Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-10-15

LUNuNn ClsE.
Effect OF the Emancipation Proclamation.


As to the Proclamation of Freedom. the
President reafIirms that it is constitutional
and, whether valid or invalid, needs no re-
traction. As to its effect, he is made to say,
The war progresses as favorably since the
| issue of the Proclamation as beforen This
1t has been greatly observed, is but very faint
| praise of a measure that was supposed to
| deal a fatal blow 3. the Confederacv. But
the small criticism" that INDUCES in such
observations is forgetful of the predicted fail
ure of the Proclamation. twill unite the
| South and divide the North, was the confident
prophecy of its directors. 1t has had just
! the opposite effect. 1t has undoubtedly loos-
| ened the ar1nor of the Confederacy. Like
! the thud of heavy shot upon an ill-built
! on-clad, it has started all the rivetS This
| is the very burden of the complaint which
Mr.. John Adams, Jr., brings back from the
South. His friends groan under the influence
: of the Proclamation upon their human pro-
peFty- Even so far South as Alabama where
| the Proclamation has hardly begun to take
effect, there is fear and trembling as to the
ultimate result. From Richmond TO Mobile,
the Southern papers TEEN with complaints
and remOnstranceS as to the selfish timidity
OF the slaveowners. They withhold their
| negroes from the labor of the camps and for
tl1catlOnS. They drive them into the interior,
far out OF sight of the emancipating flag
They hoard them, as they do their cotton, in
the hope at least of getting compensation if
| they must surrender them. The runor of
determination to arm four or five hundred
thousand of them is not confirmed, and is not
believed. 1t is at best project under consid-
Grafton. There is felt to be one great difficulty
in the way Of it's adoption-namely, the
very natural reluctance of the slaveowners
to part with their human property They
think that it is they who should receive the
reward which Is promised to the negroes al the
end of the war, and they would prefer the
money down. They have faith, too, that al
though President Lincoln reproaches the peo-
pie of the Union with unwillingness to tax
themselves for the redemption of the negro,
there is much better chance for getting the
ransom from the Federal than the Confeder-
ate exchequer. 1t is not likely that they who
made the war will make the peace. Selfish
| ness may pirate about honor, but it will pre-
fer pelf. The humiliation of surrender
would be soothed by the prospect of receiv
ing 800 head for the liberated negroes
| men, women and infants. The Shareholders
| revolted that the might preserve and increase
| their property. The event has proved the
reverse of their expectations They are quite
capable now of seeking the same object by
an opposite policy. So far as they are con-
cerned, we have no wish but that the war
| should continue till every rebel slaveowner
is bankrupt and landless. But for the sake
of humanity we should rejoice Of the war
could be stopped tomorrow by their submis-
| sion-even on terms that saved them from
| the humiliation and loss they so much dread
Justice does not require that the war should
be waged for the punishment of class, how
1 INIT %ln .nI,t,, hat T
should cease the moment its righteous objects
| have been attained. To that end we are con
tident that President Lincoln will preserve.
| At that moment we are no less confident that
he will stop. Honest, resolute, and merciful,
| in prosecuting war or in making peace he
| will alike seek to merit the blessing of God
and the gratitude of mankind.