Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-12-26


the north Of the Eastern seaboard, vbich
proposition, however. filled for the dina
Since then upon cali Of liz greatest res W..
liability, Conventions has bssnn called a f,Si.
cago upon the same subject, . summary II
whose views is contained in memorial ID.
dressed to the President and Congress, and
which now have the honor to lay before
you. That the interest il one which. ers
long; will force its own way, do not enter.
tain doubt, while It is submitted entirely IA
your wisdom as to what can be done nov.
Augmented interest is given to this subject bv
the actual commencement Of work upon the
Pacific Railroad. Under the auspices N
favorable to its rapid progress and complv.
ton, enlarged navigation becomes palpsbN
need to the great road.
transmit the second annual report Of TN
Commissioner of the Department Of AgricUl.
ture, asking your attention to the develop:
ments in that vital interest Of the nation.
THE EMANCIPATION poiicY.
When Congress assembled year ag6 to
war had already lasted twenty mo,,ths, and
there had been many conflicts on both land
and sen, with varying results. The rebellion
had been pressed back into reduced limits,
yet the tone Of public opinion. At home and
abroad, was not satisfactory. With Other
signs, the popular elections just then passed
indicated uneasiness among ourselves, while
amid much that was cold and menacing, the
kindest words coming from Europe, uttered
in accents of pity, that we were blind to sur.
render our commerce, which Was SUFFERING
greatly by few armed vessels built upon ana
furnished from foreign shores; We wsrs
threatened with such additions from the same
quarter as would sweep our trade from the
SEA, and raise our blockade; we had failed to
elicit from European Governments anything
hopeful upon this subject. The Emancipa-
ton proclamation, which was issued in Sep.
trmber, was running its assigned period to
the beginning of the new year, and month
later the final proclamation came, including
the announcement that colored men of suita.
bic condition would be rcceivad into the war
service. The policy Of emancipation and
employing black soldiers gave to the future
new aspect, about which hope and fear and
doubt contended in uncertain conflict Ac-
cording to our political system as matter Of
civil administration, the General Government
had no lawful power to effect emancipation
in any State. and for a long time it had been
hoped that the rebellion could be suppressed
without resorting to it as a military measure.
1t was all the while deemed possible that the
necessity for it might come, and that if it
should, the crisis of the contest would then
be present. 1t came; aud, as was anticipated.
it was followed by dark and dismal days.
Eleven months have passed, and we are per.
mitted to take another review. e
The rebel borders are pressed still further
hack, and by the complete opening Of the
Mississippi river, the country dominated over
by rebellion is divided into distant parts, with
no practicable communication between
them. Tennessee aud Arkansas have been
so substantially cleared of the insurgents and
their control and influence, that citizens in
each, owners of slaves and advocates of sla-
ve,y ut the beginning Of the rebellion, now
declare openly for emancipation in their re.
spective States. Of those States not inclu.
ded in the Emancipation Proclamation
Maryland and Missouri, neither Of which;
some few years ago, would tolerate any re.
straint upon the extention Of slavery into the
new Territories, fhe only dispute now is, -
to the best mode of removing it within their
own limits. OF those who were slaves at
the beginning of The rebellion, fully one hun
dred thousand are now in the United Stat.S
military service, about one fourth Of which
number actually bear arms in the ranks, thus
giving the double advantage Of taking %
much labor from the insurgent cause, and sup
plying the places which otherwise must be
filled with so many mer, and 90 far as tested
it is difficult TO say that they are not as good
soldiers as any. No servils insurrection. q
tendency to violate and cruelty, has marked
the measures Of emancipation and arming the
blacks. These measures have been mucli
discussed in foreign countries, and cotempola;
ry with snch discussion, the tone Of public
sentiment there is much improved. AT home
the same measures have been fully discussed,
supported, criticised and denounced, and the
annual elections following are highly encours
aging to those whose special duty it u to
bear the country through this great trial.
THE PREs1nExr's PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
We have the reckoning that the crisis
which threatened tn divide tho bonds Of The
Unionis past. Looking now to the presess
and future. and with reference to resamp'
ton cf tho national authority within the Stats
wherein that authority has been suspended.
have thought it ct TO- issue . proclamattso.
It will appear, 40 is believed. amply justiaed
by the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. the form Of oath y
given. but NO man il coerced to take Il; .
man is only promised pardon in eass hs VI
UNFAIRLY takes the oath. The Constitution
authorizes the Executive to grant it Oh saea
terms a. are fully sstahlished By the judis''
and other authorities. Il u also profeseAs
that If many Of the States named assent, .
government shall b. Get up in the mode pss'
scribed. Such govornmsnt shall b reccg'
nised and guaranteed by ~. and that under