The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-01-10
contemporary ch.racterizes it, the "leaping


political necessity, and has very we'll ans.
wered its purpose
He admits that the result Of the recent
elections was rather adverse to the Pro-
clamation policy, but he is confident time
will vindicate that policy as dictated by
a wise craftsmanship. In peace times, he
admits the proclamation would have been
uncon -titutional II am for sustaining
the constitution Although lie never
liked the fugitive slave clause, he was, in
peace times, even for sustaining that.
But, the rebels having overthrow this
constitution and established for themselves
a new one, they can claim 40 rights under
the Old They have thus
" forfeited all right to the protection of
their slaves, or even their own lives, under
the constitution, and the people of the
loyal States are released from any consti-
tutional obligation to protect them in any
right whatever a ferocious and bloouy
internecine war, brought on by the wicked
and Internal Vaccinations Of the rebels
themselves, has changed all the relations
of the Government and all the obligations
OF the constitution to them"
But the Proclamation is indicated upon
the higher ground of "war power" and
this is the argument; If says the Co.
vernon, ain time of war the Government
can take the life Of the enemy without
the ordinary process of law provided for
by the constitution, a .tortiori, can it not de-
p-ive the enemy of his property and eman-
cipate his slaves without the ordinary pro-
cess of law = Indeed, so exalted is the
Governors estimate of the proclamation,
that he Is decidedly of opinion that PRO
violence has protracted this war, and sub.
iected our people to SO many humiliating
reverses, for the purpose of making the
destruction of slavery Chat is, the issuing
of the proclamation) inevitable" If, IN
stead of blasphemously charging our re-
verses upon Providence the Go
vernon had told the people that they bad
been caused by the intrigues of malignant
politicians for the purpose of dragooning
the President into issuing the proclama
tion, he would have told the honest truth
But he says:
If the first impressions entertained by
the President and the nation-that the
levy of seventy FIVE thousand men was suf.
fcient to intimidate the rebels into sub.
mis- ion; if our arms IN the FIRST instance
had been everywhere triumphant; if the
Grand Army of the Potomac had driven
back the rebels at Manassas had taken
Richmond, and planted the flag upon the
capitol Of every State, and we had every
where been victorious 10y land and by sea,
the enemy as it were within the
folds of fearful anaconda,
and the enemy had returned to the right
full authority Of the Government, then un
doubtedy the Union would have been
restored with the same biisiering curse Of
slavery to rest upon us forever in the flu
ture, as it has been in the past, perpetual
element of strife and heart burning.
So, as We have said, the Governor thinks
it was a most fortunate thing for the coun-
try that Mcdowell was whipped at Man
asses, that Mcclellan didn't take the rebel
army at Yorktown, that he failed, through
political intrigues at Washington. to take
Richmond, &c, &c. The people, we i'm
agine, vastly more that the government at
Washington, will be disposed to thank Gov.
Yates for this honest but damning con
fession.
Then comes 4 long argument to prove
that slavery is the strength of the rebel
lion" and that its destruction must end
the rebellion. The argument has been
worne threadbare long ago. The Govern
or winds it up in this pompous and grandi-
loquent style;
| view of all these facts. ! demand the
removal of slavery. In the name of my
country, whose peace it has disturbed, and
plunged into fearful civil war; in the
name Of the heroes it has slain in the
name of justice, whose highest tribunals it
Ear corrupted and prostituted TO its basest
ends and purposes in the name Of Wash
ington and Jefferson, and all the old patri-
OTIS who struggled round the camps of
liberty, and who locked forward to the
early extinction of slavery; in the name
OF progress, civilization, and liberty and in
the name of God himself | demand the
utter and entire demolition of this heaven
cursed wrong OF human bondage-this sole
cause of the treason, death, and misery,
which fill the land.
" Fear not the consequences, says the
Governor The whole abolition scheme
will work itself out, in a way we know
not of" so smoothly aud calmly, that we
shall only be able to rejoice at the result.
to negro competition with northern
abor, of course there will be none, for the
new policy involves cutting up the huge
southern plantations into numberless little /.
arms (the whites being exterminated and |
zach negro on a little farm of his own, we
uppose) so there will be abundant occu- |
patton for the negroes at home.
As to the Presidents pet scheme Of CO.
he thinks the prospects also
ire Frightening negotiations are now
bending with the states of South America,
lot unlikely to be successful. and opening
,ew aud inviting homes to the colored !
ace" All this, it is true, may be destruc
i've to the Southern States as at present |
constituted, but then (and he goes into a |
engthy history to prove it) they have do.
served it.
But then, Of course all this splendid
abolition scheme will fail if the people do |
not now unite as one man to uphold the
President in carrying it out. Although
his policy has been inaugurated in the
ACE Of the protest Of a majority of the
oval people of the North, and only under |
severe pressure" upon the President by
. comparatively small squad of extreme
all parties must now unite
o carry it out-in other words, we must
Ill now give up our democratic and con- I
eryative notions, and in action become
extreme abolltionists