The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-01-16
His EXcellency the Governor V1ndi-
Gates the Truth and Sound Judg-
ment OF the Pioneer.


been disposed to doubt our sincerity. 1t
NAV be there are those who have been dis
posed, even, to question our intrinsic and
acknowledgements integrity. This latter
may not be true F; it would be strange if it
were; but we think we have heard, before
now, of insinuations in that direction We
know there are some who imagine that we
Go not always write exactly what we
think-who suspect that we occasionally
indulge in irony Nothing, we beg to as
sure all such, could be farther from the
fact. So ingrained, indeed, is our reve-
renee for the Goddess of Truth, that we
would not risk the soiling of the hem of
her white garments by even a careless,
much less an insincere, expression. This
AS the phlanthropic DIR. BRANDRErH GER
titles of his very remarkable pills, which
are warranted to be purely vegetable
"may be strictly relied on"
An instance in which we were accused
of ironical writing, occurred in our re-
marks upon the Presidents Emancipation
Proclamation, and its effect upon the in
stitution of slavery. Assuming that the
President was in earnest in making the
Northumberland was not playing Oft on
a poor, down-trodden race, one of his
characteristic practical jokes,-we ex-
pressed our belief in the instant and per-
vading efficacy of the emancipating edict
We asserted, with the most clear and con-
scientious conviction Ofthis truth, that,
to doubt in the innernost rccesses of the mind,
that the proclamation of freedom to the slaves
Of the South actually makes them free, is COW
ert disloyalty. at the least and the audible ut
terance of such doubt is open treason ana
that without remedy.
We went further, and appealed to Pro
vost Marshal NUTTING to keep his eyes and
ears open for the detection and arprehen-
sion of all who should question the bearing
and effect OF the Proclamation. We told
him that he owed it alike to the President,
and to the glorious cause Of Human Free
dom,
to chuck any man into Fort Warren Or Fort
Lafayette who darcS to assert that there has
been Il solitary Niger in bonds on this North
American continent since New Years day.
We made this averment and uttered this
Injunction, with an earnestness so dead
that it was cold at the eXtrelnities before
we got them into print. Yet, when we wrote
under the impulses Of a conviction thus
solemn and conclusive, we were accused of
irsincerity, and of seeking to cast ridicule
upon "the grandest declaration of any age
since the world began -
Under such circumstances, SO trying to
our patience, it has been a great cOnsOla-
ton to find that His Excellency, Governor
RAMSEY, takes a like view of the Presi-
dents Proclamation, and that he has the
courage and good conscience to give it ut
terance in his Annual Message. That is,
he gives it expression as positively as his
nature and habits will permit. 1t isone of
the idosyncrasies of the Governor, that he
can't make direct statement. If he were
asked the complexion of an unadulterated
niger, he would not say it was black, but
he would venture favorable allusion to a
probability that the hue of the Africans
skin might be dark Bearing in mind the
Governors popularity in this respect, it
will be seen that he is surprisingly positive
in the following extract
We may ein,oSt say, that to-day, the sun in his
course shines upon 10 American bondsman BY
the Proclamation of the President, the shacklo5
have fallen from the limbs Of aedr}y every
slave.
We are grateful to the Governor for this
endorsement. 1t was unlocked for, and is
therefore all the more satisfactory. 1t
settles the interpretation Of the Proclalna-
ton of Freedom. and Of its effect. The
President issues it-THE PIONEER endorses
the President-and the Governor endorses
TIE PIONEER. That does the business.
The things bird, or there's 10 sense in
ornithology. We can repeat, therefore,
with & double emphasis and joy. that there
isn't q SOLITARY niger slave on this
North American continent and hasn't
been since New Years