Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-04-06
British Mistakes about the PrOcIn-
nation


Among the American diplomatic papers
in the British "Elue Book" just printed,
is a note from Earl Russel C,he British
foreign minister) TO Lord Lyons, dated
January 18th, which is remarkable for a
MISREPRESENTATION of the nature of the Pres
idents proclamation AID the reasons for
it, so complete and inexcusa5le as to make
it appear like perverse Misrepresentation
of the measure. Elii Russell begins by
deelaring the proclamation ''of very
strange nature" add ne proceeds to show
in what respects be considers il strange.
1t processes, he says, TO emaucipate the
slaves where the United States has no ju-
risdlction aud can exercise no authority,
bat leaves the negroes still slaves in the
districts occupied by federal troops, where
emancipation might be carried into effect
The minister must have GOT this idea from
hostile criticisms of the proclamation. If
he had read the document he would have
seen that i, makes no such distinction. Il
declares emancipation in the States and
parts of States that had persisted in. rebel
lion up to the 6rss Of January, aud exempts
the States and part of States where the az
thori,y of the Government had been re-es
tabltshed aud acknowledged, at least nom
inaliy. Earl Russell proceeds further to
criticise =
There seems 70 be no declaration of 3
principle adverse to slavery in this procla-
nation. IL is measure of war, and a
measure of war of avery questionable kind.
AS President Lincoln has twice appealed to
the judgment Of mankind in his pr9clama.
ton, venture to say do not think it can
or ought to satisfy the friends OF abolition,
who look for total and impartial freedom
for the slave, and not for vengeance on the
slave owner"
This is a dishonest and paltry trick OF
words, aud discourtesus ct that .'Yen-
g=ance on the slave owner is neither ex-
pressed nor implied in the proclamation,
as Earl Russell should have known. Nor
was il the object of tie proclamation "to
satisfy the friends of abolition" The pro-
elamat,ou was not issued by the President
of the abolition society but by the Presi-
dent of the United States. as Commander
in-Chief of the army. 1t was a wal
measure, aud there was no occasion &c
declare in it principles adverse to slave.
ry. Any such declaration would have pu
the measure upon false and fndefensibl,
basis; and exposed it to real objection. :
siugls hour OF honest Study of1be relation
of our State and National governments
would show Earl Russell that the genera
government has no control of slavery, an,
that it would be usurpation for the Pres
ident to touch it except BY act of war an,
for military reasons. 1t follows of cours,
that he cannot abolish slavery in loya
district or State, unless he can make it ap
pear that its destruction there is needful t,
the success OF his armies in the insurgen
section. The most clamorous abolitionis
has never undertaken to show this.
1t is provoking to SEQ such entire misre
presentation of our affairs from the author
ICED mouthpiece ofthe British government
Did Earl Russell write this note for effec
at homer And was it his aim merely tc
neutralize the rising sympathy with GU,
cause produced by the emancipation
measure? 1t looks like it. And it shows
that the highest members of the British
government are not above the small tricks
of the demagogue.