Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-01-16
The PresldenCs ProoInmo1Ion-

Marriages, Notices Of Funerals, and announcement
u ssttnonS' % cents Caeh nouV11-'69
The PresIdonUs Proclamation.
Editors zntel5igeacsr:
The progress which is being made in the
formation of spirit of disloyalty to this
Government Caunot but excite the surprise
and the apprehension of all those who sin.
cerely cherish the laws and the coustitu.
ton under which they have been reared
We speak not of those who nre at the
present time engaged in the work of open
and undisguised rebellion, who are giving
their physical aid to the work of the dis.
ruption of the Union, but of those who
stand forth in bitter and unrelenting hos.
uiity to the acts of the present admiuistrn-
non. II does not require a great amount
| oil dlscernment TO perceive the true char.
acter of the opinions and sentiments of
those persons who are constantly railing at
the Government for what they term uncou-
stitutional exercises of power ragainst those
10 rebellion, who are comparing the places
which are being used for the confinement
of perfured wretches and traitors
to the Bastile of France, who are con-
stantly swearing at the Government for
what they term sympathy for the negro in
its adhesion to the emancipation proclama-
tion, and who in fact are in the constant
employment of cloaking their Infamous
treason uuder the flimsy and untrue posi-
| ton that the Government is using unjust
and unconstitutional measures against
those who are endeavorIng to tear down
the fair fabric of our political system. 1t
] is burning shame and disgrace that 40
many of this class are found in the loyal
States. To all such secret sympathizers
with rebellion, who are so often engaged in
the dignl6ed work Of diIatiug on the op-
preston of the Federal Government to the
traitors Of the South, we commend the fol-
| lowing patriotic and soul l-stirring senti-
ments from the lips OF Henry Clay; Eand If
| the JacObin rebels can find in them anv
consolation, they may be still greater
soOIhed TO ind out that they are in accord.
anee with the opinions of the leading
statesmen of the country in its earlier and
better days:
Suppose the standard should be raised
of open resistance to the Union, the Con.
stitution and laws, what is to be done :?
| There can be but one possible answer
The power, the authority, aud the dignity
of the Government ought to be maintain.
ed. and resistance put down at all haz-
yards"
The recent janus-faced sympatbizers
with secession seem to entertain a -holv
horror in reference to theSproclamation Of
the President. Those who commend the
executive branch OF the Federal Govern.
ment for pursuing course of this charac-
ter, they denounce as sympathizers with
the negro aud working together for the
purpose of setting afoat an influx of free
negroes on the North. They are particu-
larly loud in their protestations of its be-
ing in violation of the constitution. The
truth of the matter is, there is nothing in
the supreme law Of the land which
either gives or forbids the exercise of such
power by the Executive. Tue great and
important principle which shonldi be con-
stantly kept in view, is that "A state of pub
lie rebellion changes the relation of the
General Government to the disloyal States.
As long as they remain in the Union, and
submit peacefully aud harmoniously to the
Federal laws, there is not single iota ot
property which can be taken from them
without compensation. But internal ag-
gression changes the comfy which il
times of peace is carried on between the
different States. This isas true in its ap.
plication to our own Government as itcau
be to any other country across the waters
In the consideration of this important
principle, the great cardinal point which
has the neares: application to the emauci
patton proclamation, and which should
not be forgotten, is that in a state
of public icFarebellion, the government
which has been rebelled against has
the unquestioua6le right to confiscate tht
public and private property of its enemies
This is an old and an established principle
Of International law. Yattel, in his Law
/ of Nations, thus speaks of this right: /,
1--WE have the right to deprive our enc
my of his possessions; of every thing
which may augment his strength and eua.
BILE him to make war. This every one, eu
deayors to accomplish in the manner most
suitable to him. Wherever we have an op.
portunity, we seize on the enemy's proper.
Z ty and convert it to our own use; and thus
besides diminishing the enemy's power
we augment our own, and obtain at leaet :
partial indemuilication or equivalent, eth.
er for what constitutes the subject of the
war, or for the expenses and losses incur.
red in its prosecution. In word, we Dc
ourselves justice" @
Here is the truth of the proposition
which We have advanced, laid down il
plain and decisive language.
Many of the pseudo loyalists to whom
we have referred, seem to be great,
apprehensive that one effect of the re
cent proclamation of the President will
be to hasten on the threatened evi
of oreignaiutervention. This, apprehen
sion they ground ou the fact that it vii
tend in its nature to prolong the war. NJ
doubt the European nations are suffering
intensely from the want of cotton, but thel
surely labor under great error When they
t suppose that the emancipation proclama
tion will proloug- the war, for if they haC
no sympathy for the cause Of suffering hu
manity, they surely know that the soones
, way to silence traitorous discomfort is /,
aim at the financial interests ot the enc
mics of the government. Even should thi
, proclamation be carried into successful on