Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-12-22
lur. LincOln's ProeIamntioE--An Attempt
TO Corrupt and Divide the south.

TFrom the Richmond Sentinel, Dec. 14l
ABRAHAM's MESSAGE AND PROCLAMATION.
supposipg our readers have curiosity
to see the late message Of President Lin.
coin to his Congress, and presuming that
Lincoln wants our people to see how
gracious he is, and what loving prools-
nation he has issued TO US all in Dixie, we
publish both in our issue to-day. When
ever the British envoys wished to tempt
our fathers in ihe Revolution By their
profFers Of amnesty the Continental Con-
eress always assisted in giving their proc
lsmations q wide circulation; for not only
did Congress confde in the loyalty Of the
people. but they considered those papers as
calculated 10 animate the popular patriot
ism.
A hundred times stronger are our res
sons for expecting this result now. ReUsr
/ did British commissioner or central, IN all has
arrogance, put forth so impUdeHt message as
the Washington man has sent down to us.
BE is going to forgive Us something, il
seems, on certain terms. To the most lib
eral. unqualified and all.embrseing offer
of forgiveness to our fathers, DR.. Franklin
replied eve, who have committed no Of
fence, need no forgiveness. Cur ansn0er
could be the same, sDeH If Liacoln's offer i'm
itdtsd the humanity Of BTitGiHs. Forgive
us ali? Forgive US because he has invaded
our States with armed multitudes, to over
throw our laws, destroy our liberties and
eompass our destruction? Forgive US be-
cause he has plundered our seas and raw
aged our ooasts7 Forgive us for having
burned our towns and desolsted our honest
Forgive US for the many thousands Of our
brothers and sons and dear friends whom
he has slain upon our own soil, and while
repelling his invasion2 Forgive US for
the many dear mutilated ones who will re-
main the legacy of the war when the war
shall be over2 Forgive US for having out
his attempt to excite servile revolt For
give us for his Beast Butler, and for the
thousand atrocities which he has let loose
against us2
He may forgive us for these his crimes !;
| but so long as we have hearts TO feel and
hsnds to strike we shall never forgive
him. How impudent it is to come, with
our brothers blood upon his accursed
hands, and ask US to accept his forgive
nessl But Re goes further. BE makes
his forgiveness dependent upon terms
We have to swear that the proclamation Of
emancipation which he issued last year,
and which we received with mocking, and
which has since been a general derision,
shall be submitted TO by US. Oar society
is to be uptuTned. Instead Of that dis
tinction between the races necessary for
the happiness of both, he asks us TO swear
that we viii have none at sll, until his
Congress Of fanatics or his packed bench
Of judges shall say that his proclamation
was wind. But all this will not do. We
must abandon to that demon thirst for their
blood, which has been indecently exhibited
from the first, all the men who have read
dered cur annals CONSPICUOUS, and under
wnose lead we have won fame, if not a
name, among the nations. We must leave
the President to Abraham tender mercies.
The Army of the Potomac must offer up
their glorious leader under whom both
have become iilustrious. Beauregard must
be hung. In short, every officer down to
Colonel, and every civil functionsry fron
Congressman to messenger, and from Gov
ernor 10 constable, are 10 be retained for
LincolD's malignity. How he and Seward
and Sumner would gloat over the hanging
bodies Of the f'desd rebels !"
Is even Lincoln base enough to imagine
that brave people such as the conlede-
rates have proven themselves, would, un-
der any stress Of fortune, prove traitors to
the men whom they have called to lead
them, in camp or council2
This miserable attempt to divide and
corrupt us viii be contemptuously resen-
ted as the insult which it is. Aud this is
the best that Lincoln can think of for US
utter prostrstion at his feet-s social
ruin, horrible to every white man, rich
or poor; and our choicest citizens whose
names are our pride handed over to be
hanged
This infamous proclamation will but
arouse US to new zeal and new efforts.