The Shasta courier., 1863-01-10
The Proclamation.

On the first 4 of January, A. D. 1868,
a new epoch In the history of our Gov
ernment was inapgurated in the city of
Washington, in the District of Columbia,
and United States of America, in the
18th Presidential term, and in the Slth
year of the Independence of the United
States Abraham Lincoln, by virtue of his
authority as Commander in Chief of the Ar
my and Navy of the United States, during
the time of the open rebellion of certain
slave holding States as a military necessity,
in accordance with due notice given, issued
his proclamation emancipating over three
millions ef human beings, who were born
and held in slavery. Who SO wise as TO fore
tell tie consequences? Who so inhuman and
heartless as to ask it to be revoked?
That this measure of the President has
been well matured for many months past,
there can be no question and that from the
magnitude this rebellion has attained, it was
necessary to adopt more radical measures
than many unconditional Union men had
hoped to be necessary to suppress the rebel
lion, we are well aware; but when the exist
ence Of this benifcent Government is the
question at issue, and that it is made so q
children of Its own nurture. who love slavery
better than they do the Government that has
always protected shem in holding a species
of property that the wisest nations have con-
demned as inhuman, such measures must be
taken as shall strike terror to the foe, however
severe the punishment may be.
If slavery be extinguished in the South in
consequence of this proclamation of the Pre-
sident. on the slave holder be the blame, and
not on the people of the North. Every hon
orable inducement has been offered them to
return to their allegiance to the Government,
after committing such cruel wrong against
the institutions of great and free people
but steeling their hearts against all thought
of again returning to their duty, they have
renewed their assaults and outrages against
citizens of their own States that chose to re-
main loyal to their flag; and as a fitting
sequence of their crime, they will at no dis
tant day see the practical results of the pro-
clamation.
1t has been said, and the saying has be-
come an oracle of truth, that 8 revolutions
never 90 backwards" and it is fair to pre-
sumo that the revolution which the slave
States have forced upon this country for the
purpose of compelling the free States to ac-
knowledge slavery as a political institution
of..this free land, will never cease until the
cause is fully crippled, and in a fair way of
being removed from the country.
A million of men are now in arms, ready
and eager to, solve this great problem. Their
step is to the music of the Union, an so long
as the stars az d stripes can be held aloft by
one of the noble patriots of the great army
under the command of the President, SO long
will their march be southwark, until every
traitor is compelled to lay down his arms
and submit to the laws. The sacrifice may
be the offering up of - the last and only son"
upon the altar of his country, but so long as
the cause is Union and Liberty, none need
fear but that the sacrifice will be made The
fidelity with which the President adheres to
his purpose of preserving the Union, shines
more brightly to-day than one year ago
Then fear not but we shall again be a united
and free people.