The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-01-14
McGREGOR IOWA, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY H. 1863

cree rs regards the negroes only, it is difti.
cult to conceive any proceeding more wick
ed'y selfish and cruel. 1t is urging an ex.
citable, and ignorant, and helpless popula-
ton 10 an outbreak ehl'er Of violence or Of
ihsubordination, where they can neither be
aided nor protected. 1t is exposing them
at once to the suspicion Of their masters,
to further probationary letters, possibly to
lorccssting seventies in territories and if
they do rise, or strike, work to the harshest
and most mercilcss rctributien. 1t indicates
a more utter want Of regard for the safety,
the welfare, the simplest rights Of the ne
gro, than We could have conceived possible
1t shows how little in reality those who
promulgated. and those who advised such
proclamation care for their nominal eli.
ents. in order to create a possible diver
sion in fsvor Of his arms, Mr.. Lincoln and
his abOlitionist friends have not hcsitatc,l
to take step which, i. it produces any
rifect At all-if it produces the effect the
hope of which must have been the only
motive to it-must result, as its first and
necessary consequence, in the most crush.
ing and terrible infections on the feebler
race whom it has sought to rouse against
the stronger They have not scrupled to
bring upon the slaves, whom they profess
TO pity, and declare to be free, a vengeance
which they we'll know will, il need be, no,
stop far short Of determination. How
any man, or body of men, dare, for their
own selfish ends, for their own success in
war, to lay upon their consccnces the sin
Of g"ad,ng ignorant and hclp!ess tl,ousan nis,
whom they cannot sustain or save, into
insurrcction against a class FAR more pow
er'ul, we'll armed, and in such case utterly
relentless, would be simply inconccivable,
if we did not know too well, and had not
seen too eften, how infuriatcd passion can
obscure the plainc,t truth, and tramplc
down the most solemn obligation.
Asa 'negrophile' proceeding, as bid
for the anti, slavery S, mpathies Of Europe,
If the hope of obtaining these was one
Of the motives for the mcaSurc,-Mr Lin
coins proclamation is as singularly Irish
and illogical, as from other points Of view
it Is unconstitutional, hasty, impoiitic and
criminal. The coniusons and nconsisten
cics it invoices are very curious. In the
first place. the slaves in the rcbcllious states
are to be free on the first Of January next,
""iess taose states shaU b:Jors Mea retarn
to their allegiance. Tn. emancipation of
the negroes, therefore, is made to depend
not on any action Of their own, but on a
decision "f their masters not on their lust
claims. but on their owners disloyaIty. II
the shareholders in South Carolina and
Mississippi can, by the 3lst oi December,
be coAxed or forced back into their all.g.
ancc, the emancipation decree becomes
dead letter, slavery is rcconSecrated ard
prrpctuat.j, amt the fe,tcrs Of the negro
are again rivcted by the entire force of the
whole united republic! The boon to the
slaves is withdrawn, because the penal sen
tepce pronounced against their masters is
revoked. The signal act Of justice, tile
great assertion Of moral principle, the
grand concession to hlm.nity,-is whis.
tied down the wind. because the 'ininous
If .nders,' the ruthless tyran,s,' the 'traf
iickerS in human Il sh.' the 'to.turers Of
Gods image cut in ebony have been
wnrSted in the conflict or bribed back into
submission! How is it possible to speak
with respect or patience, or with any thing
bat laughter and contempt, Of such 'anti
slavery, proceedings as these? In the Sc
cond place, Mr.. Lincoln's decree liberates
t'Ic SitNcS WIZ he bsy o'Ii H'S power tHl
out of his jurisdiction, but retains in bon
'iagr those whom his cmancipating wand
miskt reach and set fcc, il it were really
in earnest. The slaves in Kentucky and
Maryland, where his armies are-tho>c be-
longing to 'tdcralsts, when he might com.
mand and compenSate-are TO be slaves
still. SO long as their owners choose. The |
slaves in Louisiana and Georgia, where his |
authority is null and where his Voice can
not be heard, are mocked, tempted, aud
betrayed by the impotent assurance that
they arc free. Thirdly and lastly, by this
unrivalled decree, the privileges of possess
ing slaves is henceforth to be exclusively |
Reserved for loyal subjects, and for those
states which have adhered to the irccsoi |
north in this contest. Loyalty to Union
protesting to bc in arms to fight against
slavery and to limit its area, is to he reward. |
cd by monopoly Of slaves. The slave. !
holding section of the republic, being the
rebellion portion, anil as such to be pun
i>hed, is to have no slaves but that section |
which has cast in it's lot with the free states !
may continue to have as many as it plsa ascs
The burden and the sin of slavery is in |
future to be &C niincd exclusively to that |
half Of the Union which rose, and has been |
combating to throw it off Such are some
Of the incongruiticS and absurditles into |
which men land themselves when they act
from animosity and not from principle,
when they strive to harm instead If striv-
ing to do justice.