Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-12-15
The Proclamation of Amnesty.

but the Proclamation which accompanies II, oner-
ing amnesty and pardon to the great mass OF the
people and soldiers in the rebel States il they
will lay down their arms and return to their al
legiance to the Federal Government and Federal
Union, and take an cath promising fidelity and
obedience to the laws Of the land. Whatever
criticisms might be offered as TO the manner in
which this Proclamation is brought out its
natter the essence and vital principles OF it,
merit our Unqualified appreciation and it seems
to u. that it ought to meet cordial welcome
| from all who love the Union better than they
love slavery. Since the rebellion has extended
beyond the limits Of South Carolina, it has been
apparent that moment must come, If the
Federal arms we're successful and the traitors
were pushed to the wall, when the mass of the
people South, whether citizens or soldiers, would
be pardoned by some declaration Of general am
nesty, and invited TO return IN peace, and with
enjoyment OF such al their rights as then re-
NAMED to them, to the protection Of the feg OF
the old Union. Perhaps no filter moment for
proclamng such an amnesty could be desired
than the present, ahea Grant has broken the reb-
ell hopes in the Southwest, when Longstreet has
been compelled to fall back from before Knox
vile and surrender East Tennessee forever to the
victorious armies OF the Union, aud when it is
no longer doubtful that gaunt iamite is staring
| "a ol. il tho faaa and ooinriuU with tenIold
horrors the desolate and gloomy winter before
} them. At such a moment an invitation to return
to the old homestead, to take seat at the we'll
filed table and by the cheerful fire, and become
once more member of the family, one would
think would be seriously cousiaered by the great
bulk Of the rebel population, AMI would not be
aslily rejected.
10 this amnesty there ia yeolly but single
; condition, aud that is, that those who desire to
avail themselves Of l,s pardoning force, snail take
au oath Of obedience to the Constitution, DE
Union, and The laws OF the land The Presi-
dent specifies he laws passed since the rebellion
aad The Proclamation Of Emancipation, in the
oath TO be taken and he does this undoubtedly,
so that there may be no quibbling attempts
on the part Of those rebels who are sick Of
The rebellion as not binding upen inhabitants of
the seeded States But these laws and the Proc
amation of Freedom are expressly referred to the
decilion Of the SupremG Court Of the United
States, 10 decide ultimately as TO their validity ;
aud Il held 10 hat forum to be CONSTITUTIONAL
there is nc reason why The South should not obey
them, and il held to be unconstitutional, the oath,
so far, will nave no further binding force. And
the President, if he had had the disposition,
substance, oa The question OF slavery, FROM what
il is; for il the F'Gsamation Of Freedom is const-
tutionsl the President has no power to recall it,,
or ensIaye siagle person declared free by its
terms And be could do no les, after having
made helpless race Tree by stroke OF his pen
on the first Of January last, than to stand by that
race now, and make their former rebel masters
swear to respect the deed of Freedom which he
then gave them, before restoring those rebels to
the other rights which they once enjoyed under
, the Government of the United States.
, And it is because this Proclamation Of Amnesty
exhibits such determined purpose on The past
of ibe Executive power 10 the Government to
. stand BY TIE Proclamation of Freedom, and all
laws Of Congress by which rebel masters have
lost their property rights 10 their slaves, and to
! make Freedom hereafter the vital, fundamental,
E all-peradng principle of free Republican gov.
eminent, that tbe lovers Of liberty everywhere
receive this last sct Vi President Lincoln with ex-
, pressions Of the greatest favor, while the pro.
slavery enemies OF the Government and sympah.
GERS with treason meet it with a howl OF yituper-
alive denunciatiops. These friends OF the r,bels
have been demanding, for months, that President
! Lincoln should proclaim pardon TO all but the
leading rebels lie has now given them Just what
they asked for, anl they are as little satisfied as
the frogs were with their king, aad their treat.
ment Of this humane act Of wise aud sagaclous
statesmsnshp, shows, even more clearly, II posi-
! BILE, than their previous partisan attacks on the
GogsnmenI, that they cqpdemn or approve
every act of,be Administration he they believe
that act will injure n strengthen slavery. En-
trenched behind arguments, ideas aud preudces,
that belong To pasI heather oges, or present des.
pollc governments. these champions OF oppres.
sion shoot their arrows dipped in the bitterta
malice and spite against every movement to
liberate a down.trodden and di,franebised
racei aud President Lincoln aud the grand Proc.
lamatons in which he has announced the sublime
purposes OF the Government in the prosecution
Of the war against treason, naturally receive their
foulss, abuse. and the venom Of their most win.
dieuye tses And it is almost the highest praise
which can be gisen this last Proclamation, to say
that it meets the most cordial hate of the men
and the parties working to save slavery from the
righteous doom which s crimes have brought
upon it.
We Do not anticipate any immediate, or even
speedy respons from The rebel States 10 this in
yitatioo to return to the national family Its
work willneoessariy be gradual and slow at pres.
ent, and perhnps for some months to come. But
i our armies are REINFORCED and the military
poser q ibe rebellion IS pressed and driven, as
it has been ias The past Nix months, for few
months more, the ,sbollion must 20 to pieces;
and shen that time comes, sEa the military pow.