclamation, makes . vital distinction
between the Constitution and the Eman-
eipAtion Proclamation, for the oath re-
quirss adherance to the latter only SO
long as il is not modified or held void by
Congress, or by decree of the Superior
Court, while nothing is said about the
Constitution being subjected to this tri-
| bunal.
Slavery may be left to the mercy of
events. The great difficulty begins as it
passes away and in the questions aris-
ing out of race. The message rather
al n ,unces conclusions than discusses
principles. The territorial theory is
rejected and the ground taken that when
the requisite number of legal voters un-
der existing State Constitutions, take the
oath, they shall be the State. The speci-
ficAtion is, the qualified voters according
to the election law of the States exist
ing immediately before the so called act
of Secession and excluding all others.
| Any number of persons, not less than
one tenth in number of the votes cast in
1860, on taking the prescribed oath, may
be the State. Thus while the President
recommends a condition as to slavery
on the return of States, he proposes TO
put the political power of the returned
States in the hands of the white race.
From the Philadelphia Press.
There ara three sentences in the Presi-
dents message which should be written
ia letters of gold: 'The crisis which
threatened to divide the friends of the
| Union is past" II shall not return TO
slavery any person who is free by the
terms of the Proclamation or by any act
of Congress-" 81 proclaim full pardon
to all who solemnly swear to henceforth
faithfully support, protect, and defend
the Constitution OF the United States and
the Union of the States Hereunder"
The first of these is the truth upon which
all our hopes are based; the second is a
sublime declaration that henceforth free
dom is the law of the Republic; the
third is q noble appeal which, it seems to
us cannot fail TO show the suffering peo-
pie of the South tat il is not upon them
that the United States makes war, but
upon the crime of their leaders, and the
cruelty of their rebellion. The Last two
truths, indeed, strengthen and sustain
the first, for the crisis is past when the
President can thus decree by the will of
the people the abolition of slavery, and
at the same time offer full pardon to the
men, who, to protect slavery, attempted
TO destroy the Government.
The offer the President has made is
the most generous, the most magnani-
NOUS, that ever lawfal ruler made to
criminal insurgents. Magnanimity could
90 no further; cancellation could grant
nc more. Upon conditions the easiest to
fulfill, and the. least humiliating to accept,
he has offered the people of the South,
no limited and imperfect pardon, bat alb
soIute and entire forgiveness. He has
gGArantied TO them every right they for
merry possessed, insured them their olden
equality Of the people of Pennsylvania
aad Massachusetts,, asked them 10 return
to their allegiance, not as men disgraced,
but 10 reassume, with honor, the proud
positions they had fortified. The oath
they must take TO obtain this full par
don is one so carefully and delicately
Worded that every loyal man, from tn,
humblest lAbOrer to the highest officer Of
the Government, might take it without
feeling that it implied censure of his past
action or doubt of his future course
This noble Proclamation of Pardon is
the counterpart of the Proclamation of
Emancipation together they will be re-
corded in history as embodiments of the
justice and the mercy of the loyal men
of the United States. If Mr.. LINCOLN, at
the beginning of the war, seemed to be
one of those fortunate men who had
greatness thrust upon them, he has since
shown the higher power to achieve great
ness by unsurpassed fidelity to AnAtiOn-
al trust and comprehension ola worlds
revolution.
If we had ever despaired of success, We
could no longer despair, now that we
have read this calm and earnest message,
which, itself so quiet and firm, must kin
die q new enthusiasm for the cause. 1t
is principle, right liberty, that is the
soul of the Presidents message. He has
given shape and thought to the inspira-
ton of the people. In reading his plain,
firm, but singularly gentle words, We
imagine . man who bends but does not
tremble beneath the burden of the fate of
8 continent We read in this solemn
message the integrity Of our chief magis-
trate the resolution of the American
people TO maintain, in spite of all that is
past or TO come, the Union; their enmi-
ty TO slavery as the foe of the Union;
their confidence in their own power;
their trust in humanity aud their faith
in Almighty God.