The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1863-12-17

ere long will force ito own way, I do not
entertain a doubt. While it is submit.
ted entirely to your wisdom a. to what
can be done, new importance is given to
this subject BY the actual CONNIE cement
of work upon the Pacific railroad, under
auspices SO favorable to its rapid pro.
gress and completion. Enlarged navi.
cation becomes a palpable need to the
great road.
l transmit the second annual report of
the Commissioner of the Department of
Agriculture, asking your attention to the
developments in that vital interest of the
nation.
THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.
When Congress assembled a year ago,
the war had already lasted twenty
months, and there had been many con.
flicts on both land and sea with varying
results. The rebellion has been pressed
back into reduced limits, yet the tide of
public feeling and opinion at home and
abroad, was not satisfactory. With other
signs, tho popular elections, then just
passed, indicated uneasiness among our
selves, while amid much that was cold
and menacing, the kindest words coming
from Europe were uttered in accents of
pity, that We were too blind to surrender
our commerce, which was suffering from
= few armed vessels, built upon and fur
nishcd from foreign shores, and we're
threatened with such additions from
some quarter as would sweep our trade
from the sea aud raise our blockade. We
had failed to elicit from European Gov.
ernments anything hopeful upon this
subject.
The Emancipation Proclamation which
was issued in the month of September,
was running its assigned period to the
beginning of the New Year, when month
later, the first succeeding the proclsma-
tion of emancipatior--the announcement
that colored men would be received into
the war service-the policy of emaucipa.
tion and employing black soldiers-gave
to the future new aspect, about which
hope, fear and doubt contended in un-
certain conflict. According to our polit-
ical system, as matter of civil admins
tratiop, the general government had no
lawful power to effect emancipation in
any State, and for long time it had
been hoped that the rebellion could be
suppressed without resorting to it as
military measure. 1t was all tho while
deemed possible that the necessity for it
might come, and if it should the crisis
of the contest would then be presented.
1t came, and, as was expected,it was fol.
lowed by dark and doubtful days. Elev.
ell months have passed. Wo are per-
mitted to take another review. The reb-
el borders are pressed still further back,
and by the complete opening of the Mis-
issippi River, the country dominated
over by the rebellion is divided into dis
tant parts, with practically no communi-
cation between them. Tennessee and
Arkansas have been so substantially
cleared Of insurgents control aud inau-
ence, that the citizens Of each aud own
ers of slaves and advocates of slavery IN
the beginning Of the rebellion, now de-
clare openly for emancipation in their
respective States. OF those States not
included in the emancipation procama.
tion are Maryland and Missouri, neither
of which years ago would tolerate any re-
straint upon the extension of slavery
into the territories, only dispute now as
to the best mode Of removing within their
own limits those who were slaves at the
beginning of the rebellion. Full 1OO,-
600 are now in the United States militia
ry service, about half Of which number
actually bear arms in the ranks, thus Civ
ing the double advantage of taking so
much labor from the insurgent cause and
supplying the places which otherwise
must be filed with so many white men.
So far as tested it is difficult to say that
they are not as good soldiers as any No
servile insurrection or tendency to VIC.
lence or cruelty has marked the measures
of emancipating and arming the blacks.
These measures have been much discuss
ed in foreign countries, and cotemporary
with such discussion the tone of public
sentiment there is much improved; at
home the same measures have been fully
discussed, supported, criticised aud de.
nounced, and the annual elections fol-
lowing are highly encouraging to those
whose special duty is to guide the coun.
try through this great trial. Thus We
believe the crisis which threatened to d.
vide the friends Of the Union is passed.
PROCLAMATION OF AMNESTY.
Looking now to the present and fu.
ture, and with reference to resumption
of national authority in States where its
authority has been suspended, l have
thought best to issue proclamation, a
copy Of which is herewith transmitted;
an examination of which proclamation,
it will appear, it is believed, amply justi-
fed by the Constitution. The form of
an oath is given, but no man is coerced
to take it-a man is only promised par
don in case he voluntarily takes the oath
the Constitution authorizes the Execu-
tive to grant, on terms as is fully estab-
lished nv the iudicial and other authori