Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-12-25

Editors s ProDrietors
90 The President certainly l. remarkably
-lrewd and cunning man. Forced, last year,
against, bis better Judgment, 10 issue the Eman
oin4tiol ProcamHtion-the most foolish act, he
afterwards sllI. ui his whole lIie-and thus
seemingly 10 ac uiesce III the extreme antslayery
aul auti-cau,-jutiou policy ~ the radicals, 10
their great delight and To the disappointment and
di.nav OF tine conservatives, It has been ms
study since then. quietly TO regain his lost
ground with the latter. and yet compel the con-
uuueI support of the former. He has done this
81 we'll, that he Is now almost certain TO become
the cauiiiate of both wing Of his party, for re-
election % the Presidency next year.
SeHtiHel Of Dec. Ism.
IN the frst place VIC deny, point blank,
tina, the President was forced TO issue bis
Emancipation Proclamation against his bet
ter Judgment. or that be ever said it was
the most foolish act Of his whole life, or any
thing which amounts to that. We chal-
leuse the Nif,ael to bring any proof Of what
it asserts. Next. we say. that the SentfneFs
Ii III I.NNll Allt ltelAtnN seeming
ccnce in the extreme anti-slavery and anti
constitution policy Of the radicals is nonsense,
OF worse. Nobody has urged him TO adopt
any anu-constitutional policy. Some anti
slavery men-of all political parties, as
parties were three years ago-doubted
whether he went quite far enough-whether
il would not have been better 10 have en-
braccd within the area Of the operation of
the Proclamation, some portions Of the coun-
try winch were left out Of it. Thousands
upon thousands Of true patriots, not only in
the free, but also in the slave States-men,
too, who had been Shareholders all their lives
said the rebellion could never be Success
fully struck down, till slayery-the cause Of
rac r,telli1n-was itself struck down ny the
strong arm Of the military power of the ma
ZION.
The measure has aided the cause Of the
,ermcu, immensely. both at home and
auru1 and ir- in tho same degree weakened
ta. e.4-. ot ,ue rebels. such i- the general
testimony col tie army. and 10 "a wonderful
,-,-ut it la, 4-t tie appreciation Of civilians
.-a. TH. >auqa saws it struck the con-
-,-ar.vo> with disappointment, and dismav,
v4it. $50 I-.-any 90 ie true. understanding
' r.e conservatives that class of politi-
cn- Ul,-e anxiety ilr the preservation Of
slavery is far greater taau their anxiety to
-ayc tac nation from disruption.-and We
aroO of Dec letter way to define them. As
.r the ~ata,.'s assumption that the con-
duct Of tbc Ire-ideu, displays q. cunning, g"
granting trat the ~ntia,l .- sincere in ar-
plying that tern, To Aim, We can only say
-aa- 81 nuira lfHau.u wac never made
Prom Hr-t q, last Ihe course. of -Hc President
aa- been BIS of-u and ab5,, board az It j. pos
-i1ic Ja conceive Tire course OF any man TO be-
He f-cvausl The rebels by hi, Iroclama-
tom s- $50 early Jay that persistence in
their rebellion Na= cndangcring the duration
oi slavery more tlan any thing else Every
Jay experience Shove more and more con-
c.usiyclr tha- the continuance OF slavery
was ID the way % Jhe national success. and
a, last the President issued bis proclamation
that =! tlr rebellion did nos cease iy such a
DAY, some months distant. be- should issue
lis Emancipation Proclamation His de-
olarauon wac >coied at by the rebels. and
the whole force of the northern pro-siavery
Ircss set itself at work to deter the President
from keeping up to ms word but in vain,
Tor when the time came the Emancipation
Proclamation appeared. The PRESIDENT
PROCLAMATION III connection with MS annual
message in no particular conflicts with his
lrmer conduct.
Tie S11uei thinks E. both wings OF his
party are likely to agree in re-nominating
him for the Presidency. What the Sentinel
means by d" both wings Of his party we do
not know ana We presume the Senhnel itself
has no very clear notion Of what it means
when it says 20. That the heartily patriotic
men Of the nation, the men who see that
slavery has brought this fearful evil Of rebel
lion upon Us and that the time has come for
II 10 cease from tie land forever, will agree
10 T,-circt Abraham LineIln TO the
Presidency t. eniinentiy probable, Tot be
cause he Is &c cunning but because he is
aoneSf a. well as able. and the affairs OF
the nation can 1e more safely trusted in bis
hands Khan, those of any new man. The
\1lttHrS -' conservative Cd course will
not like II.