Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-12-17

tanned in a memorial addressed to the
President and Congress, and which l
now have the honor to lay befor you.
That this interest is one which, ere
long, will force its own way, do not
entertain doubt while it is submit
ted entirely to your wisdom as TO
what can be done now.
Augmented interest is given to this
subject by the actual commencement of
work upon the Pacific Railroad under
auspices so favorable to it's rapid pro-
gress and completion. The enlarged
navigation becomes palpable need
to this great road -.-
I transmit the. second annual report
of the Commissioner of the Depart
ment of Agriculture asking your at
tention to the developments in that
vital interest of the nation.
When Congress assembled year
ago the war had already lasted nearly
twenty months, and there had been
many conflicts on both land and sea
with varying 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 ourselves
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 then suffer.
ing greatly by few armed yes
sels built upon and furnishd from
foreign shores. We we're threatened
with such additions from the same
quarter as would sweep our trade
from the sea, and raise the blockade.
We had failed to elicit from European
governments anything hopeful upon
this subject. The preliminary Enamel
patton Proclamation, issued in Sep
TENDER, was running its assigned per-
iod to the beginning of the new year.
A month later, the final Proclamation
came, including the announcement
that colored men of suitable condition
would be received into the war service
The policy of emancipation and en-
ploying black soldiers gave to the fu-
ture a new aspect, about which hope
and fear and doubt contended in un-
certain conflict. According to our
political system, as matter of civil
administration, the General Govern.
ment 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 with.
out resorting to it as military meas
ure. 1t was all the while deemed pos
sible that the necessity for it nigh,
come, and that if it should, the cri.
sis of the contest would then be pre-.
scented. 1t came, and, as was antici.
pated. was followed by dark and doubt
full days. r.... n.l.-
| Eleven months have been passed.
We are permitted to take another re-
view The rebel borders arc pressed
still further back, and by the COM
plete opening of the Mississippi river,
the country dominated over by the re-
bellion is divided in two distinct parts,
with no practical communication
between them. Tennessee and Ar
kansas have been substantially
cleared of the insurgents and their
control and influence, and the citizens
in each, and the owners Of slaves aud
advocates of slavery at the beginning
Of the rebellion, now declare openly
for emancipation in their respective
States. Of those States not included
in the Emancipation Proclamation
/ Maryland and Missouri-neithcr OIL
which three years ago would tolerate
restraint upon the extension Of slavery
into the new territories, only dis
pute now as to the best mode of re-
moving it within their own limits.
OF those who were slaves at the be-
ginning Of the rebellion. fully one hun
dred thousand are now in the Uuited
States military service, about one
half Of which number actually bear
arms in the ranks, thus giving the
double advantage of taking so much
labor from the insurgeDt cause and
supplying the places which otherwise
must be filled 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 instruction or ten.
dency to violence or cruelty has
marked the measures Of emancipation,
and arming the blacks. These meas
ures have been much discussed in
foreign countries, and contemporary
with such discussion the tone of public
sentiment there is much improved
At home the same measures have
been fully discussed, supported, criti-
cised and denounced, and the annual
elections following are highly encour-
aging to those whose special duty it
is to bear the country through this
great trial.
Thus we have the reckoning. The
crisis which threatened to divide the
friends Of the Union is passed. Look
ing now to the present and future,
and with reference to a resumption of
the national authority within the
States wherein that authority has
been suspended, have thought fit to
Issue proclamation. copy of which
is herewith transmitted. On exami-
nation of this proclamation, it will APP
pear. as is believed, that nothing is
attempted beyond what is amply justi-
fled by the Constitution. True, the
form of an oath is given, but no man
is coerced to take it. The man is only
promised pardon in case he volunta-
rialy takes the oath. The Constitution
authorizes the Executive to grant, or
withhold the pardon at his own abso-