The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1863-12-23
The Presidents Message.

Suc0 W shoui, We 50 nearly concur IN the
following views of the Presidents message,
which we find in the Journal of Commerce,
that we adopt Them as the expression OF our
! own sentiments. Passing over those parts
referring TO foreign relations, the depart
mental reports &c., and coming at once to
the important part, to which all eyes and
| thoughts will be directed, the Journal
says:
The Presidents plan for reco Instruction or
restoration seems TO be less a plan of paci-
hcation than device to perpeuale the
affect oil the. Abolition measures in the
Southern States. The plan embodied in
the proclamation which Mr. Lincoln pro
poses 10 issue sounds very much like a
nkase from the chambers of an autocrat,
instead OF the voice of an ordinary man,
temporarily representing the constitutional
government OF the United States
la our view the grand question is now,
Can we restore peace and union, without
reference 10 slavery or the negro at all !''
II the proclamations and acts of the admin.
'siration are law, they will stand as law
ill repealed. The past is past. But the
President seems to think the great question
how to perpeluate the laws and proclama-
tions relating to slavery and the question
OF peace and union he makes wholly sec
ondary TO that. The negro is the promi-
nent object of his care the legislation relat-
ing TO the negro is that which alone be
labors TO make effective the negro is the
condition on which he rests the possibility
OF peace. This prominence given to the
negro is melancholy indication of the
failure OF Mr. Lincoln TO see the faiure as
men of sagacity, lrne statesmen here and
elsewere see it. If the lave is free, he is
free and why then waste so many words
in making the peace OF our nation depends
ent on his freedom
wise man would trust the proclarna-
iions and The acts OF Congress 10 the future
action OF the courts and TIE people, moi
thrust them forward now as the special con-
ditions OF pacificaiion. As we read the
message, Mr. Lincoln means TO say that
there is no peace except on the condition
OF abolition. Wisdom would have looked
for peace without any such condition, leav-
ing the laws TO their own effect.
The serious question is whether this plan
of the President is calculated TO bring abou.
peace whether il is a proclamation that
is likely to be well received by any con.
siderable portion Of the people engaged in
the insurrection, and to hasten the close of
the war. II is plain that what Mr.. Lincoln
wants is peace and abolition He does not
take into consideration at all the question
of peace without abolition. In this respect
he lends himself entirely 10 The radical
Aboiiionists, and evidently expects to coo.
tinue the war until slavery is actually abol-
ished where his old proclamation has iheo.
reiicaliy abolished il. The Presidents idea
OF closing the war is by a sor. OF individ-
nal and personal contract with each and
every man, woman and child, TO the effect
HAT if the person will sustain all the policy
of the Administration and all It's acts and
proclamations, he or she will be pardoued
The offer is doubtless one which The Presi
dent has the righ. 10 make. If the people
will accept il, il is a very neat aud pretty
way of doing up the war. But it certainly
does not hold out very brilliant prospects OF
success as pacifcaiory measure. Neither
is The Presidents hal,ing and hesiiaiing
method of defending his position and plan
al all encouraging or inspiring. He does
not seem TO have faith in it, he introduces
it with an argument in lis favor, which is
of course an admission that needs defence
and this is very bad feature in any pub
lie measure OF so great importance as this.
There is nothing stalesmaalike in the plan
or the paper defending il. II indicates a
narrow view of the grand questions of gov
eminent involved in the future pacificalion
of The country, and tolai failure 10 rise TO
the solemH importance oi the events crowd
ing into the close of his administration
Wilhost perception of the real condition
OF The country, and withou, ability TO master
the grand problem before him, we have
here from Mr.. Lincoln a proclamation
which is, as compared with the vast throes
of the nation which have seemed TO produce
il a very small and puny affair.
Was il not enough 10 require an oath to
support the Constitution of the Uaiied States,
and all laws made and acts done in pursu.
ance ofit Why force the negro 10 the
very nos.rils of the Southern mao whose
submission TO law you seek Is il said the
oath requires no more than that ! With all
due respect to Mr.. Lincoln it requires
great deal more. Ii requires the support
OF proclamation which one-half of the
people of the North do not support. II re-
quires the support of laws one half of the
people OF the North repudiate as null and
void, because unconstitutional. The doc
lrine is not yel forced on Americans that
they must obey law until it is declared
unconstitutional. On the contrary, the
American is compelled 10 Judge and take
responsibilities on himself, which in no