Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-06-12

The EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION "A 4
FIXED FAcT.-The emancipation proclamation
of President lincoln affords very good cx-
ample Of what thing well done and then
let alone viii accomplish even IN the most
trying circumstance. Was there ever or
could there well be a more insane bowling
about any act than was kept up for while
about THE? Even many Of It's supporters
yacillated and trcmbled, and wondered
whether the President would actually dare
to issue tie Proclamation Just as he had said
he would And when finally he did issue it
there was a sort Of general holding Of breath
to sec where the first breaking out Of those
fearful consequences which had been predict
cd would begin to reveal itself The pro
slavery shrickcrs were wonderfully s)licitous
to know what the President would do
now. esteeming it a foresonc conclusion
that be would not hold, any longer than was
absolutely required to save an appearance Of
consistency. to the murderous odict be
had put forth Some Of the friends OF the
Presidents policy were 20 far Influenced by
the confidential warnings Of the terror strick-
en- lro-slavery men, that they only yenturcd
to hope that Mr. Lincoln would attempt to
hold on as long Is he could. But what did
President Lincoln do? lie did not do any
thing. lie allowed the rebel sympathizers
to writhc and wriggle to their hearts content,
as much as to say when Jou are tired Of
looking u see what am going DO with it
then look the other way" And these men
have had to look the other way. Their pre-
dictions have 50 signally failed. their fears
proved so utterly groundless, and the Prcsi-
dent so unmoyed by their pathetic mutations,
that with a feeling Of shame AMI a conscious
ness Of iusignifcancc they have turned their
attention to more profitable sIeculations or
skunk away in unnoticcd silence. Even
those who once opposed the Proclamation
and ga7cj with knock knecd timility at
what they then deemed the temerity of the
President, would now be among the first to
regret a revocation Of this most noble act Of
his administration
Firmncss has done Its work in this case.
and given the lie to villlny and corruption.
We only wish that all the acts ofthe Govern
mcnt and its agents were conducted in the
same spirit and with tire same consistency
that has been manifested in tins one. We
give in conclusion statement Of Mr. C..
Buxton ". r. recently made at a meeting in
London. exemplifyinE the change of scuu-
mont t. which We have aiycrtcl
Ike admitted that he was wrong in his auuc-
ratons Of the result Of the ing Of the procla-
nation of Mr. Lincoln. He thought It would
have aroused the slaves, ami he hal looked with
horror at the consequences Of such an uprising,
which must have ended in their utter extermina-
ton. However, all his apprehcnsi0ns had proved
To- De vain. The negroes had shown that patience
and wonderful forbearance Of spirit which always
characterized their race. and had not brought
those dreadful calamities which he had apnrc-
heuded Il appeared 10 him that the cause OF
abolition was extending over the continent ol
America, and that although the negroes hal not
chosen 10 rise against their masters, they hal
nevertheless shown great adherence Of slavery.
They had shown how eager they were to escape
and how ready they were to undergo the severe
est trials IN order to make their way to where
the Federal fa- was waving. lie believed that
with the Jealous cooperation Of the Felcral Cow
ernment, and with the increasing love Of freedom
and adherence Of slavery which was creeping
more and more over the heart and conscience OF
the world, they might look within a few years to
see not only the abolition Of the Spanish slave
trade in Cuba, but the abolition Of slavery
throughout the world