North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-12-16
Extract from the Presidents Message.

Extract from the Presidents Message.
.-'s@Ay kcn Congress assembled a year ago the
war had already lasted nearly twentyAlnonihs,
ana there had been many conflicts on both
,land and sea. with f5tng results. Tho re-
beilipn la 4 been pressed back into reduced
iulits, yet HE tone OF public feeling and oplr>-
Jon, at-home aDd abroad, was not satisfac-
t0rr.
With other signs, the popular elections,
then Just passed, indicated uneasiness among
QurselYc5 while, amid much that was Geld
and uenacing, the kindest words coming
from Europe were uttered in accents of pity
that we were TOO blind 10 surrender a
hopeless cause. Our commerce. was suffering
greatly BY few armed vessels built upon
and furnished from f6retgn shores, and We
were 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 the European Gov.
ernments anything hopeful upon the subject.
The preliminary Emancipation Procama-
ton which was issued in September, was
running IFS assigned period to the beginning
of the new year. A month later the final
proclamation came, including the announce
nient that colored men of suitable condition
would be received into HE war service.
The policy Of emancipation and of employ
ing black soldiers gave to the future new
aspect, about which hope and fear and doubt
contended in uncertain conflict. =.
According to our political system, as a
matter Of civil administration, the General
Government had no lawful power. TO effect
emancipation in any State, and for long
time It had been hoped that the rebellion
could be suppressed without rcsortirg to It as
a military measure. a4. ... .. ..
. i was all the while deemed possible that
tie psqfs7ity for i might GONE, land that if il
should, the crisis Of he contest would then
be presented, i t came, and as was portend
ed it vas followed by DARK and doubtful
d2ys,.af ..s.-: as~s -ueta ..-ll
E.eyen months having now passed, we are
permitted to take another review The rebel
borders are pressed still lnrther back, and by
The complele opening Of the Mississippi river,
the country dominated by the rebellion Is di-
vided into distant parts, with no practical
Communication between them. Tennessee
and Arkansas have been substantially cleared
OF lnsursent control and influence, and The
citizens ia each, owners of slaves and alyo
cafes of slavery at the beginning OF the re-
be!lon, now declare openly for emancipation
in their respective States. OF those States
not Included in the Emancipation Proclama
ton, Maryland and Missouri, nethcI Of which,
three years ago, would tolerate any restraint
upon The extension of slayery into new ter-
rito ries, only dispute now as the best mode
Of removing 1T within their own limits.
OF those who were slaves at TIE beginning
of the rebellion, full one hundred thousand are
npw in the United States military service
about one.baf Of which number actually
bear arms in the ranks thus giving the
double advantage of taking So much labor
from the iHsurgent canse, and supplying the
.,lacas, which othcrwise must be flied with
so many white mem So far as tested il is
difficult to say that they are not as good
soldiers as any, No seIrtle insurreCtion or
tendency 10 violence or cruelty has luaI keti
the measures OF emancipation, and armlp5
the blacks. These measures have been much
discussed in foreign countries, and cotempo-
rary with such discussions the tone of pub tic
sentiment there is much improved. AT home
the same measures have been fully discussed
supported, criticised, and denounced and
The anusl elections following are highly en-
oonraeirg o those viii. Sc Official duty 1t is 10
bear the country through this great trial.
Thus we have the new reckoning. The
crsIs which threatened to divide the friends
Of the Union is past. a3 .-.. .- zr
Looking now to the present and futures
and with reference to resumption Of the ma
tional ant!,ofitv within the States wherein
that authority has been suspended, have
thought fit 10 issue proclamation. copy OF
which is herewith transmitted. On exatni-
ma ton Of thls proclamation it viii appear, as
is believed, that nothing is attempted beyond
& Sat is amply justified Blythe CONSTITUTIONS
True, the form Of an oath is given, but no
man is coctcld to take Il, H'nan is only
*rotnfsed'a pardon in case re voluntarily
takes The oath. The Constitution authorizes
the Ex, cuiiye to grant or Withhold the par
don st lis own absolute discretion, and this
includes the power to grant on such terms as
is folly established by Judicial and other au.
y, r;,ias me ,""" alr.#
Its also rr6fered that if, ''in any Of the
Ststaq named State Of Government shall
be, in The mode pres crlbed, set up, such Gov
er:nhtnt San be recognized and guaranteed
by ihe United States and that under it the
State shall, on the constitutional conditions,
be protested against invasion ard domestic