The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-12-10

force its own way, do not entertain dopbt
while it is submitted entirely TO your wisdom az
to what can be done now. Augmented interest
is given to this subject by the actual commence.
men. of work upon the Pacific railroad under aus
plces so favorable 10 rapid progress and compile
ton that the enlarged navigation becomes pal
pabe need to the great roac. | transmit: the Sec
ord annual report OF the Commissioner of the
Department Of Agriculture, asking your attention
to the developments in ihot vital interest of the
nation.
When Congress assembled year ago the wa,
had already lasted nearly twenty months and
there had been many conflicts on both land and
sea with varying results. The rebellion he'd been
pushed back into reduced limits, yet the tone of
public opinion at home and abroad was not salts
factory Win other Signs the popular elections
then JUST past indicated uueasineas among our
selves, while, amid niue; that was cold and men
acng tbs kinoest words coming from Europe
were uttered II accents OF pity that We were too
blind TO surrender hopeless cause.
Our commerce Vas suffering greatly hy few
armed vessels, built uron and furnished from for.
egu shores, and were threatened with such add
tons from the same quarters as would sweep our
trade from the sea and raise our blockade. We
had failed to elicit from European Governments.
any thing hopeful on this subject
The preliminary emancipation proclamation is
sued IL September VAS running lis assigned peri
cd to the beginning OF the new year. A month
later the hnal proclamation Cane including the
announcement that ooored men of suitable condi.
ton, would be received into the war service. The
policy Of emancipation and Of employing black
soldiers, give to the future new aspect, about
which hope and fear commended n uncertain con.
f.ct. According TO our political system, as
matter of civil administration, the general govern
ment had no lawful power to effec, emancipation
in any State, and for a long time it had been
hoped that the rebellion could be suppressed with
out resortlng 10 it as military msasure, 1t was
oil the while deemed possible that the necessity
for it might come, and that il it should the crisis
of the contest would then be presented. 1t came,
and, eS was anticipated, il was followed by
dark and doubtful days.
Eleven months having now passed VT are per.
mitttd 10 take another review. Ihe rebel Dor.
ders are pressed still further back, and bv the
complete opening OF the Mississippi. the country
dominated by tue rebellion is divided into distinct
parts, with no practicable communication between
them Tennessee and Arkansas have been sub
stantiay cleared Of insurgents control, aud infu-
entail citizens in each, owners OF slaves and adVo.
Gates Of slavery at the beginning of the REBEL.
ion, now declare openly for emancipation IN their
respective States. Of the States not included in
the emancipation proclamation, Marylan amt
Missouri, neither Of which three years ago would
tolerate any restraint upon the extension of slave
ry into new territories, only dispute now as to the
best mode of removing it within their own Inn
itf.
OF those who were slaves at the beginning Of
the rebellion full one hundred thousand are now
in the United States military service, about one
halt Of which number actually bear arms in tho
ranks thus giving The double adyantag. Of taking
so much labor from the insurgent causey and sup
plying the places which otherwise mast BIZ filed
by SO maay white men. SO far as tested it is DIFF
hCu to say they are not as good soldiers as any
No servile inSurrectlon or tendency to cruelty has
marked the measures Of emancipation and arm
ing the blacks. these measures have been much
discussed in foreign countries, and contemporary
with such discussion the tone Of public sentiment
there is much improved.-At home the sans
measures have been fully discussed, supported,
criticised and denounced, and The annual elections
following are highly encouraging to those whose
official duty it is to bear the country through this
great trial Thus We have The new reckoning.
The crisis which threatned to divide the friends
Of the Union is past.
Looking now to the present and future ant
with reference to a resumption Of the national au-
thority within the States wherein that authority
has been suspended, | have thought fit to issue
a proclamation, copy OF which is herewith Trans
mitted. On examination of this proclamation il
will appear AS is believed that nothing Is attempt
ed beyond what is justified by the Constitution.
True, the form of an oath is given, but 10 man il
coerced to take it. Tie man is only promised a
pardon 10 case he voluntarily takes the oath. The
authorizes the executive 10 grant or
withhold the pardon at his own absolute discre.
ton, and this includes the powor to grant on
erms, as is fully established by judicial and other
authorlies.-lt is also provided that if, in any of
the States, named, State government shall be in
The mode prescribed set up, such governmen.
oha! be cogniEed and guaranteed by the United
States, and that under IL the State shall, on the
conditions, be protected against in
'asion and domestic violence. The con tltutiona
obligation OF the United States to guarantee to
every State in the Union arepubli"an form of gov
eminent and to protect the State IN the cases sta
led, Is explicit and tull.
But why tender the benefits of this provision
only TO State government set up in this particu-
ar wayP This section OF the constitution contem-
plates case wherein the element within State
favorable to republican government in the Union
may be Too feeble tor an opposite and hostile ele
nent external to or even within the State, and
'uch are precisely the cases with which we are
low dealing. An attempt to guarantee and pro
cot a revived State government, constructed in
Ahole or In preponderatlng part from the very