The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-12-10

The atleotion 81 CoDseress dnring che
last se61ion Was engaged, to some extent,
Nth proposition for enlargide the Va
vt oomnunication between the Aississip-
lpi riyet. and the South Eastern seaboard,
E9hich proposition, however, failed for
~ Tins. Since thsa : tscnvdDeion has
lbsen called 1t Chicago upon the same
subjects summary Of whose views il eoa-
tanned 10 . memorial addressed to the
President and Congress, and which / now
have the honor to lay before you, that
this intsrast i one which, era long, will
force its own way, do not d tertain .
doubt, while It is ssbmitfed dntirsly to
your wisdom - to what can be done.-
New and augmented intarest il given to
this subject By the actual commencement
Of work upon the Pacific Railroad under
auspices 80 favorable to It's rapid pro-
gross and completion. Enlarged naviga-
ton becomes . palpable need u the great
road.
! l transmit the second annual report of
the Commissioner of the Department of
Agriculture, asking your attention to the
developments in that vital int rest of the
war. When Congress assembled = year
ago the war had already lasted nearly 20
months, and there had been many con.
ficts on both land and sea, with varying
results. The rebellion had been pressed
back into reduced limits, and yet the
tone Of public feeling and opinion at
home and abroad was not satisfied
with the signs. The peculiar election that
just passed indicated uneasiness among
ourselves, while amid much that was
cold and menaciDg, the kindest words
coming from Europe were uttered in q
tone OF pity that We we're too blind to
surrender our commerce, which was snf-
fering greatly by few armed vessels,
bailt upon and furnished from foreign
shores, we were threatened with such
additions from the same quarters as would
sweep our trade from the sea and raise
our blockade. We bad failed to elicit
from the European Government anything
hopeful when the subject of the emanci-
patton proclamation, which was issued in
september, was running it's assigned pc
Rod to the beginning of New Year. A
month later the final proclamation came,
including the announcement. that colored
men of suitable condition would be re-
ceived into war service. The policy OF
emancipation aud employing black SOL
diers gave to the future new as
pert. about which hope. and fear, and
doubt, contended IN uncertain conflict -
According to our political system, as a
matter Of civil administration, the Gen.
eral Government had no lawful power to
effect emancipation in any State, and for
long time 1t had been hoped that the
rebellion could be suppressed without re-
sorting to it as a military measure. 1t
was all the while deemed possible that
the necessity might come, and that ii j,
should the crisis Of the contest would then
be presented. 1t came, and as was expect
ed it was followed by dark An d doubtful
days. Eleven months hare passed We
are permitted to take auothef review
The rebel borders are pressed still further
back, and by the complete opening of the
Mississippi river the county covered
over by The rebellion is divided into dis
tinct parts. and practical cem nunica,ion
between them cut of. Ten nessee and
Arkansas has been substantially cleared
of insurgents, and the citizens in each,
and owners of slaves, and advocates OF
slavery at the beginning of th rebellion,
now declare openly FOR eman cipation in
their respective States. OF those States
not included in the emancipation procla.
nation, Maryland and Missouri, neither
OF which, years ago, would t2lerste any
restraint on the extension OF slavery into
the new territories, only disp lutte now as
tn the best mode of removing it within
their own limits. OF those who were
slaves at the beginning of the rebellion,
full one hundred thousand are now in
United States military service, about one
half of which number actually bear arms
Ia the ranks, thus giving the double ad-
vantage of taking so much labor from the
insurgent 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 bot as good
soldiers as any.
No servile instruction tending TO vio-
lence or cruelty has marked the measures
OF emanci pation and arming the blacks
These measures have been much dis
cussed in foreign countries, and contem-
porary with such discussion the tone of
public sentiment thete is much improved.
At home the same measures have been
fully discussed, supported, criticised and
discussed, and the usual elections follow
ing are highly encouraging 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 past. Look
ing now to the present and future, and
with reference to . resumption Of the na-
tional authority within til. States wherein
that authority has been suspended, have
thought ct to Issue proclamatio copy |
OF which is herewith transmitted.
On examination Of the proclamation it |
will appear, as is believed amply justified |
BY the Constitution. True. the form of
an oath is given, but no man is compelled |
to take it. A man ia only promised a |