Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-12-18

T. ton becomes palpable need to the great
/ road.
AGRICULTURE.
j transmit the second annual report of
the commissioner Of the department of
: agriculture, asking your attention 10 the
= Developments in that vital interest of the
nation.
PROGRESS OF THE WAR.
When Congress assembled year ago
the war bad already lasted nearly twenty
months, and there had been many cons
fiIc's on both land and sea with yary;np
results. The rebellion had been pressed
back into reduced limits. Yet the tone
OF public feeling and opinion at home
and abroad was not satisfactory. With
other signs, the popular elections then
just past 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
hopeless cause. Our commerce was
suffering greatly by few armed vessels.
built upon and furnished from foreign
shores, and we were threatened with such
additions from the same quarteras would
sweep our trade from the sea and raise
our blockade. We had failed TO elicit
from European governments anything
hopeful upon this subject.
EMANCIPATION AND NEGRO SOLDIERS.
The preliminary emancipation procla--
nation issued in September was running
It's assigned period to the beginning of the
new year. A month later the final proc
lamaiion came, including the announce
ment that colored men of suitable condi-
ton would be received into the war SER
vice. The policy of emancipation and
oil employing black soldiers gave to the
future new aspect, about which hope
and fear and doubt contended in uncer-
tam conflict. According to our political
system, as matter of civil administers,
ton the general government had no law.
tnl power to effect emancipation in any
state, and for a long time it had been
hoped that the rebellion could be SUP.
pressed without resorling to it as a mill
tary measure. 1t was all the while deem
ed possible that the necessity for it might
come, and that if it should, the crisis of
The contest would then be presented. 1t
came, and, as was anticipated, il was fol-
lowed by dark and doubtful days.
Eleven months having now passed, we
IRE permitted to take another review.
The rebel borders are pressed still futher
'aek, and by the complete opening Of the
the country dominated by the
ebellon is divided into two distinct
PARTS with no practical communication
between them. Tennessee and Arkansas
ave been substantially cleared of insur-
,ents, and influential citizens in each
'wners Of slaves and advocates of slave.
y at the beginning Of the rebellion, now
Ieciare openly for emancipation in their
espective states. OF those states not
Moulded in the emancipation proclama-
ion, Maryland and Missouri, neither of
'hlch, three years ago, would tolerate
ny restraint upon the extension of slave
y into the territories, only dispute pow
5 TO the best mode of removing il within
leir own limits. OF those who were
aves at the beginning of the rebellion
III one hundred thousand are now in the
'uited States military service, about one
alf of which number bear arms in the
INKS, thus giving the double advantage
taking so much labor from the insur-
ent cause and supplying the places which
light otherwise be filed by so many
hile men. So far as tested it is difficult
say they are not as good soldiers as any.
o servile insurrection CT tendency to
olence or cruelty has marked the meas
e of emancipation among the blacks.
These measures have been discussed
foreign countries, and contemporary
th such discussion the tone of public
btiment there is much improved. AT
me the same measures have been fully
ieussed, supported, criticized and de-
unced, and the annual elections follow
: are highly encouraging to those whose
icial duty it is to bear the country
rough this great trial. Thus we have
e new reckoning; the crisis which
to divide the friend; Of the
nicn is past.